ANTF-EMRC Initiative: Punjab Signs Landmark MoU to Integrate Drug Awareness into School Curriculum
Kanwar Inder singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ March 7,2025
In a major step towards combating drug abuse, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), and Punjabi University, Patiala and the Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMRC), Patiala. The agreement was formalized in the office of Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav, IPS, with Nilabh Kishore, IPS, Additional DGP; Prof. Sanjiv Puri, Registrar, Punjabi University and Daljit Ami, Director, EMRC as signatories.
DGP Gaurav Yadav called the initiative a crucial step in Punjab’s fight against drug abuse, highlighting its role in rehabilitation and awareness. He called education important to sustain the drive against drug addiction once supply chain is broken. Additional DGP Nilabh Kishore emphasized that integrating drug awareness into the school curriculum is a pioneering effort that will serve as a long-term deterrent against substance abuse. He added that this course will be introduced in schools in the coming academic session, ensuring that students receive structured education on the risks associated with drugs.
Under this collaboration, EMRC Patiala will develop digital content for a structured drug awareness course, while Punjabi University will facilitate its implementation. ANTF Punjab along with experts from academic, medical and legal backgrounds will finalize the content. An editorial board will oversee the creation of materials. The course, designed to educate students in impressionable age of the dangers of drug use, will be introduced in schools and will initially cover ninth to twelfth grades. Eventually, it will become a regular part of the ninth-grade curriculum. The program will consist of ten hours of video content divided into twenty modules, accompanied by a booklet published in both Punjabi and English.
Prof. Sanjiv Puri underlined the importance of collaboration between academia and administration in addressing societal challenges, reaffirming Punjabi University’s commitment to ensuring high-quality content development. Prof. Mamta Sharma, Department of Psychology, associated with ANTF since 2017 and experienced in drug rehabilitation efforts, regarded the MoU as an extension of the long-standing association in tackling substance abuse. Prof. Mandeep Kaur, Department of Psychology, Punjabi University is associated with the project. S.K. Rampal, DIG ANTF said that cordial police-public interface is important to succeed in the fight against drug addiction as there are precedents of successful police-public collaboration.
ANTF-EMRC Initiative: Punjab Signs Landmark MoU to Integrate Drug Awareness into School Curriculum. Daljit Ami stated that this partnership will expand EMRC’s role, leveraging technology to create an effective interface between public institutions and making drug awareness resources widely accessible to educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, medical professionals, and social organizations.
The signing ceremony was attended by Amardeep Singh Rai, IPS, ADGP Traffic and Tarvinder Singh, DSP ANTF. This initiative aligns with the Punjab Government’s ‘War Against Drugs’ campaign, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. The government remains committed to eradicating drug abuse through structured awareness programs targeting schools and vulnerable communities. The new curriculum is set to launch in the upcoming academic session, marking a significant step in Punjab’s efforts to combat drug addiction and protect its youth.
