The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked universities and colleges across India to organise activities promoting sustainable living during BRICS Sustainable Lifestyle Week 2026, being observed from November 1 to 7.
The initiative will be conducted under Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) as part of India's BRICS chairship in 2026. In a communication dated October 30, the UGC urged higher education institutions to organise awareness programmes, campus activities and community initiatives involving students, faculty members and other staff.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued a day-wise activity plan covering seven themes, from healthy lifestyles and energy conservation to reducing waste.
Seven themes for the week
The suggested activities are spread across seven days:
November 1, Adopt healthy lifestyles: Yoga sessions, walkathons, tree plantation drives and the Mission LiFE pledge.
November 2, Save energy: Switch off non-essential electrical appliances for an hour and conduct awareness sessions.
November 3, Save water: Promote rainwater harvesting, repair leaking taps and organise awareness campaigns.
November 4, Adopt sustainable food systems: Promote millets, traditional diets and measures to reduce food waste.
November 5, Say no to single-use plastics: Organise plogging drives and encourage the use of reusable bags and bottles.
November 6, Reduce waste: Conduct e-waste collection, recycling and repair-awareness activities.
November 7, Reduce waste: Organise community clean-up drives and waste-to-art activities.
The activities are intended to encourage participants to incorporate environmentally responsible practices into their daily lives.
NSS, NCC and green clubs to support participation
The UGC has encouraged institutions to involve all departments, constituent units and field centres in the programme. Student participation can be organised through university green clubs, school eco-clubs, the National Service Scheme (NSS) and the National Cadet Corps (NCC).
Institutions have also been asked to display Mission LiFE and BRICS Sustainable Lifestyle Week publicity material on campus, including on digital display boards. They can share photographs, videos, infographics and accounts of successful activities through their websites and social media platforms.
Each participating institution must nominate a nodal officer to register and upload details of its activities on the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's Meri LiFE portal.
Activity reports due by November 12
The environment ministry is conducting online orientation sessions from October 27 to November 7 to guide institutions on the programme. The sessions are scheduled through Webex in two daily slots, from 11 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 5 pm.
After the week concludes, participating institutions must submit a brief report detailing their activities and best practices through the Meri LiFE portal by November 12, 2026.