Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to limit substance abuse among students. The pact, concluded at CBSE headquarters in New Delhi, seeks to make schools a focal ground for prevention, awareness, and intervention.
The pact establishes a framework for collaboration. Quarterly programmes of awareness, teacher and counsellor training workshops, e-learning modules, and outreach in the community have been placed on the table.
MoU SETS FRAMEWORK FOR AWARENESS DRIVES
A pilot project will start in 100 CBSE schools, with a hub-and-spoke model to reach larger numbers.
The MoU was signed by Anurag Garg, Director General, NCB, and Rahul Singh, Chairperson, CBSE.
Addressing the gathering, Anurag Garg emphasised the frontline role of schools. He added that anti-drug efforts cannot be solely left to police work. School spaces have to become part of the solution.
CBSE Chairperson Rahul Singh emphasised the responsibility of the board in keeping students safe.
He stated that the board is prepared to equip schools with resources and information so prevention is not only a policy but a practice.
CBSE Secretary Himanshu Gupta referred to the provision of safe and secure spaces in schools.
He also connected the initiative with Tele-MANAS, the government mental health support initiative, and stated timely intervention is as crucial as prevention.
In reality, what the MOU implies is that schools will not only depend on teaching in class.
They will also be active hubs for drug-prevention initiatives, where teachers, parents, and students are brought together. Counselling services will be introduced as a direct support line.
AWARENESS PROGRAMMES
This was preceded by a grand awareness programme by more than 500 principals, counsellors, and wellness teachers from CBSE schools. Two sessions pegged the discourse.
Food Corporation of India Chairman and Managing Director Ashutosh Agnihotri spoke about leadership in schools.
His contention was straightforward: schools should lead students not only in terms of learning, but in resistance to social issues.
Dr Anees C Deputy Director, NCB, addressed the topic “Refuse the First Dose, Secure the Future.” He illustrated the sequence of risks involved in taking drugs at a young age and how schools, peers, and families can collectively intervene to cut it.
The programme concluded with a question–answer session. Principals and counsellors posed questions, shared ground realities, and looked for measures to improve school-level interventions.
The tie-up with CBSE–NCB is a change in strategy. It addresses substance abuse as much as an educational and societal issue rather than merely as a law-and-order issue.
By centring on schools, the two organisations are placing their bets on early awareness, preventive measures, and community support.
If successful, the pilot could define how the education system deals with one of the most critical challenges confronting youths of this era.
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