In a significant push against substance abuse, Punjab is preparing to introduce the country’s first classroom-based anti-drug curriculum for high school students, beginning August 1.
The initiative will be officially launched by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at Arniwala in Fazilka, as part of the third phase of the “Yudh Nashian De Virudh” campaign.
According to School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, the new educational module will reach approximately 8 lakh students across Classes 9 to 12 in 3,658 schools. More than 6,500 specially trained teachers will facilitate the programme.
The curriculum was designed with input from J-PAL South Asia, led by Nobel Laureate Prof. Abhijit Banerjee, alongside other behavioral science experts. Its goal is to help students resist peer pressure, debunk drug-related myths, and make conscious, informed choices.
Structured over 27 weeks, the programme features 35-minute interactive sessions every other week. It incorporates videos, quizzes, posters, and group exercises aimed at encouraging critical thinking and building resistance to drug use.
Pilot studies in 78 government schools across Amritsar and Tarn Taran involving 9,600 students yielded encouraging results. After completing the sessions, 90% of participants recognized that even a single instance of drug use, such as with “chitta,” could lead to addiction—up from 69% in schools without the intervention. The belief that addiction can be overcome solely through willpower fell sharply, from 50% to 20%.
“This marks a shift in our strategy,” said Bains. “The battle against drugs must start with education, not just enforcement.”
The state has already intensified its crackdown, with over 23,000 drug peddlers arrested, more than 1,000 kg of heroin seized, and properties of accused individuals confiscated.
With this new initiative, Punjab becomes the first state in India to launch a large-scale, research-backed educational effort focused on drug prevention through schools.
