Form student bodies to fight drug addiction: UGC

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has written to universities and colleges asking them to start a “Say No to Drugs” campaign.

An initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJ&E) which has formulated a “National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction”, the institutions have been asked to prepare action plans of their own and upload them on the University Activity Monitoring Portal of UGC by March 20, 2020.

Student bodies

The notification circulated on March 4 asks the respective colleges and institutions to constitute “Say No to Drugs” student bodies to be headed by a teacher.

“The student bodies will be empowered to act and inform the regulatory agency if a case of drug abuse is detected on the campus,” it says.

The notification also reads that the student bodies will support in the rehabilitation of their fellow students who are addicted through communication and counselling for instilling self-confidence.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will support the student bodies financially and through capacity building to help them play decisive roles for the cause.

Major campaign

Institutions have also been instructed to conduct awareness programmes.

To address the various elements in the action plan, the ministry will work with the Narcotics Bureau, non-profits and health institutions. The major campaign against drugs to be will be implemented from April 1, 2020.

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