Lok Sabha Question No. 70 (STARRED), answered on 2018-07-23
Subject: Network of Drug Addiction in Education Campuses
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: LAXMI NARAYAN YADAV, RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO.70 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2018

## Network of Drug Addiction inEducation Campuses

## †*70.  SHRI LAXMI NARAYAN YADAV:

SHRI RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  the  network  of  drug  addiction  is  spreading  in  the education campuses which is causing several difficulties for the youth in completing their higher education;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c)  the  names  of  the  Universities/  University  campuses  which  have  been  identified  by  the Government so far as places where drugs are sold and drug addiction is rampant; and
- (d) the various efforts made by the Government to address the issue?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) to (d):

A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## 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 11 th 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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