School students across Telangana will take a collective anti-drug pledge on 12 June 2025, the day schools reopen, as the state government rolls out one of its most visible student welfare initiatives of the year. The mass pledge will urge students to stay away from tobacco, alcohol, and narcotic substances, and to conduct themselves as responsible citizens.

How the Initiative Came About

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday night met Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla at Lok Bhavan in Hyderabad to formally invite him to attend the students' gathering scheduled for June 12. The meeting follows an earlier suggestion by the Governor himself, who had recommended that students be required to take an anti-drug pledge. The state government has now organised a large-scale student assembly in direct response to that suggestion.

The mass pledge ceremony is being organised jointly under the aegis of the Department of School Education, the Police Department, and the anti-drugs force EAGLE. The initiative underlines the collective responsibility of students, teachers, parents, and school management in keeping educational institutions drug-free.

Student Kits and Welfare Measures on the Same Day

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy informed the Governor that kits containing uniforms, textbooks, notebooks, school bags, sportswear, and other essential supplies would be distributed to students on the same day. School and college managements will also be directed to maintain constant vigilance to prevent students from falling prey to drugs and other addictions.

Education Week and Broader Policy Push

The anti-drug initiative coincides with a wider education push by the Chief Minister. Revanth Reddy, who also holds the education portfolio, participated in the inaugural programme of Education Week under 'Praja Palana-Pragathi Pranalika' — the government's 99-day action plan focused on accelerated governance, welfare delivery, and development. At the event held at L.B. Stadium in Hyderabad, he laid the foundation stone for Young India Integrated Schools to be constructed at a cost of ₹1,011 crore in the CURE area. He also distributed cash prizes to government teachers for meritorious services and to students for educational excellence.

Budget Commitment and New Education Policy

The Chief Minister said the state currently allocates 8 per cent of its budget to education, with plans to raise that figure to 15 per cent in the coming years. He announced plans to introduce nursery-to-Class-12 continuity in government schools, citing a rise in dropouts after Class 10 as a key concern. Telangana currently has 27,000 government schools catering to 19 lakh students, while 12,000 private schools serve 38 lakh students — a disparity the government says it intends to address.

On nutrition, Revanth Reddy announced that milk and Ragi Java (finger millet porridge) would be served to students in government schools. A breakfast pilot scheme has already been launched in schools in the Kodangal Assembly constituency. The Chief Minister also stated that a new education policy, intended to serve as a national model, would be introduced soon. He added that he deliberately retained the education portfolio to personally oversee these reforms.

What Comes Next

All eyes will be on 12 June 2025, when the mass pledge, kit distribution, and school reopening ceremonies converge into a single state-level event. If the model proves effective, it could inform similar anti-drug drives in other states grappling with rising substance use among school-going youth.