(MOREPIC1) Face2News/Chandigarh
Punjab has once again emerged as a national leader in school-level environmental sustainability, winning the prestigious ‘Best State’ and ‘Best District’ awards at the Green Schools Awards 2026. The awards were presented by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Dr. K.S. Bath, Joint Director, PSCST received the Best State and Best District Awards under GSP from Ms. Sunita Narain, DG, Centre for Science & Environment at New Delhi.
These accolades mark the third consecutive year that Punjab has received top honors, reflecting the state’s sustained commitment to promoting environmental awareness and sustainable practices in schools.
Pertinently Punjab secured the ‘Best State’ and ‘Best District’ awards for the third year in a row. A total of 13,258 schools from Punjab registered under the Green Schools Programme, out of which 6,264 schools successfully completed the green audit process. Punjab accounted for an impressive 84.57% of the total 7,407 schools audited nation-wide, demonstrating the state’s exceptional participation and performance. Of the 433 schools across India awarded the prestigious Green School status, 237 schools are from Punjab, including 208 government schools and 10 private schools.
Notably, 185 Green Schools are located in rural areas, while 33 are from urban areas, highlighting the programs deep grassroots reach. Hoshiarpur district emerged as the top-performing district in the country, with a record 947 schools completing green audits, the highest number achieved by any district nationwide.
The remarkable progress has been driven by the proactive efforts of PSCST, which has significantly expanded the Green Schools movement in Punjab. The number of Green Schools in the state has grown from 70 in 2023–24, to 196 in 2024–25 and further to 237 in 2025–26.
The Green Schools Programme empowers students and schools to assess and improve resource management across six key environmental domains—air, energy, food, land, water, and waste—thereby nurturing environmentally responsible citizens from a young age.
Punjab’s continued success under the Green Schools Programme sets a benchmark for other states and reinforces its position as a frontrunner in integrating sustainability into education.