The Karnataka Pre-University Department has decided to take stringent action against instances of drug abuse among students, Bangalore Mirror reported. The department has issued a new directive to colleges, asking them to report such incidents to the police so that cases can be filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The directive will allow frequent checks on campuses, and will authorize the police to seize and arrest a student, the report stated.

“A student or faculty member found to have consumed cocaine, morphine, diacetylmorphine or any other drug or psychotropic substance will now be reported to the police. Under the NDPS Act, such individuals could be sent to jail for up to one year, be fined Rs20,000, or both,” a PU department official told the Mirror.

Incidents of drug abuse have been witnessed in many of the city’s reputed colleges. While the college administration must take stringent action, they have been covering up the cases silently, PU director C Shikha told Mirror. 

Officials from the department say that the move could help cut the problem of nepotism as students from influential families get away by dropping names. Higher education institutions will be issued a notice to ensure that any information of drug abuse on campus be shared with the police. 

The Central Crime Branch has booked 93 cases under the NDPS Act this year and have seized many high-end drugs including cocaine in the city, the report said. In 2012, 30% of Bengaluru students were reported to be hooked to drugs, and kids as young as 13 could be abusing addictive substances.