The Ministry of Education (earlier Human Resource Development), Government of India launched ‘Swachh Bharat Swachh Vidyalaya’ (SBSV) initiative in 2014 to ensure that all schools in India have access to separate functional toilets for boys and girls. The initiative also has its emphasis on promoting safe and appropriate hygiene practices in schools and behaviour among children. The Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) was instituted by the Ministry of Education, Government of India in 2016 to recognize, inspire and celebrate excellence in sanitation and hygiene practice in schools. The explicit purpose of the awards is to honour schools that have undertaken significant steps towards fulfilling the mandate of the Swachh Vidyalaya Campaign. Now SVP is upgraded to Swachh Evam Harit Vidyalaya Rating (SHVR). Eligibility SHVR is applicable to Government Schools, Government Aided Schools and Private Schools in both Urban and Rural areas. Criteria for evaluation The performance of the schools will be evaluated under the following categories Water Toilets Handwashing with Soap Operational and Maintenance Behavior Change and Capacity building Mission LiFE activities. The performance of the schools against the categories will be scored and schools would be given a rating as below Score Rating Remarks 90% - 100% of the Norms ***** Excellent Keep it up!! 75%- 89% adherence to the Norms **** Very good 51% - 74% adherence to the Norms *** Good ; but there is a scope for improvement 35% - 50% adherence to Norms ** Fair ; needs improvement Below 35% adherence to the Norms * Poor ; needs considerable improvement * Each school should score a minimum of two Star rating in each of the Sub-categories in order to be eligible for any award. Categories of awards The awards are categorised at the District Level, State/UT Level and National Level District Level Awards: Open to All five star, four star and three star rated Schools Online (web/ mobile) applications received before the cut-off date will be screened by a District level Committee headed by the District Collector (or her/his appointee) and comprising of District Education officer, three eminent school teachers, Superintendent Engineer (Water supply / PHD), District Health Officer and two members from civil society organizations/NGOs. School shall be eligible to be recognized with certificate of merit at the district level, if it scores at least 51% score in each of the six sub-categories. Key classification for the school recognition under SHVR would follow National Education Policy 2020 structure considering following two categories in respective Rural and Urban areas Category-I (Foundational, preparatory, and middle stages i.e. Balvatika to Grade 8) Category-II secondary (Grade 9-12) While star rating of school is applicable for each school, there will be 4 categories of schools for recognition (certificate of merit) which are: Rural – category-I, Rural category-II, Urban – category-I, Urban category-II Rural : Three schools from Category-I and three schools from Category-II having the highest overall score with rating not below Three Star will be recognized for the District /level certificate of merit (Total 6 schools). Urban : One school each from Category-I and Category-II having the highest overall score with rating not below ‘Three Star’ will be recognized for the District level certificate of merit (Total 2 schools). Each of the selected schools with the highest overall score (Total 8) will be given recognition (certificate of merit) at district level. District may like to felicitate the winners at district level through a ceremony. Each of the selected schools with highest overall score (Total 8) conforming to eligibility criteria for State level, should be eligible for nomination for the State/UT level recognition (for certificate of merit). State/UT Level Rating Schools selected for recognition (certificate of merit) at District Level with overall rating not less than Four Star will be considered to be nominated for the State/UT Level recognition (certificate of merit). Out of total 20 schools, ten schools from Category-I and ten schools from Category-II level (with 7 from Rural and 3 from Urban each) having the maximum score and rating not less than four stars will be selected for State/UT level recognition (certificate of merit). A maximum of 20 schools selected at State/UT level will be recognized with a certificate of merit. The State/UT may also decide to confer these schools with additional grants/funds for incentivizing them for sustaining their status, and may like to felicitate State level ceremony. Recognition (certificate of merit) will be given based on the overall score. A maximum of 20 schools with five-star rating, (7 from Category-I – rural, 7 from Category-II rural, 3 from Category-I – urban, 3 from Category-II – urban), those conforming to national level selection criteria, from each State/UT would be considered for nomination for the National Level for recognition (certificate of merit). National Level A maximum of 20 schools having 5 STAR rating (7 from Category-I – rural, 7 from Category-II – rural, 3 from Category-I – urban, 3 from Category-II – urban), nominated from each State/ UT Level will be considered eligible for National level recognition (certificate of merit). At the national level, 200 top schools shall be recognized with a certificate of merit considering category wise schools for recognition as — 70 from rural Category-I, 30 from urban Category-I, 70 from rural Category-II and 30 from urban Category-II. Schools with exemplary performance in the Swachh Evam Harit Vidyalaya Rating (SHVR) will be recognized and incentivized at the national level as per decision of the DoSEL, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India. Incentives to government schools recognized at the national level would be given Rs 1 lakh per school as an additional fund in the composite school grant with appropriate direction for the utilization of this incentive amount. For Private school also it would be given as an incentive fund with the appropriate directions for the utilization. Principals/Headmasters from the 200 recognised schools at the national level would be given opportunity for experiential and educational learning tour to the places of their choices from the selected list of optional places. Three (3) best performing States/UTs and 10 best performing Districts shall be recognized. 100% physical verification of the nominated schools will be done using a check list and by taking photographs. A National level Committee headed by the Secretary (School Education & Literacy) and comprising of Additional Secretary (School Education), Joint Secretary (Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation), Joint Secretary (School Education), 3 experts in Schools/ Bilateral agencies/Civil Society Organizations (to be nominated by Secretary (School Education & Literacy) as members will decide the final awardees. How to apply Schools can apply online through a website and mobile App for the awards, once the announcement for the registration is announced. The registration of schools would be done with the U-DISE code of the school. For detailed guidelines, click here. The Swachh evam Harit Vidyalaya Rating (SHVR) saw an impressive participation of 10.47 lakh schools in SHVR 2025-26. Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar 2021-22 The third edition of the Award i.e. SVP 2021-22, saw a phenomenal participation with 9.59 lakh schools registered for the awards. This number is approx. 1.5 times more than the number of schools (6.15 lakh schools) in SVP 2017-18, who participated during that year. The methodology of the awards was evolved in consultation with UNICEF, who were the Implementation and Technical partners for the awards. Out of 9.59 lakh schools, more than 8.23 lakh schools submitted their applications for SVP 2021-22. The evaluation process of 4,27,718 eligible schools was undertaken at district and state level, out of which 606 schools at State/UT level awards were found eligible for National level awards. The National Selection Committee for selection of schools for SVP 2021-22, in their meeting held on 10th October 2022, selected 39 schools (34 in overall category and 5 in sub-categories) for National level awards for SVP 2021-2022, after 3rd party evaluation by UNICEF partner agency (NEERMAN). Out of 39 selected schools, 21 schools are from rural areas and 18 from urban areas. Further, 28 schools are government/ government aided while 11 are private schools. The awarded schools also include 2 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and one (1) Navodaya Vidyalaya and 3 Kendriya Vidyalayas. Out of 39 schools, 17 are elementary and 22 are secondary/ higher secondary schools. Cash prizes of Rs. 60,000/- to 34 schools (in overall category) and Rs. 20,000/-, (in sub-categories) were given to the awardee schools. Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar 2017-18 The methodology for the awards was evolved in consultation with UNICEF and Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), which were the Implementation and Technical partners for the awards. The schools voluntarily applied online through a website and mobile App for the awards. Schools were rated through a transparent mechanism on five broad parameters of (i) Water (ii) Toilet (iii) Hand washing with Soap (iv) Operations and Maintenance (v) Behaviour Change and Capacity Building. Out of 52 Awardee schools, 37 schools are from rural areas and 15 from urban areas. 45 are government/government aided schools and 7 are private schools. Further, 24 are elementary and 28 are secondary/higher secondary schools. The awardee schools also include 5 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and 2 Navodaya Vidyalayas. 4 States (Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh) and 9 districts (Pondicherry, Srikakulam, Chandigarh, Hisar, Karaikal, Latur, Nellore, South Goa, Vadodara) were also awarded with Certificate of Recognition for having maximum number of schools awarded with National Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar. Source : Swachh Evam Harit Vidyalaya Rating website