5 years of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan: Workshops, mass pledge, student campaigns in institutions

The ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’ (NMBA) is set to have a special outreach programme in 2025 to observe the fifth anniversary of the anti-drug campaign. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the University Grants Commission (UGC), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) organised a virtual exchange for the month-long nationwide awareness drive.

The national online interaction was held with the heads of National Education Institutions (HEI). The campaign will involve physical events and online engagements, targeting over 3 crore individuals throughout August.

Educational institutions will have a mass pledge against drug abuse on August 13. The AICTE, UGC, and NCTE have planned student-centric awareness campaigns, human chains, and workshops for the drive. Students belonging to the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and the National Service Scheme (NSS) will lead outreach activities and social media initiatives with the hashtag #AzadiFromDrugs.

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The authorities urged HEIs for a “collective call to action” and to take the pledge at nmba.dosje.gov.in. Manish R Joshi, the secretary of UGC, and a representative of NCTE, attended the event.

Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan was launched by the department of social justice and empowerment to create awareness about the harmful effects of drugs and to promote drug abuse prevention. It invites all universities and colleges to contribute to building a drug-free society.

TG Sitharam, the chairman of AICTE, commented: “Over the past five years, the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan has united civil society, government agencies, and academic institutions, with youth leading the change. Let us make this campaign a permanent part of campus culture, inspiring our students to say not only ‘No to Drugs’ but ‘Yes to Life, Yes to Dreams, and Yes to a Healthy India.”