Maharashtra government to introduce anti-drug lessons in school curriculum

Maharashtra will introduce anti-drug lessons in school classrooms and set up counselling committees. The move is part of a wider push to improve campus safety and curb substance abuse.

In Short

• Schools will set up counselling committees to support vulnerable students
• Campus safety measures will target cyber fraud and drug-related threats
• Maharashtra ranked second nationally in the Performance Grading Index 2.0

The Maharashtra government has decided to introduce lessons on drug de-addiction in the school curriculum as part of a broader effort to tackle substance abuse among students and strengthen school safety.

The decision was taken during a review meeting of the School Education Department chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday, according to PTI. He asked officials to begin the process of adding anti-drug awareness modules to classroom learning while also rolling out a statewide "Drug-Free School" campaign.

SCHOOLS TO GET ANTI-DRUG COUNSELLING COMMITTEES

As part of the initiative, the state will establish anti-drug guidance and counselling committees in schools to educate students about the risks of substance abuse and provide support where needed. The chief minister also directed officials to tighten measures aimed at improving campus safety and protecting students from cyber fraud and drug-related threats.

During the meeting, Fadnavis said Maharashtra continues to perform strongly in school education and has secured the second position in the national Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 for school education. He called for innovative teaching practices to be expanded across all schools, including PM SHRI institutions, while maintaining a balance between educational quality, promotion of Marathi language, preservation of history and modern learning facilities.

The review also covered several ongoing education initiatives, including Aadhaar authentication of school students, benefits extended to around 35 lakh students under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, the Pavitra teacher recruitment portal and the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

EDUCATION REFORMS AND STUDENT SUPPORT

According to officials, Maharashtra has 1,08,065 schools catering to more than 2.2 crore students, with a student-teacher ratio of 28:1. The state accounts for 9.34 per cent of India's schools, 8.84 per cent of its teachers and 7.69 per cent of its student population.

Of the total schools, 64,341 are government-run institutions, while 29,486 receive government aid. The remaining schools include self-financed and centrally affiliated institutions.

Officials also highlighted several programmes being implemented to improve learning outcomes, such as the Nipun Maharashtra Mission, Rashtriya Pratham campaign, the "Majhi Shala Sundar Shala" initiative and statewide enrolment drives. Teachers are also receiving online training through artificial intelligence-powered platforms.

The state is additionally encouraging exposure visits, school adoption programmes, CSR partnerships and the "Super 100" scheme, under which 100 high-performing students from rural areas in every district receive specialised coaching for competitive examinations such as NEET and JEE.

The chief minister also emphasised the importance of teaching Maharashtra's history, stating that the Centre has expanded coverage of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in NCERT textbooks. He suggested that the school curriculum should further strengthen lessons on the Maratha ruler's legacy.

Officials informed the meeting that Marathi has been made a compulsory subject, and examinations in the language are mandatory across schools affiliated with the SSC, CBSE, ICSE and IB boards in the state.

School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse, Minister of State Pankaj Bhoyar, Principal Secretary (School Education) Ranjitsingh Deol, Education Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh and other senior officials attended the meeting.

- Ends