UGC on Alert. Checks drug abuse across colleges

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has stepped into high alert across all colleges, directing all the vice chancellors to ensure setting up a mechanism for strict control of sale/purchase and consumption of drugs and psychotropic substances by students of colleges affiliated to their respective university.

The decision is taken after a recent request made by the Department of Revenue to the Ministry of Human Resource Development for compliance of the national policy on drugs and psychotropic substances.

The national policy stipulates that all institutions of higher learning and schools will make efforts to prevent the sale of drugs to students.

An official from HRD Ministry said "The government is committed to ensuring a drug free environment in educational institutions and student community. We have taken several measures to check the use of banned drugs by students".

"But, a consistent effort has to be made to sensitise and educate students by other means, both in schools and colleges, to keep them away from drug abuse. The adolescents are most vulnerable to it. The UGC directive is part of such effort. The students need to be regularly sensitised and informed about the adverse effects of drug abuse," he added.

Moreover, the provisions of the National Curriculum Framework 2005, contents related to drug abuse have been incorporated in the text books of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), in order to make students understand its ill-effects on their health and future prospects.