On May 15, 2025, during the 8th Apex Committee meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD), the Ministry of Education’s Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) launched a nationwide enforcement drive to ensure educational institutions remain free of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. This initiative, starting on May 31, 2025, aims to protect students and create a healthier learning environment.
Urgency of the Initiative
Protecting India’s Youth
With a significant portion of India’s population below the age of 29, safeguarding the youth is vital for achieving Viksit Bharat. The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-2), 2019, revealed that 8.5% of students aged 13–15 use tobacco, with over 5,500 children starting daily. Tobacco use often leads to experimentation with other substances, making it critical to enforce strict regulations around educational institutions.
Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) Guidelines
Structured Framework for Compliance
The ToFEI Guidelines, supported by a manual launched on May 31, 2024, outline nine key activities to ensure campuses are tobacco-free. These include displaying ‘Tobacco Free Area’ signage, conducting awareness campaigns, and enforcing a 100-yard tobacco-free zone around institutions. Local authorities are tasked with marking yellow lines to designate these zones and preventing tobacco sales nearby.
| ToFEI Activity | Description |
|---|---|
| Signage Display | ‘Tobacco Free Area’ inside and at entrance/boundary |
| Awareness Campaigns | Display materials and conduct one tobacco control activity every six months |
| Tobacco-Free Zone | Mark 100-yard yellow line around institutions |
| No Tobacco Sales | Prohibit vendors from selling tobacco within 100 yards |
Month-Long Enforcement Drive
From World No Tobacco Day to Anti-Drug Day
The enforcement drive, running from May 31, 2025, to June 26, 2025, aligns with World No Tobacco Day and the International Day Against Drug Abuse. It enforces Section 6(b) of COTPA, 2003, banning tobacco sales within 100 yards of schools and to minors. States are encouraged to develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for reporting violations to local police.
Community Engagement and Awareness
Empowering Stakeholders
The Ministry emphasized the role of School Management Committees (SMCs), teachers, and parents in raising awareness and reporting violations. Additionally, the World No Tobacco Day Awareness Quiz-2025, launched on May 22, 2025, and running until July 21, 2025, on the MyGov platform, educates students and the public about tobacco’s dangers in an engaging format.
Key Highlights
- Nationwide enforcement drive launched on May 31, 2025, following the NCORD meeting on May 15, 2025.
- ToFEI Guidelines outline nine activities, including a 100-yard tobacco-free zone around institutions.
- Drive enforces COTPA 2003 from May 31 to June 26, 2025, targeting tobacco sales near schools.
- World No Tobacco Day Quiz live from May 22 to July 21, 2025, on MyGov platform.
- Community involvement emphasized through SMCs and SOPs for reporting violations.