Education Ministry Launches Nationwide Drive to Make Campuses Tobacco and Substance-Free

In a bold step to protect the nation’s youth from tobacco and substance abuse, the Ministry of Education has launched a nationwide enforcement drive aimed at making educational institutions tobacco and substance-free zones. The initiative, led by the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), was announced following the 8th Apex Committee meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) on May 15, 2025.

The drive, spearheaded by DoSEL Secretary Shri Sanjay Kumar, seeks full enforcement of Tobacco-Free Educational Institution (ToFEI) guidelines across all States and Union Territories. It will run from May 31, 2025 (World No Tobacco Day) to June 26, 2025 (International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking).

Why It Matters

India, with one of the world’s youngest populations, faces an alarming rise in tobacco and substance use among adolescents. According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2019, 8.5% of Indian students aged 13–15 used tobacco, and over 5,500 children initiate tobacco use daily. Studies indicate that early tobacco use often leads to other forms of substance abuse, typically initiated near school premises despite existing bans.

Government’s Response

The Ministry of Education is actively enforcing the ToFEI Guidelines to create safe learning environments. The nine-point ToFEI checklist includes:

• Display of tobacco-free signage
• No signs of tobacco use on premises
• Awareness campaigns every six months
• Nomination of tobacco monitors
• Yellow-line marking of a 100-yard tobacco-free zone
• Ban on tobacco vendors within that radius

Two of these—marking the 100-yard zone and eliminating tobacco sales within it—require urgent collaboration with local law enforcement. An earlier advisory by the Ministry of Home Affairs also mandates strict adherence to these rules.

Enforcement and Community Action

States and UTs are being urged to create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that empowers school staff to report violations directly to police. The campaign also emphasizes the role of School Management Committees, teachers, and parents in reporting violations and spreading awareness.

To engage the youth, the Ministry has launched the World No Tobacco Day Awareness Quiz 2025 on the MyGov platform, live from May 22 to July 21, 2025, aimed at building public understanding of tobacco’s dangers.

Call to Action

The Ministry urges all citizens to support this critical mission. “Together, we can ensure that educational campuses become safer and healthier,” the Ministry said in a statement. States and UTs have been called upon to actively enforce Section 6(b) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, during this month-long campaign.