India Launches App to Create Tobacco-Free Schools

The Government of India has introduced the Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) Application, a digital tool designed to promote safer and healthier learning campuses nationwide. Launched on World No Tobacco Day 2026, this platform aims to bolster the enforcement of tobacco-control guidelines within educational institutions.

The ToFEI application serves as a centralized system for schools and colleges to evaluate their adherence to tobacco-free norms. It facilitates digital self-assessments, reporting of relevant activities, and progress monitoring, simplifying compliance and enhancing transparency. The platform covers key areas like signage requirements and prohibitions on tobacco sales near campuses.

This initiative seeks to curb the growing prevalence of tobacco and nicotine addiction among young people. By providing a structured digital mechanism, the government intends to encourage accountability and enable more effective monitoring of tobacco-free campus measures. The platform's introduction was accompanied by a Standard Operating Procedure for tobacco product sample collection.

Educational institutions can leverage the ToFEI platform to conduct awareness programs and document their tobacco control efforts. This digital approach is expected to improve record-keeping, reduce administrative burdens, and support long-term behavioral change among students by creating environments that discourage tobacco use and promote healthy lifestyles.