Recognising green schools that are redefining environmental responsibility
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) & Green Schools Programme (GSP) hosted their annual Green Schools Carnival & Awards Ceremony at the India Habitat Centre in January 2026. The ceremony celebrated the ‘green’ achievements of outstanding schools from across the country for their ingenuity and sustainable practices. It brought together schoolchildren, teachers, principals and officials from state education and environment departments.
The GSP awards mark the culmination of the GSP Audit, a comprehensive environmental assessment designed for schools. Through this process, schools evaluate their resource use across six areas: air, energy, food, land, water and waste. The audit enables them to measure their resource consumption, identify gaps and receive tailored feedback for improvement. With clear, data-driven indicators and tailored feedback, schools are able to understand where they are faring well and which areas of sustainability need improvement.
This year, 7,406 schools from 28 states and Union Territories participated in the audit and submitted detailed reports. Based on their performance, 24 awards across 12 categories were presented to recognise exemplary efforts. The awards were conferred by CSE Director General a leading environmentalist, Sunita Narain.
The ceremony also spotlighted youth leadership beyond school campuses by inviting young conservationists as special guests. Among them were Brawin Kumar, a conservation biologist working on the ecology and protection of small mammals, notably the hedgehog; Tiasa Adhya, an ecologist and conservation practitioner focused on protecting the endangered fishing cat; and Apurva Bandal, Senior Program Officer, Wildlife Crime Control Division, Wildlife Trust of India.
Alongside the awards, the Carnival buzzed with interactive activities, from green innovation pitches to an art contest to a musical challenge inspired by Gobar Times cover themes. The day was a reminder that sustainability in schools is not an add-on; it is becoming a way of learning, thinking and leading.
BEST GREEN STATE: Punjab, for the highest number of audit report submissions. Total 6,264 schools from the state submitted the report; 237 were rated green. The award was presented to the Joint Director Dr K. S. Bath and other officials from Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST).
BEST GREEN DISTRICT: Hoshiarpur, Punjab for 947 report submissions
THE CHANGEMAKER AWARDS are for schools that improve their sustainability rating from yellow to green by monitoring and improving their practices over the year.
Changemaker (Primary): Satya Bharti School Tungaheri, Ludhiana, Punjab
Changemaker (Secondary): Vidya Pratishthan's New English Medium School, Pune, Maharashtra
THE STERLING SCHOOLS
Sterling 10 years: Schools that have been rated green for ten consecutive years
The school that submitted the audit report for the first time and demonstrated great potential in managing its natural resources
Green-rated schools that have performed outstandingly in a specific audit section
Programme Manager, Environment Education Unit, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi
