New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS): This year, teachers' performance during the pandemic will be a major criterion apart from academic excellence for teachers' award in Delhi to be presented on September 5, said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in a press conference here on Saturday.

He said that teachers have done extraordinary work ranging from Covid duty to administering vaccines and distributing ration during the pandemic.

Siaodia said that teachers were not acquainted with online teaching mechanism, but they have excelled in online teaching and have taught students throughout the pandemic. "Teachers have proved why they are kept ahead of God always", said the Deputy CM.

"This year teachers' award will be different as it will measure teachers' performance during Covid also", he added.

This year's awards will be presented to a total of 122 teachers. Earlier, only 103 awards were presented on the occasion. On the other side, a major criteria for teachers' award was to have 15 years of experience in teaching, however this year it has been changed to only three years of experience which will include all teachers from private and government schools along with guest teachers.

Out of a total of 1,102 applications submitted for the awards, 122 have been finalized by the government.

This year, a special award 'Face of DoE' has been initiated by the Delhi Government. Two teachers -- Rajkumar and Suman Arora will be presented with this awards. Rajakumar is a Sitar player who has got his name registered in Guinness Book of World Records for playing Sitar for 32 hours and 20 minutes continuously. The other teacher is Suman Arora whose 23 students have cleared JEE Mains and 5 have cleared JEE advance.

The special award will be presented to Bharti Kalra and Rani Bhardwaj.

The teachers award ceremony will be held at Thyagaraj Stadium on September 5.