Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Saturday, 22 August 2026 called on universities across India to become active knowledge partners for legislatures and governments, arguing that sound lawmaking demands credible research, verifiable data, and ground-level evidence. He was speaking at the inaugural session of the Vice Chancellors' Conclave 2026 held at an International Institute of Research and Studies in Faridabad.

Key Developments at the Conclave

The two-day conclave, running from 22 to 23 August, is themed 'Green Campus: Empowering Higher Educational Institutions for a Sustainable and Resilient Future.' The gathering drew Chancellors, Vice Chancellors, and Directors from universities across the country, along with representatives from IITs, IIMs, NITs, and IIITs, as well as faculty members and students. Dr Prashant Bhalla, President of the host group of educational institutions, Dr H.D. Charan, and members of Paryavaran Sanrakshan Gatividhi were also present.

What Gupta Said

Speaker Gupta outlined three distinct roles universities must play in India's green transition: as models, as educators, and as centres of research and solutions. He described university campuses as 'small cities' — self-contained systems of electricity, water, transport, food, buildings, and waste — that are uniquely positioned to demonstrate sustainability at scale. Initiatives such as solar power adoption, rainwater harvesting, 100 per cent waste management, waste segregation, and green infrastructure, he argued, could serve as replicable blueprints for state and national policy.

'Your campuses are our laboratories,' Gupta said, adding that successful campus models could give policymakers the confidence to scale them statewide and nationally.

Climate Crisis as a Policy Imperative

Gupta described climate change as a present reality rather than a future threat, citing record heat waves, winter smog, polluted air, sudden flooding, and falling groundwater levels across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). He said the deteriorating condition of the Yamuna, worsening air quality, and groundwater depletion were not merely environmental concerns — they were questions of public health, economic stability, and the rights of future generations.

He stressed that laws and policies alone were insufficient; sustainability must also become a matter of values, habits, and lifestyle. 'If India's universities are not green, how can India's future be green?' he asked.

30 Years of the Host Institution

Gupta congratulated the host educational group on completing 30 years, noting that its motto — 'Creating Better Humans' — carried even greater weight when connected to the responsibility of building a better planet. 'Better human beings and a better Earth cannot be separate goals,' he said. He added that students who spend four or five years practising sustainable habits carry those values into their workplaces, communities, and families — allowing a single campus to shape an entire generation.

The conclave's second day on 23 August is expected to produce actionable recommendations on integrating sustainability into higher education policy frameworks.