The Ministry has begun a campaign to prohibit smoking around every school and college in the nation. It is hoped that this action will shield students from tobacco, alcohol and drug use by making tough anti-tobacco laws and actively educating the community. It follows in line with important holidays known as World No Tobacco Day and International Day Against Drug Abuse.

Context

• The ToFEI drive acts under strong rules and laws to prevent tobacco sales and use by students in educational institutions.

• From May 31 to June 26, 2025, the campaign is working on awareness, enforcement and including all stakeholders.

Key Points

Background:

• Due to its large number of youth, many of them are at risk of smoking tobacco; 8.5% of students in that group are known to use tobacco.

• More than 5,500 children start smoking every day, sometimes ending up using other dangerous substances.

ToFEI Guidelines:

• There are nine main activities in the work done.

  • Putting ‘Tobacco-Free’ signs in areas where everyone can see them both inside and outside buildings.

  • There is no permitted tobacco use or sales on campus at all and none is allowed within 100 yards (the yellow line lines the area).

  • Practicing tobacco control activities every six months.

  • Having Tobacco Monitors at each school.

  • Ensuring that tobacco-free rules are part of the rules at school.

Enforcement Focus:

• Mark with a yellow line a 100-yard zone around all buildings to indicate they are tobacco-free.

• Close tobacco vendors and stores found within this area.

• Carrying out the part of COTPA, 2003 that prohibits the sale of tobacco near schools and to minors.

Specific Activities Within the Campaign’s Duration

• The focus is placed from World No Tobacco Day on May 31 through International Day Against Drug Abuse on June 26.

• The government encourages participation using quizzes on MyGov and by getting more people involved.

Tobacco Use in India data

• About half of tobacco users die from using the product if they do not quit.

• In total, deaths from tobacco amount to more than 8 million every year and 1.3 million of these are victims of second-hand smoke.

• Almost 1.35 million people lose their lives in India each year because of diseases caused by tobacco.

• Around 80% of the world’s 1.3 billion people who smoke tobacco live in low- and middle-income countries.

• As many as 22.3% of people worldwide used tobacco in 2020.

Effects of Tobacco on Personal Health

• Smoking is responsible for many cancers, heart problems, respiratory issues and stroke.

• The Economic Effects: Smoking-related conditions result in high treatment costs and lost earnings, since they cause fetal deaths and leave people disabled earlier than usual.

• Children and vulnerable individuals have a higher chance of getting respiratory diseases from breathing second-hand smoke.

Challenges

• Tragically, lots of individuals in low-income regions rely on tobacco, as these regions lack access to helpful information and resources.

• Offering tobacco to young people early in life causes them to become addicted which further spreads harm related to tobacco.

• Illegal trading of tobacco lowers the impact of controls and makes it easier for people to get them.

• The activities of the tobacco industry make it extra hard to create and pass legislation regarding public health.

• Problems with addiction, being accepted in society and culture can make cessation more difficult for people.

Way Forward

• Strong Rules: Strict application of the COTPA Act to stop the sale of tobacco anywhere near schools.

• It is important for public health campaigns reaching young people and at-risk communities to focus on the dangers of tobacco.

• Help for Quitting Smoking: Set up tobacco cessation resources and counseling everywhere in the country.

• You should make tobacco products less affordable and less liked by increasing taxes on them.

• Have schools, families, and local organizations partner in building tobacco-free areas.

• By cooperating under the WHO FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control), share efforts to address the threats from illicit trade and industry involvement.

Conclusion:

India’s Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions effort sets out to cut youth tobacco usage and make educational settings safer. The initiative works to protect children and teens from tobacco and substance harm by giving more chances for people in the community to participate.

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Q: What is the primary objective of the Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) campaign launched by the Ministry of Education?

• A) Promote awareness about alcohol abuse in colleges
• B) Prohibit tobacco use and sales near educational institutions to protect students
• C) Encourage the use of electronic cigarettes in schools
• D) Reduce drug trafficking near universities

According to the Prime Minister, the first semiconductor chip designed and built in India could be produced soon by the plant in Assam in the Northeast. Officials highlighted that the region has moved to the forefront in energy and semiconductors at the Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025. Last year, the Tata Group started building the semiconductor facility, investing Rs 27,000 crore to move India closer to making its own high-tech devices.

Context:

• Soon, the Northeast will see the first Indian-made semiconductor chip manufactured at the Tata Group’s plant. 

• Because of impressive infrastructure and trade growth in the region, investors are likely to be drawn to the Northeast and help make it an important gateway for India’s trade with ASEAN.

Key Details

Looking at Semiconductor Plant & Investment:

• The Tata Group broke ground on a Rs 27,000 crore semiconductor plant in Assam in August of last year.

• The plant will create the first Indian semiconductor chip.

• It creates new chances for advanced technology industries in the area.

Energy Sector Growth

• They are putting a lot of money into hydro and solar energy projects in the Northeast.

• Focus on producing solar modules, cells, storage systems and doing research to replace importing them.

Infrastructure Development:

• Over the past decade, the Northeast has seen over 11,000 kilometers of new highways and many more miles of rail lines.

• Industrial growth depends on the strong development of roads, power and logistics systems.

Growing Trade with ASEAN:

• Right now, trade between India and the ASEAN countries is valued at $1.25 billion and is expected to reach more than $200 billion shortly.

• Northeast is recognized as an important link between India and Southeast Asia.

Major new projects have been confirmed.

• Adani Group wants to pour another Rs 50,000 crore into development projects in the Northeast over the next 10 years.

• The group will invest twice as much, aiming to achieve Rs 75,000 crore of investments over five years.

• They demonstrate that companies are confident about the region’s future progress.

Current Status

• India’s semiconductor market stands at $45 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow by 13% annually, exceeding $100 billion in 2030.

• As of early 2024, China is the biggest market for 5G smartphones followed by India, a sign that many products in India are being purchased domestically.

Opportunities

• We have access to a large local market in China.

• Large numbers of people are now using electronics and digital devices and the trend includes 5G smartphones and IoT equipment the most.

Help from the Government:

• The Government announced the launch of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) with an investment of Rs 76,000 crore, to assist semiconductor and display production.

• Fab, display, compound semiconductor and related designs receive up to half of their cost as tax incentives under several schemes.

Infrastructure Development:

• Having semiconductor fabs, assembly, testing, marking and packaging facilities is creating a powerful ecosystem.

Strategic Partnerships:

• Working together with US and Japanese companies in the semiconductor field helps India advance its technology and train up staff.

Government Initiatives

• The India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) offers financial as well as policy assistance to develop semiconductor and display ecosystems.

• For the Modified Scheme for Semiconductor Fabs and Display Fabs, capital investment receives 50% financial assistance.

• Up to 50% incentives can be received for design expenses through the Semicon India Future Design Linked Incentive.*

• SPECS supports the domestic growth of electronic parts and increases local industrial value.

• For producing electronics on a big scale and manufacturing IT hardware, there are Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes.

• Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0): Boosts the quality and speed of infrastructure and the supply chain.

Why Semiconductor Is Important to Global Strategy 

• It leads to producing high-paid jobs, further investments in the boom’s fields and growth in electronics production.

• Thanks to Technological Sovereignty, India does not have to highly depend on other countries for its electronic needs and remains secure.

• Configuration: Photonics and semiconductor companies find India to be an important global player.

• Encourages discoveries in science and technology useful for emerging industries such as AI, quantum computing and Industry 4.0.

Conclusion:

The opening of the semiconductor plant in Assam represents India’s goals for technological independence and turning the Northeast into an economic powerhouse. Alongside big infrastructure development and higher investments from leading corporations, the region will help power India’s expansion, creativity and strong trade links with Southeast Asian nations in the upcoming decade.

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Q.1 Which Indian state houses the Tata Group’s semiconductor plant, expected to produce the country’s first indigenous semiconductor chip?

A) Sikkim

B) Assam

C) Meghalaya

D) Tripura