Sustainability

From 26 December to 29 December 2018, IMI Kolkata hosted the 19th ISDSI Global Conference in partnership with the following organisations: Directors of Business School, Research Scholars from around the world, Accreditors and other stakeholders, Policymakers at the National and State Level, Corporate Leaders, Investors, and Founders of Startups.

The conference was attended by representatives from 26 countries and was highlighted by a total of 1,218 research papers and 220 business/start-up ideas. All Indian Institute of Management (IIMs), top Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and universities/Business Schools and Incubators around the world were represented in total over the course of the conference. The scale of participation underscored ISDSI’s position as one of the largest global platforms for management research hosted in India.

The plenary sessions and panel discussions included senior academic administrators from institutions like production management, management science and information technology, and operations research, as well as many international scholars from North America and New Zealand who are affiliated with EFMD, AACSB and AMBA-BGA; other credentialing organisations.

Professor Bharat Bhasker, an IIM Ahmedabad faculty member, made a keynote address about the role of technology in achieving sustainability goals, stating that India must leverage digital innovation to maximise the benefit to society in alignment with the VIKSIT BHARAT 2047 vision.

Two directors’ panels anchored the academic discourse. The first panel discussion had a specific objective to identify the way that technology and digitalisation will impact the future of MBA programs. All of the panel members shared common views regarding the positive impact of technology on Productivity but emphasized that management education should focus on teaching how to use Good Judgment, to be Flexible and to create a Foundation for Long Term Career Success. The second panel focused on Business School’s Role in supporting India as it transitions to 0 emissions, including establishing sustainability as a core focus area within the curriculum, research, campus operations, and connecting with Industry Partners on this journey.

A separate panel on Indian Knowledge Systems explored how traditional wisdom frameworks could inform contemporary leadership and organisational decision-making.

The conference also marked the launch of IMI Kolkata’s Global Investment Summit under its business incubator, IKN Innovation Foundation. Following mentoring over two months, 57 startups pitched to investors, with nine ventures securing investment commitments worth Rs. 5.1 crore.

The conference concluded with a strong collaboration between academic institutions, industry, and policymakers, as stated by Professor Mohua Banerjee from IMI Kolkata (Director) and Professor Bhimaraya Metri from ISDSI-Global president indicating that the 2025 Conference would be an important and significant step forward for international management research.

The Bapu Pariksha Bhawan in Bihar has undergone a major overhaul to facilitate large- scale competitive examinations in the state. It now boasts of extensive security measures, accessibility and candidate, friendly facilities.

As per the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), the six Bapu Pariksha Bhawan conduct examinations in both offline and online modes across the three blocks. Blocks A and B are used for offline and hybrid mode examinations while Block C has been operating as an online examination centre since September 24, 2025. Apart from the main complex, online model examination centres have been set up in the nine divisional districts of the state where nearly 24 lakh candidates have appeared for computer based tests (CBT).

The examination complex has been the venue for tests conducted by national and state, level bodies such as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), National Testing Agency (NTA), Bihar Staff Selection Commission, Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board, Bihar Police, Aryabhatta Knowledge University, the Postal Department and the Bihar School Examination Board.

Security and monitoring have been emphasized in the examination arrangements. The entire complex is being monitored live through 944 CCTV cameras linked to an Integrated Command and Control Centre. In addition, jammers have been placed to stop the use of unfair means in examinations. Candidates and staff are being frisked with the help of hand held metal detectors, door, frame metal detectors, and baggage scanners, and women candidates have been separately arranged for. The Bapu Pariksha Bhawan has also been made accessible for persons with disabilities. Wheelchairs are available for divyang candidates, nine big lifts are running across the three blocks, and separate washrooms for divyang persons have been made on every floor. Together with these facilities, 24 escalators have been installed across Blocks A, B, and C to the movement of candidates.sus

Basic amenities have been prioritized for the examinees as well. Drinking water of standard quality is made available by means of RO units and water coolers fitted on each floor and supported with the help of an in- house water treatment plant. To ensure the examination process is not hampered even for a single moment, the complex has an electric substation as well as two big diesel generator sets for power backup. BSEB Chairman Anand Kishore said that the complex is being run in a hybrid mode where examinations can also be held online apart from the offline mode i.e. depending on the requirement. After the recent capacity expansion, the complex is able to accommodate around 11, 000 candidates simultaneously in the case of online examinations, whereas at present, about 3, 000 candidates are there in Block C to be seated at a time.

The proposed ₹92,000-crore Great Nicobar mega infrastructure project has sparked fresh concern among educationists, linguists, and anthropologists, who warn that the development could trigger a “linguicide” — the extinction of living indigenous languages — alongside ecological and cultural loss.

Great Nicobar, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is home to the Nicobarese and Shompen communities, among India’s most isolated and ecologically attuned indigenous groups. While environmental and social impacts of the project have been widely debated, experts say its consequences for indigenous languages and education-linked knowledge systems remain dangerously overlooked.

Researchers point out that the Nicobarese language family alone includes six distinct tongues — Pu, Sanenyo, Luro, Mout, Lamongse and Takahanyi Lang — many of which survive with only a handful of speakers. The Shompen language, classified as a linguistic isolate with no known relatives, faces an even greater risk. If lost, it would erase centuries of ecological knowledge, oral history, medicinal science, and cultural memory that are not documented in written form.

Education scholars argue that indigenous languages are not merely communication tools but repositories of place-based learning. From disaster preparedness to biodiversity classification, these languages encode sophisticated systems of environmental understanding. During the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, indigenous communities in the Andaman region reportedly survived by interpreting early warning signs embedded in their traditional vocabulary — a powerful example of language as life-saving knowledge.

The Great Nicobar project’s first phase is expected to consume over 166 sq km of land, much of it within protected tribal reserves. This could displace communities from forests, coastlines, and sacred spaces that form the foundation of their cultural education systems, informal learning, and intergenerational knowledge transfer.

Experts caution that forced displacement, demographic influx, and cultural disruption often accelerate language loss. Similar patterns have been observed globally where megaprojects override indigenous educational ecosystems in favour of urban-centric development models.

From an education policy perspective, the issue raises fundamental questions: Can development coexist with indigenous learning systems? How should India balance infrastructure growth with linguistic diversity and knowledge preservation? And what is lost to national education when ancient, ecologically rich languages disappear?

As India pushes toward its Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, scholars argue that safeguarding indigenous languages must be seen not as cultural nostalgia but as an educational imperative — vital for biodiversity conservation, sustainability education, and the preservation of diverse ways of knowing the world

With the onset of winters, schools in various parts of North India are again being compelled to make changes, not because of examinations and holidays, but because of poor air quality, dense fog, and cold wave. During the past few weeks, various state administrations and district authorities have come out with a list of directives concerning attending schools, particularly in areas where pollution and adverse weather patterns are most prevalent.

GRAP limitations on online classes in the Delhi-NCR region, to the cold-wave notified school closures and timetables in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, this is how the education sector is coping in response to different circumstances.

Delhi/NCR: Schools go online/hybrid as Delhi’s AQI enters 398

Given the dipping air quality in the national capital entering the severe zone, the government had to enforce the GRAP Action Plan’s Stage IV, the most severe of the lot.

As per the directions issued by the Delhi Directorate of Education, physical classes in nursery up to Class V are temporarily halted and all classes are conducted online, as reported by TNN. For Class VI to IX and Class XI students, the directions issued are to conduct classes through the hybrid system; in other words, both online and offline classes are possible, considering feasibility. These are applicable to all government and recognized Private Schools.

The same has been repeated in other district administrations in Noida and Ghaziabad, where schools up to class V began online learning, and seniors attended combined classes. These steps were taken based on guidelines issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) under GRAP IV.

Alongside these emergency steps, the Delhi government has also planned a medium-term intervention. According to reports by TNN, under the ‘Breathe Smart’ campaign, the education department has confirmed the installation of air purifiers in 10,000 government school classes, starting with the top 10 worst-hit areas with respect to pollution levels during the winter months.

Uttar Pradesh: Cold wave and fog cause district-level shutdowns

In the state of Uttar Pradesh, school closings have been influenced primarily by IMD warnings regarding dense fog and cold-wave situations, as ordered by district magistrates.

In Bareilly, schools for classes up to eight were shut by the administration due to low visibility and cold, as reported by PTI. This includes government as well as private schools, but excludes examinations.

A comparable measure was taken in the city of Kanpur as the district magistrate directed the shutdown of all schools from Nursery to Class XII for two days as an official weather warning was issued.

The other districts that have ordered the temporary closure of educational institutions for the young students include Rampur, Shahjahanpur, Pilibhit, Budaun, as well as Gonda. All of the above are due to the prevailing cold and fog conditions.

