VP Radhakrishnan Launches Drug-Free Campus Campaign at Delhi University, Calls for Nationwide Student Movement

The initiative seeks to embed a culture of awareness, responsibility, and healthy living within higher educational institutions across the country.

The Vice-President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, on Tuesday inaugurated the Drug-Free Campus Campaign at the University of Delhi, stressing the urgent need for sustained, collective action to shield India’s youth from substance abuse and to advance the national vision of a Viksit and Aatma-nirbhar Bharat. The initiative seeks to embed a culture of awareness, responsibility, and healthy living within higher educational institutions across the country.

The inaugural event was attended by Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Delhi’s Education Minister Shri Ashish Sood, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Delhi Prof. Yogesh Singh, senior government officials, faculty members, and a large number of students.

Call for Collective Responsibility

Addressing the gathering, the Vice-President underlined that drug abuse is not merely an individual problem but a societal challenge that demands coordinated efforts from educational institutions, families, policymakers, and students themselves. He emphasised that safeguarding young minds is essential for realising India’s long-term developmental goals.

As part of the campaign, Shri Radhakrishnan launched a dedicated e-pledge platform and mobile application under the Nasha Mukt Parisar Abhiyaan, enabling students from universities nationwide to formally commit to maintaining drug-free campuses. He urged students across India to actively take the pledge and become ambassadors of a substance-free academic culture.

The Vice-President also called upon the Union Minister for Education to ensure that the Drug-Free Campus Campaign is institutionalised across all Central Higher Educational Institutions, thereby transforming it from a single initiative into a sustained national movement.

Education Minister Highlights Role of Universities

Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan expressed his appreciation for the initiative and described the campaign as a “firm collective resolve” towards the nation’s youth, society, and future. He noted that universities are not only centres of academic learning but also powerful spaces for idea generation, character building, and value creation.

Referring specifically to the University of Delhi, the Minister stated that the institution has taken a meaningful and timely step in addressing a critical youth-centric challenge. He cautioned that drug abuse poses a serious threat not only to physical and mental health but also to the nation’s capacity to nurture productive, responsible citizens.

Shri Pradhan expressed confidence that the Delhi University initiative would emerge as a key pillar in the nationwide fight against substance abuse and inspire similar efforts across other institutions.

Linking Youth Well-being to Viksit Bharat 2047

The Education Minister further linked the campaign to the broader national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, as articulated by the Prime Minister. He stressed that the goal of a developed India can be achieved only if the youth are healthy, informed, self-reliant, and purpose-driven.

Calling upon students to take ownership of the campaign, he urged them to transform it into a people’s movement, leading from the front in building a drug-free, healthy, and empowered India.

Objectives of the Drug-Free Campus Campaign

The Drug-Free Campus Campaign aims to:

• Promote awareness about the harmful effects of substance abuse

• Encourage healthy and positive lifestyle choices among students

• Mobilise the student community to create safe, inclusive, and substance-free academic environments

By integrating digital tools such as the e-pledge platform and mobile application, the campaign seeks to ensure wider outreach, sustained engagement, and measurable commitment from the student community nationwide.