On June 28, 2026, Vice-President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan addressed the Nasha Mukt Bharat Conclave at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, marking the 31st Foundation Day of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS). He advocated a "whole-of-society" approach to tackle substance abuse, stressing that a drug-free India requires informed choices, supportive families, and robust research in addiction medicine. During the event, he also administered polio drops for the National Pulse Polio Drive.
On June 28, 2026, Vice-President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan addressed the Nasha Mukt Bharat Conclave in Bengaluru. Highlighting that addiction causes a massive loss of national potential, he urged youth, healthcare professionals, and civil society to transform the fight against substance abuse into a nationwide movement. At the same venue, he also administered polio drops to infants, supporting the state's National Pulse Polio Drive.
The conclave took place on June 28, 2026, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It was hosted as part of the 31st Foundation Day celebrations of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS).
The proposed framework for a drug-free India relies on a multi-pronged strategy rather than just law enforcement:
1. Community Interventions: Promoting healthy choices and building resilient, supportive families to prevent initial drug use.
2. Institutional Action: Enforcing "Drug-Free Campuses" through campaigns and e-pledge platforms across universities.
3. Research-Driven Policy: Expanding research in addiction medicine, behavioural sciences, and mental health to ensure evidence guides action.
4. Technology & Support: Leveraging digital tools, counselling services, and peer support networks to address and treat substance use disorders.
This event is highly relevant for UPSC GS Paper 2 (Social Justice & Health). The loss of youth to addiction directly threatens India's demographic dividend (Economic impact). Constitutionally, it aligns with the State's duty to improve public health and prohibit harmful drugs. Socially, it highlights a shift from criminalising addicts to treating substance abuse as a community and mental health challenge.
📌 [BACKGROUND — verify independently] The fight against substance abuse in India has evolved through several milestones:
📌 [BACKGROUND — verify independently] Recent developments highlight a continuous institutional push against drugs:
India faces unique geographic vulnerability due to its proximity to the "Golden Crescent" (Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan) and the "Golden Triangle" (Myanmar, Thailand, Laos), making it a major transit and destination route for illicit drugs. Globally, bodies like the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) coordinate international efforts against drug trafficking.
The Vice-President's push for a "Whole-of-Society" approach signals a policy shift towards heavy investment in behavioural sciences and addiction medicine. Expect tighter integration of university curricula with public health campaigns, mandatory e-pledges across all Central Universities, and increased funding for community-based counselling networks in the near future.
Core Concept: Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP) on Public Health (Article 47)
Q1. Where was the Nasha Mukt Bharat Conclave 2026 held? [Easy]
A) New Delhi
B) Bengaluru
C) Hyderabad
D) Mumbai
Answer: B
Explanation: The conclave was held at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on June 28, 2026.
Q2. Which university co-organised the Nasha Mukt Bharat Conclave 2026 during its 31st Foundation Day? [Easy]
A) University of Delhi
B) Jawaharlal Nehru University
C) Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS)
D) Banaras Hindu University
Answer: C
Explanation: The conclave coincided with the 31st Foundation Day of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), which co-organised the event.
Q3. During the Nasha Mukt Bharat Conclave in Bengaluru, what additional public health initiative did the Vice-President participate in? [Moderate]
A) Launching a new tuberculosis vaccine
B) Administering polio vaccine drops to infants
C) Inaugurating a blood donation camp
D) Distributing free generic medicines
Answer: B
Explanation: The Vice-President administered polio vaccine drops to infants as part of the National Pulse Polio Drive in Karnataka.
Q4. The Vice-President highlighted a "Drug-Free Campus Campaign and e-pledge platform" that was launched earlier in 2026 at which institution? [Moderate]
A) Indian Institute of Science
B) Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences
C) University of Delhi
D) Jawaharlal Nehru University
Answer: C
Explanation: He referred to the Drug-Free Campus Campaign and e-pledge platform launched at the University of Delhi earlier in the year.
Q5. Which constitutional article directs the State to prohibit the consumption of intoxicating drinks and drugs that are injurious to health? [Moderate]
A) Article 21
B) Article 44
C) Article 47
D) Article 51A
Answer: C
Explanation: Article 47 of the Directive Principles of State Policy mandates the State to improve public health and prohibit harmful drugs and alcohol.
Q6. Consider the definition of a "Nasha Mukt Bharat" as emphasized by the Vice-President in his address. Which of the following best captures his core message? [Tricky]
A) It is solely about achieving a zero-percent crime rate in drug trafficking.
B) It is merely the complete absence of narcotic substances in the market.
C) It is not just the absence of drugs, but the promotion of healthy choices and resilient communities.
D) It focuses exclusively on expanding the penal powers of the Narcotics Control Bureau.
Answer: C
Explanation: The Vice-President specifically noted that a Nasha Mukt Bharat is not merely about the absence of drugs, but about promoting healthy choices, supportive families, and resilient communities.
Q7. Which organisation partnered with RGUHS and the Disha Bodh Foundation to organise the Nasha Mukt Bharat Conclave 2026? [Tricky]
A) Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
B) Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)
C) National Medical Commission (NMC)
D) Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Answer: B
Explanation: The conclave was organised by RGUHS in association with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Disha Bodh Foundation.
Q8. The Vice-President called for evidence-based policymaking to address substance abuse. According to his address, which academic domains require greater research to achieve this? [Tricky]
A) Only criminal law and forensic sciences
B) Addiction medicine, mental health, and behavioural sciences
C) Economics and global trade dynamics
D) Pharmacology focused solely on synthetic narcotics
Answer: B
Explanation: He explicitly called for greater research in addiction medicine, mental health, behavioural sciences, and community-based interventions.
PYQ 1:
Which of the following bodies functions as the apex drug law enforcement agency in India and was one of the co-organisers of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Conclave 2026 in Bengaluru?
A) National Investigation Agency (NIA)
B) Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)
C) Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)
D) Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
Answer: C
Explanation: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is the apex nodal agency for drug law enforcement and co-organised the event alongside RGUHS and Disha Bodh Foundation.
PYQ 2:
Consider the following statements regarding India's initiatives against substance abuse:
1. The Vice-President recently emphasised that the fight against drugs requires a "whole-of-society" approach, integrating families, educational institutions, and healthcare professionals.
2. The Directive Principles of State Policy mandate the government to improve public health and prohibit the consumption of intoxicating drugs.
3. The Drug-Free Campus Campaign and e-pledge platform were initiated by the University of Delhi earlier in 2026.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 2 and 3 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) All of the above
Answer: D
Explanation: All statements are correct. The VP called for a whole-of-society approach, Article 47 forms the constitutional basis, and the Delhi University e-pledge platform was explicitly referenced as a success model.
PYQ 3:
Assertion (A): The Vice-President of India stressed that solving the issue of substance abuse requires greater research in addiction medicine and behavioural sciences.
Reason (R): A "Nasha Mukt Bharat" relies entirely on the punitive powers of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, making community intervention irrelevant.
A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C) A is true but R is false.
D) A is false but R is true.
Answer: C
Explanation: The Assertion is true as the VP specifically called for evidence-based policymaking through research. The Reason is false because he emphasized that a Nasha Mukt Bharat is about healthy choices and resilient communities, not merely punitive action.
Question 1 (150 words): "Achieving a 'Nasha Mukt Bharat' requires a whole-of-society approach rather than merely stringent law enforcement." Discuss this statement in the context of recent institutional campaigns against substance abuse.
A purely punitive approach to drug control often fails to address the root psychological and social causes of addiction. As highlighted by Vice-President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan at the June 2026 Nasha Mukt Bharat Conclave in Bengaluru, a drug-free India is not merely about the absence of drugs, but the presence of healthy choices and resilient communities.
To achieve this, a "whole-of-society" approach is imperative. This involves integrating families, healthcare professionals, and educational institutions into the prevention framework. Initiatives like the Drug-Free Campus Campaign and the e-pledge platform launched at the University of Delhi earlier in 2026 demonstrate how institutions can proactively engage youth. Furthermore, evidence-based policymaking requires heavy investment in addiction medicine and behavioural sciences.
Going forward, the government must balance the strict enforcement of the NDPS Act by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) with compassionate, community-led rehabilitation and counselling networks.
Question 2 (250 words): Examine the multidimensional challenges of substance abuse in India. How do constitutional mandates and institutional campaigns like the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan contribute to tackling this demographic threat?
India’s fight against substance abuse is a complex challenge that threatens the nation's immense demographic dividend. Geographically, India is sandwiched between two major illicit drug-producing hubs—the Golden Crescent and the Golden Triangle—making it highly vulnerable to drug transit and consumption. Domestically, changing social dynamics, academic pressure, and lack of mental health awareness drive youth toward addiction, converting a public health crisis into a severe socio-economic threat.
Constitutionally, the mandate to tackle this is clear. Article 47 of the Directive Principles of State Policy directs the State to improve public health and prohibit the consumption of harmful intoxicating drinks and drugs. In pursuit of this, the statutory framework of the NDPS Act (1985) empowers agencies like the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to disrupt supply chains. However, supply-side reduction is insufficient without demand-side intervention.
This is where institutional efforts become crucial. Addressing the Nasha Mukt Bharat Conclave in June 2026 on the 31st Foundation Day of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Vice-President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan advocated for a "whole-of-society" approach. Institutional drives—such as the Drug-Free Campus Campaign and e-pledge platform launched at the University of Delhi—shift the focus from policing to peer support, mental health counselling, and behavioral science research.
To secure India's future, policymaking must become strictly evidence-based. The way forward involves scaling up community-based interventions, integrating addiction medicine into mainstream public health infrastructure, and ensuring that educational institutions become primary shields against substance abuse.
For Prelims, focus heavily on the institutional bodies involved (NCB), the constitutional article (Article 47), and the exact venue/host (RGUHS, Bengaluru). For Mains, examiners love multidimensional answers—if you get a GS-2 question on health or a GS-3 question on internal security (drug trafficking), quote the VP's phrase: "Whole-of-society approach" and link law enforcement with behavioural research. Prediction: Expect a statement-based MCQ in the next UPSC Prelims combining the NDPS Act, Article 47, and the mandate of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.