Telangana to Draft Law Targeting Campus Drug Abuse and Negligent Colleges

HYDERABAD — Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has decided to introduce a new law prescribing punitive action against educational institutions, repeat drug abusers, and drug peddlers.

The state government had initially planned to issue a government order (GO) to make educational institutions accountable for campus drug abuse. However, following preliminary discussions with senior officials from the police and education departments, the Chief Minister opted to introduce dedicated legislation instead.

Under the proposed legal framework, the government is considering making students who repeatedly abuse drugs or participate in drug peddling on campus ineligible for fee reimbursement and key welfare benefits, including the Rythu Bharosa scheme.

An officer privy to the development explained that discussions are underway regarding individuals who fail to reform despite receiving assistance. "If a student is not reforming despite being given multiple opportunities, including being sent for de-addiction, discussions are being held to make them ineligible for social welfare benefits," the official stated.

The proposed law will also fix direct accountability on educational institutions. If the management of an educational institute is found to have willfully neglected drug abuse or peddling on its campus, or failed to alert the police and other agencies, the government could cancel the institution's official recognition.

The move follows a series of high-level meetings that Revanth Reddy held with senior officials last month. Those meetings were specifically aimed at ensuring every educational institute takes full responsibility for maintaining a drug-free campus environment across Hyderabad and the state.