Evaluating the Impact of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in Reducing Environmental Deterioration and Transforming Practices: A Descriptive and Inferential Study

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA), which is one of India's most comprehensive national cleanliness and sanitation programs, was launched in 2014. The present study evaluates the impact of SBA in reducing environmental degradation and changing hygiene-related practices in higher education institutions. Data were analysed using non-parametric inferential tests, reliability metrics, and descriptive statistics using a standardized 32-item Likert-scale questionnaire. The descriptive results show that SBA activities are generally viewed favorably, especially regarding institutional support, awareness, and cleanliness standards. Strong internal consistency was demonstrated by reliability analyses, corroborated by high item–total correlations and Cronbach's alpha values. There were no statistically significant differences between colleges or gender groups, according to inferential analysis utilising the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. This suggests that SBA efforts are implemented and perceived uniformly. The findings show the beneficial institutional effects of SBA while pointing out areas that need further policy support, like waste audits and enforcement systems.