https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Saying Yes to Life, UP Students e-Pledge to Say No to Drugs

Additional Chief Secretary, Excise, Uttar Pradesh, Sanjay Bhoosreddy, IAS, initiated an oath-taking ceremony for school and college students of the state on 11 August. This ceremony was part of the week-long celebrations for the completion of 75 years of India’s Independence. Over 75 lakh students took an oath to stay away from drugs in their morning assemblies and also e-signed on a government website confirming the pledge.
Indian Masterminds Stories

In line with the central government’s vision for a ‘Drug-Free India’, the UP Excise Department along with the Narcotics Control Bureau launched an online e-pledge campaign to sensitize school children on the adverse effects of drugs. 

On the morning of 11 August, all schools and colleges across the state took an oath to fight off the urge to do drugs in their morning assemblies, and later e-signed on a government website that they took the pledge to stay drug-free all their life. Once they signed, they received a certificate, which they could frame and keep with them forever. 

In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Senior IAS officer Sanjay Bhoosreddy, who is the Additional Chief Secretary in the Excise Department of UP, shared details about the campaign.

TOWARDS DRUG-FREE INDIA

The week-long celebrations for the completion of India’s 75  years of Independence, which began on 11th August, brought around the biggest Anti-Drug campaign that the country has seen – ‘Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs’, to curb the menace of drugs among youngsters and make India drug-free.

Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, drugs recognized as marijuana, hash, party drugs, etc., are now also being consumed by young school and college children. 

To curb this, the UP government has been carrying out the basic procedures of confiscating the substances, penalizing the addicts, etc. However, this doesn’t seem enough when it comes to protecting young people.

“At times, the user is also the victim. Their will to just ‘try it once’ takes them into a downward spiral, making it extremely difficult for them to come back onto the track. A single dosage is enough to get you addicted to it. Looking at the increase in drug usage by younger kids, we decided to catch them young and keep them on the right track from the beginning, while they are still in school, and make them understand the importance of the campaign,” Mr. Bhoosreddy told Indian Masterminds.

E-PLEDGE

So, on the morning of 11 August, on the initiative of the state Excise Department, all the schools and colleges across the state took an oath together to fight off the urge to do illegal substances and stay drug-free in life, in their morning assemblies. Several officers of the department visited different schools and encouraged the students to take the oath, in the presence of the principal and teachers.

Once the pledge was taken, the students were asked to visit a website that the officials provided them with, wherein they had to e-sign that they took the pledge to stay drug-free. Once they signed, they received a certificate, which they could get framed and keep with them forever. Further, they were also asked to stay more aware and become responsible citizens of the country and share any information that they receive of people or their classmates taking drugs and inform the police.

“Today, the usage of illegal substances, including chemical drugs, has risen. The rave parties and other such events contribute to it. Rape and party drugs are mixed in the drinks of women, unknowingly, which leads to dangerous situations. Both girls and boys are getting involved in the intake of drugs. In fact, the ratio of girls using drugs is higher than boys now. Hence, it is very important that we sensitize our kids and make them understand the harmful consequences of drugs,” he said.

Since children nowadays have access to any place and any number and can’t be monitored 24×7, they are more vulnerable to succumbing to peer pressure to do drugs. Therefore, it becomes extremely important to motivate them against its usage so that they understand the need to avoid it.

Taking help from the state education department, the officer and his team were able to conduct the oath-taking ceremony in thousands of schools in 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh, covering over 75 lakh students and sensitizing them all about the evil effects of drugs.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC on Implementation of Safeguards for Scheduled Tribe Employees
MP CM Collector Award Niti Aayog
Sampurnata Abhiyan: Madhya Pradesh Leads NITI Aayog Campaign; Collectors from 8 Districts Win Gold
Mohan Yadav
MP CM Mohan Yadav Pushes for Sustainable, Community-Driven Rural Water Policy; Targets 100% Tap Coverage by March 2027
Ajay Bhadoo IAS
IAS Ajay Bhadoo Gets Extended Term as DGFT - What It Means & His Career Journey
THDCIL_Receives_ABMS_Certification_for_Integrity_and_Transparency
THDC India (THDCIL) Awarded ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Certification by BIS - Details Inside
Ministry of Environment
Environment Ministry Clarifies Petrol Vehicle Tender, Cites E-Vehicle Flexibility
Bokaro Steel Plant
PESB Selects Priya Ranjan to Head Bokaro Steel Plant, SAIL’s Key Production Unit
REC Limited wins ‘Best Design Thinking Award’ at 5th Distinguished NBFC (DNA) Awards
REC Limited Bags ‘Best Design Thinking Award’ at 5th Distinguished NBFC Awards
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
Resisted Flawed Schemes, Transferred Thrice In Three Months, Found Solace In Writing
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
IAS SVR Srinivas on Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Tough Calls, and the Real Power of IAS Officers | Video Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
Dharavi Redevelopment: IAS Minds Turning 100-Year-Old Slum into a Modern City | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Minnu P M
“Lazy, Sleepy, Yet Determined”: Minnu P M’s Honest Take on Cracking UPSC
Minnu PM, once a clerk in Kerala Police, cleared UPSC with AIR 150 after five years of struggle. Her...
IPS Ashish Tiwari
From IIT and Investment Banking to Public Service, Meet IPS Ashish Tiwari 
Ashish Tiwari, IIT graduate and former investment banker, chose public service over global finance. As...
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-12 at 7.27
First Attempt IRS, Fourth Attempt IPS: The Relentless Pursuit of Jitendra Kumar Yadav Who Cracked UPSC 3 Times
IPS Yadav is originally from Chhattisgarh. He was first selected for the IRS through UPSC and later for...
Social Media
Masahiro Hara
From Go Board to Global Use, How QR Codes Changed the World: IRAS Officer Ananth Rupanagudi Spotlights Masahiro Hara’s Vision
IRAS officer Ananth Rupanagudi shared a video on Masahiro Hara, the inventor of QR codes, highlighting...
IFS Susanta Nanda Video
A Mother’s Duty: Tigress Watches Over Cubs Splashing in Waterhole — Heartwarming Video Shared By Retd. IFS Officer Susanta Nanda
A tender wildlife video shared by Retd. IFS officer Susanta Nanda shows a tigress keeping watch over...
Mohanmala
Kaziranga Mourns: Beloved Elephant Mohanmala Passes Away After Five Decades of Service
Kaziranga National Park mourns the loss of Mohanmala, a beloved elephant who served over 50 years as...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC on Implementation of Safeguards for Scheduled Tribe Employees
MP CM Collector Award Niti Aayog
Sampurnata Abhiyan: Madhya Pradesh Leads NITI Aayog Campaign; Collectors from 8 Districts Win Gold
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT