**Centre to Donate Usable Old Computers from Government Offices to Schools under Vidyanjali Scheme**
*New Delhi:* The Centre has devised a solution to reduce the accumulation of old computers and laptops in government offices. Usable machines, which are declared scrapped, will now be donated to state-run schools and other educational institutions.
This proposal emerged during a review meeting held last month with nodal officers appointed by various ministries and departments for Special Campaign 5.0, focused on Swachhata (cleanliness) and the disposal of pending matters.
According to the 2024-25 report of the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+), an educational management information system under the Ministry of Education (MoE), out of 14.71 lakh schools nationwide, 13.13 lakh are government-run institutions. Among these, 60.2% have computers and 58.6% have internet connectivity.
Furthermore, there are 79,349 government-aided schools, with 74% having access to computers and 73.4% equipped with internet facilities.
The meeting, chaired by V Srinivas, Secretary of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), was conducted via video conference.
As per the meeting minutes reviewed by this newspaper, the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L) will soon issue a circular on the Vidyanjali Scheme. This circular will facilitate the donation of used personal computers (PCs) and laptops by ministries or departments to schools or educational institutions, ensuring that usable scrapped equipment is optimally utilized for the benefit of schoolchildren.
The Vidyanjali Scheme is an initiative under the Ministry of Education aimed at connecting volunteers, community members, and the private sector with government and government-aided schools to enhance education quality and infrastructure. Launched in September 2021, the scheme includes a dedicated online portal where individuals and organizations can offer services, materials, or equipment—ranging from teaching vocational skills and languages to donating educational supplies and improving facilities.
Officials highlighted that conducting a detailed audit to ascertain the number of usable computers and laptops across ministries and departments will be a massive exercise.
This year’s Special Campaign on Swachhata goes beyond just scrap disposal and old record weeding. The focus has expanded to include the removal of no-longer-needed electrical or electronic equipment (EEE).
Previous special campaigns conducted from 2021 to 2024 have generated revenue of Rs 2,364 crore through scrap disposal. Specifically, Special Campaign 4.0, undertaken in October last year across more than 5.97 lakh sites, generated over Rs 650 crore and freed up 190 lakh square feet of office space for more effective use.
With these measures, the government aims to not only promote cleanliness and efficient resource management in office spaces but also improve digital infrastructure in educational institutions across the country.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Oct/04/scrapped-computers-to-be-donated-to-state-run-schools
