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Time of India
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Anti-Drug Curriculum Unveiled In Punjab Schools
Punjab is launching India's first evidence-based anti-drug curriculum in government schools from August 1. The initiative is part of the third phase of the 'Yudh Nashian De Virudh' (War Against Drugs) campaign and will be unveiled in Arniwala, Fazilka, by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Developed by J-PAL South Asia under Nobel Laureate Prof. Abhijit Banerjee's guidance, the program will equip around 8 lakh students in Classes IX to XII with prevention-based education to resist substance abuse. Punjab becomes the first Indian state to implement such a scientific, student-focused response to drug abuse at the school level. Read More
India Today
01-08-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Punjab launches India's first evidence-based anti-drug curriculum in 3,658 schools
Punjab is taking a fresh and focused approach to the drug problem. From August 1, the state will roll out India's first-ever evidence-based anti-drug curriculum in government move is part of the third phase of the 'Yudh Nashian De Virudh' (War Against Drugs) campaign and will be launched by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Arniwala, CLASSROOM STRATEGY TO COMBAT DRUG ABUSEThe curriculum is designed for students of Classes 9 to 12 across 3,658 schools, covering nearly 8 lakh students. Over 6,500 trained teachers are ready to deliver the 27-week programme. But this isn't a boring lecture series. Each session lasts 35 minutes and takes place every two weeks, using documentaries, quizzes, group activities, and posters to bust drug myths and help students learn how to say no to peer WITH EXPERTS AND BACKED BY DATAThe programme has been developed with help from Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee's J-PAL South Asia and top behavioural scientists. Their focus is to teach kids how to make smart, informed decisions before it's too the full launch, randomised trials were conducted in 78 schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran with 9,600 results were promising: 90% of the students exposed to the curriculum understood that even trying 'chitta' (a common street drug) once could lead to a big jump from 69% in the control group. Also, belief in 'willpower alone can beat addiction' dropped from 50% to 20%.MOVING THE FIGHT TO CLASSROOMS, NOT JUST POLICE STATIONSPunjab's School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains made it clear that prevention is the key. 'The fight against drugs must begin in classrooms, not just in police stations,' he far, the state has arrested over 23,000 drug smugglers, seized more than 1,000 kg of heroin, and confiscated the property of offenders. But now, the focus is on keeping young people away from drugs in the first this new curriculum, Punjab has become the first Indian state to take a school-first approach to drug prevention -- and the rest of India might want to take notes.(With agency inputs)- Ends
NDTV
31-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Punjab Becomes First State To Launch Evidence-Based Anti-Drug Curriculum For Students
Chandigarh, Punjab, July 31: Punjab is set to take a new step in its fight against drugs by launching India's first evidence-based anti-drug curriculum for school students. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will inaugurate the program on August 1 in Arniwala, Fazilka, as part of the third phase of the state's "Yudh Nashian De Virudh" campaign. School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the curriculum will cover around 8 lakh students from Classes 9 to 12 in 3,658 schools. More than 6,500 trained teachers will deliver the programme. The curriculum has been developed in collaboration with Nobel Laureate Prof. Abhijit Banerjee's J-PAL South Asia and leading behavioural scientists. It aims to equip students with the skills to avoid drug use and make informed decisions. The 27-week program consists of 35-minute interactive sessions held every two weeks. It uses documentaries, quizzes, posters, and group activities to bust myths, address peer pressure, and promote better decision-making strategies. Randomised trials conducted in 78 government schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran with 9,600 students showed a strong impact. Ninety per cent of students understood that even trying drugs like "chitta" once could lead to addiction, compared to 69 per cent in the control group. The belief that addiction can be overcome with willpower alone dropped from 50 per cent to 20 per cent. Bains said this marked a shift in approach, stating, "The fight against drugs must begin in classrooms, not just in police stations." He added that more than 23,000 drug smugglers have been arrested so far, over 1,000 kg of heroin has been seized, and properties of offenders have been confiscated, highlighting the government's commitment to protect Punjab's youth from drug abuse. Punjab has become the first Indian state to roll out an anti-drug curriculum at this scale, starting from August 1. The programme focuses on prevention through interactive classroom learning and behavioural change.
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Business Standard
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Punjab becomes first state to launch evidence-based anti-drug curriculum
Punjab is set to take a new step in its fight against drugs by launching India's first evidence-based anti-drug curriculum for school students. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will inaugurate the programme on August 1 in Arniwala, Fazilka, as part of the third phase of the state's "Yudh Nashian De Virudh" campaign. School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the curriculum will cover around 8 lakh students from Classes 9 to 12 in 3,658 schools. More than 6,500 trained teachers will deliver the programme. The curriculum has been developed in collaboration with Nobel Laureate Prof. Abhijit Banerjee's J-PAL South Asia and leading behavioural scientists. It aims to equip students with the skills to avoid drug use and make informed decisions. The 27-week programme consists of 35-minute interactive sessions held every two weeks. It uses documentaries, quizzes, posters, and group activities to bust myths, address peer pressure, and promote better decision-making strategies. Randomised trials conducted in 78 government schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran with 9,600 students showed a strong impact. Ninety per cent of students understood that even trying drugs like "chitta" once could lead to addiction, compared to 69 per cent in the control group. The belief that addiction can be overcome with willpower alone dropped from 50 per cent to 20 per cent. Bains said this marked a shift in approach, stating, "The fight against drugs must begin in classrooms, not just in police stations." He added that more than 23,000 drug smugglers have been arrested so far, over 1,000 kg of heroin has been seized, and properties of offenders have been confiscated, highlighting the government's commitment to protect Punjab's youth from drug abuse. Punjab has become the first Indian state to roll out an anti-drug curriculum at this scale, starting from August 1. The programme focuses on prevention through interactive classroom learning and behavioural change. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hindustan Times
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Punjab to roll out drug prevention curriculum in govt schools: Harjot Singh Bains
The Punjab government will roll out a drug prevention curriculum for students of Classes IX to XII in all government schools from August 1 as part of the 3rd phase of the ongoing 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' drive, announced school education minister Harjot Singh Bains. The Punjab government will roll out a drug prevention curriculum for students of Classes IX to XII in all government schools from August 1 as part of the 3rd phase of the ongoing 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' drive, announced school education minister Harjot Singh Bains. (HT File) Addressing a press conference here, Bains informed that Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal and chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will launch the statewide drug prevention curriculum at Arniwala in Fazilka district on Friday. He said this pioneering programme, created by Nobel Laureate Prof Abhijit Banerjee-led J-PAL South Asia, will empower around eight lakh students in Classes IX to XII with prevention-focused skills to combat substance abuse. The curriculum will consist of 35-minute sessions, held every fortnight for 27 weeks, and will feature a mix of engaging content, including documentaries, quizzes, posters, and interactive activities. These sessions will focus on key areas such as myth-busting, refusal strategies, and resisting peer pressure, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions, he said. Bains said this initiative is grounded in evidence, developed with leading behavioural scientists, and evaluated through randomised trials conducted in 78 government schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran during FY 2024–25. 'These trials covered 9,600 students and, evaluated by J-PAL South Asia, yielded significant results. The trials demonstrated a marked improvement in addiction risk awareness, with 90% of students recognising the high risk of addiction from trying 'chitta' even once, compared to 69% in the control group,' he added.
