RAIPUR: At a Government Primary School in Dharampur Samhar, Bagbahara block of Mahasamund district, Chhattisgarh, an innovative QR code system enables plants to communicate information. When scanned using Google Lens, these codes provide comprehensive details about the plant, including names, growing conditions, medicinal properties, and nutritional content. Rinkal Bagga, the school’s head teacher-in-charge, developed the ‘Mission LiFE’ project after its introduction during a national NEP 2020 webinar. “The idea of using QR codes to allow plants to tell their own story came to me three years ago, and I have been working on it since then,” Bagga told TOI. “When the pan-India implementation of the theme was announced in the webinar, I did not delay. I have already shared a video with the authorities, and it has been helpful to others,” she added.

Government schools across the state will commemorate World Earth Day on April 22, focusing on environmental preservation. Students will create QR codes for plants in school grounds and nearby parks. Each plant will receive a unique code, forming this year’s central theme. Schools must document these activities on the Eco Club for Mission LiFE portal between April 22 and April 30. The recently launched portal requires participation from all government schools.

The QR codes will be positioned near the corresponding plants for easy information access. Student groups will collect data about various plant species.

The school has already implemented QR codes for 15 major plant species. Assistant teacher Janak Ram Dhruv reports enthusiastic participation from students and parents, with pupils bringing mobile devices to scan codes and learn interactively. This approach supports NEP 2020’s focus on independent learning. Bagga plans to extend this initiative to village residents.

Government, grant-in-aid, and private schools will observe Earth Day from April 22 to April 30, emphasising environmental education. The State Project Office, Samagra Shiksha, has planned activities including QR code tagging of trees. Students will create codes containing detailed information about campus trees. A tutorial video and Ministry of Education webinar provide guidance on code generation.

A state government spokesperson stated, “World Earth Day reminds us of our deep connection with nature and its necessity for human life. This year, celebrations will be held in all government, grant-in-aid, and private schools across the state from April 22 to April 30, 2025.”

Schools must designate an Eco Club nodal officer and student representatives, register on the portal at https://ecoclubs.education.gov.in, and document activities with geo-tagged media. Inter-school collaboration is encouraged.

The nine-day celebration includes the “One Tree in Mother’s Name” campaign, seed ball planting, summer watering schedules, large-scale plantation planning, and community cleanliness drives. Additional activities encompass awareness rallies, conservation initiatives, rainwater harvesting, environmental education, and waste management programmes through various media channels. Schools will develop nutrition gardens and conduct training sessions on plastic literacy.

This comprehensive programme aims to foster environmental responsibility. “These initiatives are crucial for sustaining human life on Earth, and immediate positive behavioural changes are necessary,” the spokesperson concluded. Schools must regularly update their activities on the portal for effective monitoring.

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