Fourteen years after School Protection Groups (SPGs) were first introduced as a voluntary initiative, the Kerala government has rolled out a uniform, state-wide system, placing a single structured protection group in every school to strengthen safety and anti-drug measures. The revamped model replaces scattered and informal bodies with one integrated mechanism focused on discipline, student safety, and surveillance against drug activity. Officials say the move is driven by rising narcotics cases involving young people and a need to move beyond fragmented efforts.
The original concept dates back to 2011, when the then State Police Chief issued a circular allowing district police to form SPGs in schools on a voluntary basis. Schools and individuals were not required to join, and the groups were mainly tasked with passing on information about the sale and supply of drugs and other illegal activities affecting students.
However, statistics over the past decade have shown a steady rise in such cases, prompting questions about the effectiveness of informal arrangements. Government data show that between 2016 and January 20, 2026, the Excise Department registered 48,371 NDPS cases involving youths and schoolchildren, out of a total of 67,125 cases. Police records also show 1,30,433 NDPS cases registered across the state between 2020 and November 2025.
The push for a unified SPG system also gained momentum after a series of directions from the Kerala High Court between July 2025 and January 2026, urging the state to review how school safety mechanisms function in practice.
Officials also cited the presence of multiple bodies—SPGs, Jagratha Samitis and anti-narcotic clubs—working informally with overlapping roles. The government concluded that such fragmentation weakened enforcement, leading to the decision to create a single, structured SPG in each school.
Under the new framework, the SPG will be chaired by the head of the institution, with the local Station House Officer serving as convener. The Child Welfare Police Officer or a designated police official will act as joint convener.
Membership will include PTA representatives, teachers, student leaders, members of SPC, NCC, NSS and Scouts and Guides, as well as local ward members, political representatives, retired personnel and nearby shopkeepers and drivers. Officials from different departments may also be invited.
The initiative also expands the role of the community. Shopkeepers, auto and van drivers and local residents are expected to act as “eyes on the street,” alerting school authorities or police to suspicious activity around campuses.
While curbing drug abuse and trafficking remains a primary focus, the SPGs will also address issues such as ragging, violence and various forms of student exploitation. According to the standard operating procedure, the groups will enforce safety protocols, carry out risk assessments and conduct training and awareness programmes.
Authorities have also raised concerns about drug trafficking networks entering schools, hostels and even shops within educational premises. Since 2016, at least 16 cases involving online drug sales through social media, messaging platforms and the dark web have been detected. In response, the Excise Department has set up a cyber cell to track narcotics movement through digital channels.
Officials say the new SPG system is intended to act as the first line of defence, but stress that community vigilance cannot replace professional enforcement. A senior Excise Department officer noted that drug networks are increasingly organised and digital, requiring sustained intelligence gathering, cyber monitoring and coordinated action between police and excise authorities.
The government hopes the unified SPG structure will create safer school environments by combining institutional oversight with community vigilance.
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