Nationwide e-waste drive in schools on October 28 under Special Campaign 6

NEW DELHI: A nationwide e-waste awareness and collection drive will be held in schools on October 28, 2026, the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Union Ministry of Education, has announced.

According to a press release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on October 18, the drive is part of Special Campaign 6, which DoSEL is implementing from October 2 to 31, 2026. The campaign focuses on administrative efficiency, cleaner school campuses and responsible electronic waste (e-waste) management, and encourages students and communities to adopt sustainable practices.

Schools take part through Eco Clubs for Mission LiFE. Students and teachers learn about the environmental impact of e-waste and are encouraged to reduce it and to hand over discarded equipment only through authorised channels. Cleanliness drives on school campuses are also being carried out under the campaign.

Secretary, DoSEL, T. K. Anil Kumar chaired a video conference with States, Union Territories and autonomous bodies on October 16 to review preparations for the October 28 drive. He briefed participants on the activities, including the information, education and communication (IEC) campaign, and asked them to plan the handing over of e-waste collected in schools to authorised vendors.

To mark International e-Waste Day on October 14, DoSEL installed an e-waste mural and e-waste bins at Kartavya Bhavan 2. The mural is made from 50 kg of e-waste collected by school students and carries the message "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle".

Special Campaign 6: targets and progress as on October 16, 2026

Source: Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Education.