In a major step towards making campuses of higher educational institutions in Odisha drugs-free, the State Government has decided that students will have to sign anti-drug declaration forms at the time of their admissions into colleges and universities.

Principal Secretary to GovernmentBishnupadaSethi has written a letter in this regard to the School & Mass Education Department, Higher Education Department, Skill Development & Technical Education Department and Health Department.

The form has been devised by the Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.

“The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has communicated a D.O. letter regarding implementation of NashaMukta Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) for Drug Demand Reduction in the country. The students and youth are particularly vulnerable to the menace of substance use. More than 3.3 crore youth have participated in the activities organized under NMBA and have spread the message against substance use. A joint meeting was organised on 30.05.2023 and chaired by Secretaries of both Departments, i.e., Higher Education and Social Justice and Empowerment, and the action points for higher educational institutions were decided,” Sethi said in the letter.

“An Anti-Drug Declaration form devised by the Ministry is to be signed by the students at the time of admission,” the letter concluded.

As per the declaration, the students “shall refrain from using, being under the influence of, possessing, furnishing, distributing, selling or conspiring to sell or possess, or being in the chain of sale or distribution of alcohol/ tobacco/ any psychoactive substances within the premises of the institute/ university or during any sponsored activities by the institute/ university”.