Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to put forth a model for implementation of an environmental management system (EMS) in institutes of higher education in India. Design/methodology/approach: The authors carried out initial environmental review (IER) and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis to identify the major environmental concerns in the university. This was followed by preparation of environmental policy and plan based on ISO 14001 guidelines. Findings: The key concerns in the university have been identified as energy consumption, waste generation, transportation, etc. The SWOT analysis shows that the university is doing satisfactorily in energy efficiency and water conservation while there is scope for improvement in case of waste management, transportation and landscaping. The environmental management plan has been prepared keeping in mind the gaps observed through the IER and SWOT analysis. Research limitations/implications: Carbon footprint and water footprint analysis have not yet been carried out and hence, quantifiable targets have not been included in the environmental management plan. Practical implications: Implementing an EMS at the university will help reduce the impact on environment due to various day-to-day activities. It will also lead to developing environmental consciousness in the minds of young professionals who graduate from the university as well university staff. Originality/value: There have been very few examples of environmental consciousness in educational institutions in India. There is a need for model systems for incorporating environmental management in the university set-up. This research documents the process of identification of environmental concerns followed by preparation of the management plan for an educational institution. The research also documents the need for different aspects of the environmental management plan. (Contains 3 tables and 4 figures.)