In a significant move to protect students and youth from the growing threat of tobacco and substance abuse, the Ministry of Education, through its Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), has launched a nationwide enforcement drive to make educational institutions tobacco- and substance-free. Issued by DoSEL Secretary Sanjay Kumar following the 8th Apex Committee meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD), the initiative calls upon all States and Union Territories to strictly implement laws and guidelines that prohibit the sale and use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs in and around schools and colleges. The drive underscores the urgency of coordinated efforts between education and law enforcement departments to shield young minds from addictive substances.
India, with its vast youth population, faces alarming statistics—according to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2019, 8.5% of students aged 13–15 use tobacco, with over 5,500 children initiating tobacco use daily. Recognizing tobacco as a gateway to more dangerous substances, the government is reinforcing the Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) Guidelines launched in 2024, which outline nine key actions institutions must undertake, including displaying warning signage, conducting awareness campaigns, appointing tobacco monitors, and ensuring no tobacco sales within 100 yards of campuses. Two critical activities—marking yellow zones and eliminating nearby vendors—require urgent local authority involvement.
To ensure widespread compliance, a month-long enforcement campaign will run from May 31 (World No Tobacco Day) to June 26 (International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking), focused on implementing Section 6(b) of the COTPA Act, 2003, which bans the sale of tobacco near educational institutions and to minors. States are encouraged to establish clear SOPs allowing school staff to report violations directly to police without fear. Community involvement is central to the campaign’s success, with the Ministry urging participation from School Management Committees (SMCs), teachers, and parents.
As part of its awareness efforts, the Ministry has also launched the ‘World No Tobacco Day Awareness Quiz-2025’ on the MyGov platform, live from May 22 to July 21, aiming to educate the public and foster a tobacco-free culture among the youth. Citizens across the country are called upon to support this mission and help create safer, healthier educational environments through collective action and sustained enforcement.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
