The Ministry of Education has provided a comprehensive update on its initiatives to promote health education, hygiene practices, and environmental consciousness among school children in India, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The ministry implements these programs through various schemes including Samagra Shiksha, Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN), School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP), Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), and Eco Clubs for Mission LiFE.
Under the PM POSHAN scheme, approximately 10.23 crore students studying in Bal Vatika and classes I to VIII across about 10.33 lakh government and government-aided schools receive healthy hot cooked nutritious meals on all school days. The scheme also promotes knowledge about healthy eating, junk foods, nutritional fortification, sanitation, hygiene practices including handwashing, and the importance of School Nutrition Gardens.
The Samagra Shiksha scheme supports the establishment of Eco Clubs for Mission LiFE in all schools to sensitize students to environmental and climate change concerns. Students participate in hands-on activities including plantation of saplings, nature walks, and cleanliness drives. The ministry also promotes sports and physical education through policy interventions aligned with NEP 2020, which recognizes sports as an integral part of the curriculum for holistic development.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has incorporated themes related to health, nutrition, hygiene, air pollution, and environmental sustainability in school curricula, textbooks, and learning materials at different stages. NCERT has developed dedicated textbooks on Sports and Physical Education including Khel–Yoga for Grades III–V, Khel Yatra for Grades VI–VIII, and Khel–Praveen for Grade IX, with special emphasis on yoga.
Several national initiatives promote sports and physical education, including the International Day of Yoga, National Yoga Olympiad, Fit India Movement, sports events under Khelo India, and National Sports Day. The CBSE Health and Physical Education programme has made sports compulsory for all classes.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Education jointly implement the School Health and Wellness Programme from 2020, where two teachers per school are trained as Health and Wellness Ambassadors who conduct regular sessions on 11 themes including nutrition, health and sanitation, growing up healthy, and promotion of healthy lifestyles.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change implements the Environment Education Programme (EEP) as part of the Central Sector Scheme Environment Education, Awareness, Research and Skill Development. This program sensitizes children and youth on environmental issues through workshops, projects, exhibitions, campaigns, competitions, nature camps, and summer vacation programs aligned with the seven themes of Mission LiFE, including "Adopt Sustainable Food System" and "Adopt Healthy Lifestyle".