In a major push towards cleaner, more efficient and better-organised government offices, the Department of Higher Education (DoHE) has reviewed more than 95 per cent of its physical files and over 87 per cent of its e-files under Special Campaign 5.0, according to official data.
The department reviewed 2,04,859 physical files, accounting for 95.2 per cent of the total, while 62,564 e-files, or 87.46 per cent, were reviewed during the campaign. The exercise covered around 1,159 sites across the country and focused on reducing pendency, improving record management and making better use of office space.
The campaign also helped free up 14,44,839 square feet of office space, while the department generated Rs 6.89 crore through scrap disposal. More than 3,312 files were digitised, and 90,629 physical and electronic files were weeded out or closed.
SPECIAL CAMPAIGN 5.0: FOCUS ON RECORD MANAGEMENT
Special Campaign 5.0 focused on improving cleanliness, efficiency and record management across government offices, autonomous organisations and centrally funded higher education institutions.
As part of the exercise, departments identified pending matters, reviewed records, removed obsolete materials and worked to improve the overall workplace environment. The Department of Higher Education’s file-review exercise formed part of these efforts.
The digitisation of more than 3,300 files helped strengthen electronic record management, while the closure and weeding out of old physical and electronic files reduced the volume of records requiring continued storage.
OVER 28,000 PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND APPEALS DISPOSED OF
The Ministry of Education also highlighted the department’s work under a separate Special Campaign for Disposal of Pending Matters, conducted from November 2025 to August 2026.
During this period, the department disposed of 24,126 public grievances and 4,177 public grievance appeals. The exercise focused on reducing pending public-interface matters and improving the disposal of cases.
SPECIAL CAMPAIGN 6.0 TO BEGIN ON OCTOBER 2
Building on the work undertaken under Special Campaign 5.0, the Department of Higher Education is now preparing for Special Campaign 6.0, which will run from October 2 to 31, 2026.
The campaign will cover government offices, autonomous organisations and centrally funded higher education institutions. Its objectives include reducing pending matters, improving cleanliness and strengthening workplace and space management.
The campaign has been divided into two phases. The Preparatory Phase is being held from September 15 to 30, while the Implementation Phase will run from October 2 to 31.
During the preparatory phase, heads and faculty members of centrally funded institutions, along with officials from the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and DoHE bureaus, are expected to set targets, identify pending references and map areas requiring attention.
E-WASTE MANAGEMENT TO GET GREATER ATTENTION
Special Campaign 6.0 will focus on record management, disposal of outdated material, office beautification and scientific e-waste management. During the implementation phase, offices will work to clear pending public grievances, parliamentary assurances, inter-ministerial communications and VVIP references.
Officials will report progress daily, while sustainability and public engagement will be promoted through social media under #SpecialCampaign6.
The Department of Higher Education’s figures highlight the scale of its record-management and pendency-clearing exercise under Special Campaign 5.0.
With Special Campaign 6.0 moving through its preparatory phase, the focus is set to expand towards pending matters, workplace management and systematic e-waste disposal across higher education offices and institutions.
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