Students of schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) would now have to clear dope tests while participating in national meets.

A CBSE official told The Telegraph from Delhi: “The CBSE will conduct dope tests — in association with the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) — for participants at its inter-school sports and games competitions. This has already been introduced and is in the process of implementation from this year.”

Harsh Hera, a Class XII student of St Michael’s High School, said, “It would be better if awareness programmes are organised by the board.”

A school representative of DAV BSEB said: “During seminars, students are informed about medicines that are banned before and during sports meets.”

Sports doctors also fear that doping harms youngsters quite a lot. “Evidence continues to grow that some of us are showing more interest in finding new ways of enhancing performance by use of different types of performance-enhancing and test-masking drugs for sportspersons,” Dr Diwakar Tejaswi, consultant physician and medical director of International Health Organisation & PAHAL.

Amit Kumar, a Class XII student of St Dominic Savio’s High School, said: “Dope tests will not only ensure fair participation but also prevent the school feeling degraded in future.”

Asha Nutan, the principal of DAV Transport Nagar, however, does not feel that dope tests should be conducted unless necessary. Nutan said: “Dope tests, if conducted for all students, can create a psychological and negative impact on those who do not take such drugs.” Nutan added that the schools should ensure that the students they select for participation in such competitions are not involved in bad activities.