Srinagar: In one of its latest core committee sessions, the National Child Development Council (NCDC) made a groundbreaking move by discussing the emerging issue of student drug addiction. The members of the council offered a new resolution to fight the use of drugs in schools using proactive steps such as compulsory blood tests and prioritizing extracurricular activities.
The meeting started off with a sense of urgency about the newer generation of students, with NCDC members pointing out the high rate of drug use among teenagers. “Our students are getting more and more involved in drugs, and it’s time we act in a serious manner,” quoted a prominent member of the council. The committee suggested that it must be made compulsory for students in high schools to take up extracurricular activities as part of their academic schedule, to divert them from adopting detrimental behaviors.
The committee’s resolution came with a recommendation for mandatory blood tests for every student, from high school onward. The tests, the members contended, would detect drug use early on and act as a deterrent for students. “Just like we have health checks for studying abroad or for being eligible for work, drug testing should become part of the procedure for admissions into higher classes,” a member of the core committee proposed.
Moreover, the members of the committee mentioned that routine blood tests would also be beneficial for identifying other possible ailments among students. “This would not only assist in determining drug use but also reveal other medical issues that students may not know about,” one of the members clarified.
Another core committee member contributed further, stressing the need for early intervention. “By making blood tests compulsory from the 8th standard onwards, we can detect students prone to addiction and treat them before the issue gets out of hand,” she pointed out. Her views were seconded by other members, who repeated the call for inclusive health check-ups in schools.
The other significant point of the resolution was the call for government action. Baba Alexander, NCDC Master Trainer, expressed that drug abuse is not only an individual problem but a social one. “Drug addiction does not only affect the individual but their families and society in general. It’s time the government gets involved and acts promptly to check this epidemic,” he said.
The members of the council also talked about how the government should arrange medical facilities for such compulsory blood tests. The members suggested that annual health camps be organized by schools and colleges and that each student must go through this vital medical checkup without spending any money.
