MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 70 FOR REPLY ON 23.07.2018 REGARDING NETWORK
OF DRUG ADDICTION IN EDUCATION CAMPUSESASKED BY SHRI LAXMI
NARAYAN YADAV AND SHRI RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY.
(a) to (d): There is no confirmed report to conclude that the network of drug addiction in
education campuses is spreading and causing difficulties for the youth in completing their
Higher Education. Nevertheless, the Government is committed to create a drug free healthy
educational environment in various education campuses. For this purpose, special awareness
measures are taken in various educational institutions and especially on 26th June every year on
the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking to sensitize the
students against drug hazards.The Government is creating awareness among the youth through
print, electronic and social media besides conducting workshops in education campuses about
the harmful effects of drugs.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has framed guidelines on ‘Safety of Students
on and off Campuses of Higher Educational Institutions’. These guidelines have been issued to
all HEIs on 27th January, 2016 and are also available on the UGC Website, www.ugc.ac.in.
Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) should mandatorily put in place a broad-based “Students
Counseling System” for the effective management of problems and challenges faced by
students. It should be a unique, interactive and target-oriented system, involving students,
teachers and parents, with the resolve to address common student concerns ranging from
anxiety, stress, fear of change and failure to homesickness and a slew of academic worries. It
should bridge the formal as well as communicative gaps between the students and the institution
at large. Teacher counselors, trained to act as the guardians of students at the college level,
should remain in close touch with the students though out the year, cater to their emotional and
intellectual needs and convey their growth report and feedback on attendance, examination
results etc. to their parents at regular intervals of time. Teacher counselors can coordinate with
wardens of hostels and exchange personal details of students, academic record and behavior
patterns for prompt pre-emptive or corrective action.University-wise details on drug abuse is
however, not centrally maintained.
The UGC has issued a circular to all Vice Chancellors on 2nd April, 2013 (details
available on www.ugc.ac.in) regarding strict adherence to the provisions of the Cigarettes and
Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition Of Advertisement And Regulation Of Trade And
Commerce, Production, Supply And Distribution) Act, 2003 and its Rules i.e. Cigarettes and
other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008. The UGC circular enjoins upon
all concerned inter alia to display boards prominently stating that sale of cigarettes and tobacco
products in an area within a radius of 100 yards of the University is strictly prohibited,
sensitization of teaching and non-teaching staff of the University and its affiliated Colleges and
organizing competitions in promoting a tobacco-free campus. Another circular was also issued
on 27th August, 2013 by UGC for implementation of the actionable points of the National
Policy on Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS). Para 55 of the NDPS deals with
steps to tackle the problem of sale of drug to school and college children.
TheMinistry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) implements a ‘Central Sector
Scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse’ under which
financial assistance is provided to eligible Non-Governmental Organizations, Panchayati Raj
Institutions, Urban Local Bodies etc. for, inter-alia, running and maintenance of Integrated
Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts.MoSJEhas issued an Advisory on 11th August, 2016 to all the
States/UTs on combating drug abuse which, inter-alia, includes preparation of action plan by all
States/UTs. MoSJEis undertaking a National level Survey in collaboration with National Drug
Dependence Treatment Centre, AIIMS, New Delhi. A Memorandum of Understanding was
signed in August, 2016. The survey will provide national and state-level estimates of proportion
and absolute number of individuals using various drugs and suffering from substance use
disorders.
The National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), an autonomous organization under
MoSJE, conducts capacity building programmes, sensitization and preventive education
programmes in schools and colleges on regular basis. MoSJE has been conducting awareness
generation programmes, in collaboration with Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical
Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY) also, to create awareness in children and
youth about the harmful effects of substance abuse.
MoSJE celebrates the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on
26th June every year by holding functions and organizing exhibitions to sensitize the people
about the ill effects of drug abuse. The Ministry has a Scheme of National Awards for
outstanding services in the field of Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse in
order to recognize the efforts and encourage excellence in the field of prevention of substance
abuse and rehabilitation of its victims. MoSJE has set up a National Toll Free Drug De-addiction
Helpline Number 1800-11-0031 w.e.f. 07.01.2015 to help the victims of drug abuse, their family
and society at large. The Helpline has been made functional on 24 x 7 basis w.e.f. March, 2017.
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare runs Drug De-addiction Program (DDAP)
underwhich financial assistance for affordable, easily accessible and evidence-based treatment
for all substance use disorders are being provided in some Government hospitals/institutions visa-
vis National DrugDependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), All India Institute of Medical
Sciences (AIIMS), Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER),
Chandigarh andNational Institutes of Mental Health andNeurosciences (NIMHANS),
Bengaluru. Besides these Institutions, 17 Drug TreatmentClinics (DTCs) are established under
thisProgramme through National DrugDependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC).
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, undertakes
series of measures for spreading awareness among the masses. The measures include the
following activities:-
i. Visit of NCB representative to Schools for conducting awareness programmes.
ii. Display Boards inSchool Buses, Pubs, Bars and Airports.
iii. Drug Awareness Programmes at prominent places.
iv. Rallies, Dramas are conducted regularly in association with Non-Government
Organizations (NGOs) to spread awareness.
v. SMS alerts of Drug awareness are flashed through mobile service providers.
vi. Organization of workshops and seminars in coordination with various government
agencies and NGOs in the country about ill effects of drug abuse and trafficking.
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