Schools across the country are being asked to turn old chargers, dead phones and broken keyboards into a classroom lesson. CBSE has told all affiliated schools to run an ‘E-Waste Awareness Campaign and Collection Drive’ under Eco Clubs for Mission LiFE, with a set-up window this month and full collection through October. Principals need to move fast: the first phase starts on 15 September.
The drive is a nationwide effort by the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, working with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). It runs in two clear stages.
What the CBSE E-Waste Awareness and Collection Drive asks schools to do
The plan splits the work into a preparatory phase and a collection phase.
| Phase | Dates | Main tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1: Preparatory | 15 September to 30 September | Set up an E-Waste Collection Corner with secure, dry containers for old electronics; district authorities link school clusters to CPCB/SPCB authorised recyclers or PROs; run student and teacher orientation sessions |
| Phase 2: Implementation and Collection | 1 October to 31 October | Inter-house poster-making, e-waste art installations and essay writing; students audit homes and deposit old electronics with parent consent; certified recyclers collect from schools; Eco Club coordinators log data on the portal |
During the first phase, every school is expected to build a dedicated corner marked for obsolete items like cables, old phones, calculators, chargers and keyboards. Orientation sessions cover the dangers of e-waste, safe disposal and circular economy ideas.
The October phase is where the actual pick-up happens. CPCB-certified recyclers collect the accumulated e-waste from designated schools or cluster hubs. Eco Club coordinators are asked to record numbers: how many students took part, how many workshops were held, and the kilograms collected.
Safety comes first
CBSE has drawn a firm line on what children can and cannot handle. Students and staff must not open, break or dismantle any device. Permitted items include small gadgets, wires, circuit boards, discarded phones, remote controls, computer accessories, IT peripherals and ear buds.
Restricted, hazardous items must be kept away from children: damaged lithium-ion batteries, broken cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and leaking cells. Schools are also warned not to sell or hand over e-waste to unorganised scrap dealers (kabadiwalas). Drives must work only with recyclers listed on the CPCB Official Portal or state SPCB registries, in line with the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.
When a certified recycler collects the material, it must weigh the e-waste in the presence of the School Nodal Officer and issue a formal E-Waste Handover Receipt along with a recycling certificate as proof.
Where to report participation
Schools must upload their activity details on the Mission LiFE portal and also submit through a CBSE form after finishing the activities.
- Mission LiFE Portal: https://ecoclubs.education.gov.in/
- CBSE submission link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfRzrQUPOHL9UFyhq8eCfrBIDCxhPw97DYiRtFRDA3214GcAQ/viewform?usp=header
For wider reach, schools may share their best practices on social media using #SpecialCampaign6. Teachers, students and parents are all being encouraged to pitch in. First job on the list: build that collection corner before 30 September.