The Union Ministries of Social Justice & Empowerment and Education launched the Nasha Mukt Abhiyan programme in August 2024. It requires medical colleges to set up Nasha Mukt Hostel Committees, conduct counselling and awareness programmes, identify at-risk students, monitor hostels for early signs of substance use etc. The medical colleges are required to submit quarterly reports to the regulator.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that last year, the Secretaries in the Department of Social Justice * Empowerment and the Department of Higher Education, GoI, had requested the NMC chairman for the implementation of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (Drug-Free India Campaign) in the Medical Colleges.
Accordingly, to combat the menace of drug abuse, last year, NMC had informed its decision to implement the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (Drug-Free India Campaign) in all the medical colleges across India. Additionally, NMC had also decided to constitute a drug-free hostel committee in all colleges/institutions.
Earlier this year also, the National Medical Commission (NMC) asked the medical colleges under its purview to submit an action taken report regarding the implementation of the measures on "Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan", launched by the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment. NMC had asked the medical colleges to provide the requisite ATR directly to the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, along with a copy of Higher Education Department.
Also Read: NMC notifies on implementation of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan In All Medical Colleges
As per the latest media report by the Times of India, information obtained through the RTI application revealed that none of the premier medical institutes in Delhi- including All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, VMMC, Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), UCMS, BSA Medical College, NDMC Medical College, Army College of Medical Sciences and Jamia Hamdard- have submitted the required ATRs under the Nasha Mukt Abhiyan.
Meanwhile, in response to the RTI findings, the National Medical Commission (NMC) said that the figures cited required verification. As per the TOI report, the NMC said, "The claim that 49 medical colleges have submitted ATRs while none of Delhi’s 10 colleges have done so is not available with the NMC at this stage and requires verification, given there are nearly 800 medical colleges in the country."
The Commission further added that it had issued an advisory on August 14, 2024, directing all medical colleges to implement anti-drug measures under the Nasha Mukt Abhiyan. It added, "Several colleges have submitted their ATRs directly to the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, as instructed."
NMC further added that the follow-up action would be initiated after receiving the consolidated data. "The Anti-Ragging Cell has been asked to seek details and propose further action," the Commission further mentioned.
The officials at Delhi-based RML Hospital have, however, acknowledged that while a committee was constituted and activities had been initiated, some SOP implementations are still underway and the ATR was not sent to the Apex Medical Commission. An official from AIIMS said that committee-related documents were shared with the NDDTC in Ghaziabad but not with the Social Justice Ministry, as mandated.
According to officials, under the campaign, medical colleges were prioritised because students living in hostels face a higher risk of substance use due to academic pressure, stress, peer influence, and limited supervision. The experts have warned that without enforceable reporting, the initiative risked remained symbolic rather than effective.
TOI has reported that across the country, the colleges that have submitted the ATRs include institutions in Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Rajasthan, Assam, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Also Read: NMC directs medical Colleges to Submit Action Taken Report on Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan Measures
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