SC quashes Centre’s move to bypass green norms for schools, says, ‘Education now an industry’
The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down the Centre’s controversial move to exempt certain construction projects from environmental clearance, delivering a sharp reminder that environmental norms cannot be bypassed, even for educational infrastructure.The apex court’s decision came during the hearing of a petition filed by the NGO Vanashakti, which had challenged a Central Government notification issued on January 29, 2025. The notification had exempted construction of schools, colleges, hostels, and industrial sheds from prior environmental clearance, even for projects exceeding 20,000 sq m in built-up area.A bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran quashed the exemption, stating that large-scale educational construction still poses a significant impact on the environment and cannot be let off the regulatory hook. “In today’s time, education is also an industry,” the bench observed.Prior to this, the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification of 2006 made it mandatory for all construction projects over 20,000 sq m to seek environmental clearance. But in January 2025, the Centre amended Clause 8(a) of the EIA notification, inserting “Note 1” to exempt specific categories—including schools and industrial sheds—from this requirement, provided they ensured waste management, rainwater harvesting, and other self-declared safeguards.Defending the move, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, told the court that it would be impractical for the Ministry of Environment and Forests to oversee each construction project across India. The court agreed partially, noting that the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAA) could handle such approvals under existing rules.However, it made it clear that blanket exemptions from environmental scrutiny cannot be justified—even if intended to facilitate infrastructure growth.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down the Centre’s controversial move to exempt certain construction projects from environmental clearance, delivering a sharp reminder that environmental norms cannot be bypassed, even for educational infrastructure.
The apex court’s decision came during the hearing of a petition filed by the NGO Vanashakti, which had challenged a Central Government notification issued on January 29, 2025. The notification had exempted construction of schools, colleges, hostels, and industrial sheds from prior environmental clearance, even for projects exceeding 20,000 sq m in built-up area.
A bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran quashed the exemption, stating that large-scale educational construction still poses a significant impact on the environment and cannot be let off the regulatory hook. “In today’s time, education is also an industry,” the bench observed.
Prior to this, the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification of 2006 made it mandatory for all construction projects over 20,000 sq m to seek environmental clearance. But in January 2025, the Centre amended Clause 8(a) of the EIA notification, inserting “Note 1” to exempt specific categories—including schools and industrial sheds—from this requirement, provided they ensured waste management, rainwater harvesting, and other self-declared safeguards.
Defending the move, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, told the court that it would be impractical for the Ministry of Environment and Forests to oversee each construction project across India. The court agreed partially, noting that the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAA) could handle such approvals under existing rules.
However, it made it clear that blanket exemptions from environmental scrutiny cannot be justified—even if intended to facilitate infrastructure growth.
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