Key Points
- Indore scripts history by winning India’s cleanest city award for the eighth consecutive year.
- Surat retains a top spot, this year ranking second after previously sharing first, and Navi Mumbai takes third.
- New Ranking Categories: 2025 survey introduces five categories based on city population for more inclusive recognition.
- Record Participation: The survey covered 4,500+ cities, with over 3,000 assessors inspecting 11 lakh+ households nationwide.
- Focus on Sustainability: The 2025 assessment emphasized the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” model, judging cities on sustainability along with cleanliness.
New Delhi: The highly anticipated results of the Swachh Survekshan 2025 were unveiled on 17th July in a grand event at Vigyan Bhavan, Delhi. For a record eighth time, Indore (Madhya Pradesh) emerged victorious, cementing its title as India’s cleanest city and setting an unprecedented national benchmark.
New Population-Based Categories for 2025
To ensure fair competition and reward more urban bodies, the Swachh Bharat Mission introduced a new league system Super Swachh League with cities ranked in five distinct population brackets:
| Population Bracket | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | 4th Place | 5th Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| More than 10 lakh | Indore | Surat | Navi Mumbai | Vijayawada | — |
| 3 to 10 lakh | Noida | Chandigarh | Mysore | Ujjain | Gandhinagar |
| 50,000 to 3 lakh | New Delhi | Tirupati | Ambikapur | Lonavala | — |
| 20,000 to 50,000 | Vita | Saswad | Devlali Parwada | Dungarpur | — |
| Less than 20,000 | Panchgani | Patan | Panhala | Vishrampur | Budni |
Indore Extends Its Streak
Indore shone in the ‘more than 10 lakh population’ category, standing out as the only city ever to have won the cleanest city accolade eight times consecutively. Surat followed at second place, dropping from a co-lead in 2024, while Navi Mumbai secured third. Vijayawada was also recognized for excellent performance.
Notable Achievements from Other Categories
- Noida claimed leadership among cities with 3–10 lakh people, surpassing top contenders like Chandigarh and Mysore.
- New Delhi dominated in the 50,000 to 3 lakh range, beating renowned clean cities such as Tirupati and Ambikapur.
- Vita and Panchgani stood out in their respective population categories, each taking the top honor.
About the 2025 Swachh Survekshan
The Swachh Survekshan is India’s largest cleanliness survey, launched in 2016 with only 73 urban bodies. In 2025, over 4,500 cities participated. The survey, conducted by more than 3,000 trained assessors over 45 days, emphasized sustainable waste management via the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” philosophy.
Key aspects evaluated included:
- Door-to-door waste collection
- Scientific waste processing and disposal
- Citizen feedback
- Public sanitation facilities
- Community participation and innovation in recycling
Why These Results Matter
The annual Swachh Survekshan has become a powerful motivator for urban transformation. Indore’s sustained performance sets a gold standard, inspiring other cities to adopt cleaner, greener urban practices. The expanded ranking categories ensure even smaller towns receive national attention, reflecting the diverse and growing ambition of India’s cleanliness movement.