Bihar: New school hours introduced for the protection of school-going children

However, instead of complete closure of schools, some districts of Bihar decided to modify the timing of schools with official district notifications.

As per reports in PTI, a directive was issued by the district magistrate of Madhubani regarding not conducting any academic activities prior to 11 am and after 3:30 pm for a fixed period of time, including schools, pre-schools, and anganwadi centers. This was a bid to cut children's interface with extreme cold.

The Patna District Administration also changed the timing to suit the needs of the schools, which can now function from a late morning to earlier afternoon.

As reported by the media, the Buxar district ordered the closure of schools from Class 1 to 8 till December 25 owing to cold weather.

Why these decisions are being made

It has been emphasized by the authorities that children are some of the most susceptible groups affected by air pollution and cold. In this case, schools are supposed to restrict physical attendance based on hazardous levels of air quality under GRAP IV. In cold wave conditions, the decision to close schools or change timing is done based on orders from the IMD.

Although it differs from place to place – online classes for children living in pollutant cities, closure of schools in areas affected by fogs, and changed timings for colder areas – the motive remains unchanged: taking care of children's health and limiting disruptions.

What parents and students need to bear in mind?

However, authorities made it clear that these are only temporary and adaptive, and may change depending on AQI scores and meteorological conditions on a daily basis. Parents are advised to: Follow official guidelines from district administrations as well as education departments. Be aware of school notifications and local announcements Prevent exposure of kids to early morning outdoor conditions during times of high pollution and low temperatures.

Plastic waste in the popular natural sites can be regulated through the Green Deposit Scheme initiated by the government of Meghalaya, whereby consumers are responsible for plastic waste they introduce in the state.

The state government in Meghalaya has introduced a unique “Green Deposit" system, under which the amount deposited for the disposal of plastic waste at different tourist destinations in the state shall be refunded. This initiative was launched on Sunday, the 14th of December.

As per the initiative, individuals who are interested in accessing the identified eco-tourist spots with plastic bottles, wraps, and bags will be needed to pay a fee of ₹100 as a deposit at the entry points. This will be refunded once this plastic waste is disposed of at the pay points upon exit.

As reported in PTI, the move will help in ensuring that the plastic waste brought to these protected areas does not bring in pollution to these protected areas. The Green Deposit Scheme has also been started in some of the most popular natural sites in the state of Meghalaya, which are Cherrapunjee, Dawki, and Living Root Bridges.

These destinations have experienced a sudden rise in the level of visitors within the last few years and have given rise to the creation of non-biodegradable waste. A warning had been sent to the respective governments regarding the harm caused by plastic waste to the rivers, forests, and ecologies of the mentioned destinations. According to officials, the purpose of this project is to help develop eco-tourism and alter the behavior of tourists in this manner. The government will watch this project closely and, if it proves to be effective, might develop it at other sensitive sites in the state also.

Persons will now need previous consent from the forest department in order to possess turtles as well as birds as the government tightens controls in a move to curb illegal holding of wildlife.

Now, the special licenses to raise animals and birds would also be obtained from the interface of the Forest Department. From now onward, it won't be required to travel to Kolkata to get the licenses for having a pet. At the same time, the Forest Department is also very strictly acting against the reckless dumping of caged birds into the jungle. In short, a set of persons unlocks the caged birds and releases them into the jungle to get recognition as a group of environment activists. This happens in the Lataguri and Gorumara forests.

Recently, a video snapped a youth releasing some foreign birds in the Lataguri forest, which spread across several social media sites. Forest officials have stated that the foreign birds brought from other countries can adjust to a cage environment. But they cannot adjust to the forest surroundings and eventually die because of that. Therefore, the Forest Department has decided to take action, as mentioned in the Wildlife Protection Act, to stop the incident.

"In the future, if anyone is found to be guilty of this kind of case, then actions will be taken according to the law. Along with that, fines will also have to be paid," said Rajib De, ADFO of the Gorumara Wildlife Division.

On the other hand, the special license for keeping Schedule-IV animals and birds will be possible through the environment portal of the Forest Department itself. The ADFO told that there has been a launch of a website by the Forest Department. Prior to this, people who loved animals and birds had to go to Kolkata to get this license.

The list pertaining to Schedule IV consists of cockatoo birds, macaws, African Grey parrots, brown finches, along with various birds and a number of animals, which also comprises radius guider species of turtles. Every procedure, starting right from procurement to sale, and then births and deaths, will have to be recorded online compulsorily.