Teachers' Day 2026: 50 Quiz Questions on Radhakrishnan and Education

Teachers' Day marks the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, India's first Vice-President and second President, who was also a noted philosopher, scholar and educationist. The day is also a good opportunity to revisit key facts about the Indian education system, including the National Education Policy, teacher-training programmes, digital learning platforms and teacher award schemes. Here are 50 quiz questions covering Dr Radhakrishnan, Teachers' Day and Indian education initiatives.

50 Quiz Questions and Answers

1. Teachers' Day is celebrated in India on September 5, the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
2. September 5 is observed as Teachers' Day because it is the birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a renowned philosopher, scholar and educationist.
3. India began observing Teachers' Day in 1962, the year Dr Radhakrishnan became President.
4. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888.
5. Dr Radhakrishnan was born in Tiruttani, in the erstwhile Madras Presidency.
6. For his postgraduate degree, Dr Radhakrishnan studied philosophy, later becoming an internationally respected philosopher.
7. Dr Radhakrishnan pursued his higher education at Madras Christian College.
8. The first constitutional position Dr Radhakrishnan held was Vice-President of India, a post he took up in 1952.
9. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was India's first Vice-President, serving from 1952 to 1962.
10. Dr Radhakrishnan became President of India in 1962.
11. Dr Radhakrishnan was India's second President, serving from 1962 to 1967.
12. He served as President of India for one term, from 1962 to 1967.
13. In 1954, Dr Radhakrishnan was conferred the Bharat Ratna for his contributions to philosophy, education and public life.
14. Dr Radhakrishnan served as Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University.
15. He also served as Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University, contributing significantly to higher education.
16. After independence, Dr Radhakrishnan represented India at UNESCO.
17. Radhakrishnan strongly emphasised that teachers should be the best minds in the country, underlining the importance of capable teachers in nation-building.
18. Before entering public life, Dr Radhakrishnan was primarily associated with teaching and philosophy as a distinguished professor.
19. The central figure associated with Teachers' Day in India is Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, whose birth anniversary the day marks.
20. The purpose of Teachers' Day is to honour teachers and educators for their contribution to students and society.
21. Internationally, World Teachers' Day is observed on October 5.
22. China celebrates its Teachers' Day on September 10.
23. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, approved by the Union Cabinet, introduced wide-ranging reforms in school and higher education.
24. NIPUN Bharat focuses mainly on foundational literacy and numeracy among children in the early years of schooling.
25. DIKSHA stands for Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing, a national digital platform supporting students and teachers with educational resources.
26. SWAYAM is the Government of India's online learning platform offering courses across different levels of education.
27. NISHTHA stands for National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement, a teacher-training and capacity-building programme.
28. Vidyanjali is the initiative that encourages community and volunteer participation in supporting school education.
29. Samagra Shiksha is the scheme focused on integrated, inclusive school education, covering different stages of schooling and areas such as teacher development.
30. The Ministry of Education administers the National Awards to Teachers in India.
31. The National Awards to Teachers are traditionally presented by the President of India around Teachers' Day.
32. Savitribai Phule is widely regarded as one of India's earliest modern women teachers, for her pioneering role in women's education.
33. According to traditional Hindu accounts, Sandipani Muni was the teacher of Lord Krishna.
34. The civilian award Dr Radhakrishnan received in 1954 was the Bharat Ratna.
35. The University Education Commission was established in 1948 under the chairmanship of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
36. The primary purpose of the University Education Commission was to examine university education in India and recommend improvements.
37. Among the books written by Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan is Indian Philosophy, one of his major scholarly works.
38. Dr Radhakrishnan's book examining Rabindranath Tagore's philosophy and ideas is titled The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore.
39. Dr S. Radhakrishnan was the famous Indian philosopher and educationist who served as India's first Vice-President, a post he took up in 1952.
40. NISHTHA is the initiative primarily associated with teacher professional development and capacity building.
41. DIKSHA was a particularly important platform for digital learning resources for teachers and students.
42. One of the key objectives of Samagra Shiksha is inclusive and equitable education, improving access, quality and inclusion in schooling.
43. SWAYAM provides online learning opportunities through MOOCs and other courses for students, teachers and lifelong learners.
44. According to the source material, Mary Clubwala Jadhav was the first woman to receive the National Award to Teachers.
45. Banaras Hindu University is the institution associated with Dr Radhakrishnan's tenure as Vice-Chancellor, alongside Andhra University.
46. The field that made Dr Radhakrishnan internationally famous was philosophy, through his scholarly work in Indian and comparative philosophy.
47. Teachers' Day is significant because it recognises the contribution of teachers to society, honouring their role in shaping knowledge, values and responsible citizens.
48. NIPUN Bharat is associated with foundational learning in India, focusing on literacy and numeracy among children.
49. October 5 is the day observed globally to recognise teachers, as World Teachers' Day.
50. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was India's first Vice-President, its second President, and a recipient of the Bharat Ratna in 1954 — his birth anniversary on September 5 is observed as Teachers' Day in India.