Role of Environmental Consciousness and Sustainable Development Goals in Higher Education in India

Abstract

Environmental crises are global issues affecting mankind and biodiversity. Therefore, higher education aims to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by imparting the values of holistic education to students. It aims to foster sustainable environment practice and eco-friendly initiatives, leading to a green campus with environment friendly atmosphere. The New Education Policy highlights the value of education based on the protection and preservation of the environment by creating awareness and inbuilt skills among the students required to cope with future challenges and issues to tackle sustainably. It provides a framework to enhance and develop a framework that focuses on development quality, inclusive, and equitable education for all, which directly relates to the fourth goal of SDG, related to Quality Education. The universities, higher education institutions, and colleges play a significant role in creating scientific consciousness among the youth of future India. This paper aims to explore the NEP 2020 and SDGs interconnections in implementing the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) goal in achieve equitable and sustainable future by interlinking the curriculum in textbooks and extra-curricular activities conducted in the HEIs. This paper adopted critical and analytical methods of doctrinal research to developed co-operative mechanism and SDGs in the HEIs by NEP 2020. The result of this paper effectively addressed the gap in textbook-oriented syllabi in higher education institutes into practical and contemporary issues in environmental consciousness and SDGs to make effective designing of practical-oriented curriculum and skill-based education for youth.