Punjab Launches Nationwide First Anti-Drug Curriculum

Punjab recently marked a significant milestone in its fight against drug abuse as the state government prepared to introduce an innovative drug prevention curriculum for students from Classes IX to XII in government schools. This initiative is part of the third phase of the “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, as announced by the Punjab Minister of School Education, Harjot Singh Bains. During a press briefing at Punjab Bhawan, Minister Bains revealed that Aam Aadmi Party National Convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann are scheduled to launch the curriculum on August 1 in Fazilka district's Arniwala. The program is designed by J-PAL South Asia, led by Nobel Laureate Prof. Abhijit Banerjee, and aims to empower around 800,000 students with skills to prevent substance abuse. The curriculum comprises 35-minute sessions delivered every fortnight over 27 weeks, integrating documentaries, quizzes, posters, and interactive activities. These sessions emphasize myth debunking, refusal strategies, and peer pressure resistance, equipping students with the necessary knowledge to make informed choices. Minister Bains highlighted that the program will cover 3,658 schools, engaging over 6,500 trained teachers to affect about 800,000 students. He stressed that this comprehensive educational strategy will profoundly impact Punjab's education system by imparting essential skills to combat substance abuse. Developed in collaboration with top behavioural scientists, the initiative underwent randomized trials in 78 government schools across Amritsar and Tarn Taran in FY 2024–25. These trials, involving 9,600 students and assessed by J-PAL South Asia, revealed significant improvements in addiction risk awareness. The trials showed that 90% of students understood the high addiction risk of trying 'chitta' even once, a significant increase from the 69% awareness level in the control group. It also effectively dispelled myths, reducing the belief that willpower alone can overcome addiction from 50% to 20%. Bains pointed out that Punjab's drug crisis stems from years of systemic neglect and mismanagement by previous administrations. He stated, “Punjab is the first Indian state to implement a statewide, evidence-based drug prevention curriculum, emphasizing that the fight against drugs should start in the classroom, not the police station.” Additionally, the Education Minister outlined the efforts of the “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign launched in March. This campaign has resulted in the arrest of over 23,000 drug peddlers, property seizures, and the confiscation of over 1,000 KGs of heroin, demonstrating the government’s commitment to eradicating the drug scourge and ensuring a healthier future for Punjab’s youth.