Schools Collect 4.27 Lakh E-Waste Items Under Ministry of Education Campaign

Schools across India collected 4.27 lakh electronic items during a nationwide e-waste campaign. The initiative seeks to make responsible repair, reuse, recycling and disposal everyday practices.New Delhi,Oct 25, 2026 20:23 ISTSchools across India collected 4.27 lakh discarded electronic items during a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about electronic waste and its proper disposal, organisers said.The campaign was held under the Ministry of Education’s Eco Clubs for Mission LiFE initiative. It was conducted by the Bajaj Foundation in collaboration with the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, with support from UNICEF YuWaah.As many as 57,271 schools reported taking part in the campaign. The activities involved about 33 lakh people, including 30.22 lakh students and 2.78 lakh teachers.The collection of e-waste was reported by 25,731 schools. A further 39,494 e-waste collection corners were set up in schools across the country to help students and teachers separate and store discarded electronic goods. The campaign included awareness meetings and 36 webinars for schools in States and Union Territories. The sessions covered the identification, collection, storage, handling and transport of e-waste. They also explained repair, reuse and recycling.Teachers and Eco Club coordinators were given guidance on finding authorised recyclers, protecting data stored on old electronic devices and keeping records of collected material. “Through Special Campaign 6 under Eco-Clubs for Mission LiFE, we are educating schoolchildren on reducing e-waste and disposing of it responsibly,” said Amarpreet Duggal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education. She said the campaign had collected more than four lakh items.The campaign also produced standard operating procedures, frequently asked questions, an e-book and other awareness material. Information was shared in regional languages to help schools understand the rules and put them into practice.To mark International E-Waste Day, an e-waste mural was installed at the Ministry of Education. The mural used more than 60 kg of discarded electronic material collected by students.Giorgia Varisco, Chief of UNICEF YuWaah, said the partnership sought to support youth-led environmental action and give young people the knowledge and opportunities needed for a greener India.Shohini Dutta, Chief Philanthropy Officer, Bajaj Foundation, said guidelines would have little effect unless they were understood and followed on the ground. She stressed the need for regional-language communication.Organisers said the work would continue through school sustainability activities, cooperation with authorised recyclers and better records of e-waste collection and handover. The campaign is intended to make responsible use, repair, reuse and recycling of electronic goods part of daily life.- Ends