Resource Centre for Tobacco Control (RCTC): A Comprehensive Knowledge and Skill Enhancement Hub for Tobacco Control in India

Tobacco use remains a major public health challenge in India, contributing significantly to preventable morbidity and mortality. However, tobacco control efforts are often hindered by fragmented information systems and limited technical capacity, particularly at subnational levels. To address these gaps, the Resource Centre for Tobacco Control (RCTC) was established in September 2018 at PGIMER, Chandigarh, in partnership with Vital Strategies (formerly The Union). RCTC serves as a comprehensive knowledge management and capacity-building platform, hosting a digital repository of over 1400 government orders/notifications and 300+ Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials, accessed by more than 1 million users across 110+ countries. The initiative has supported major policy advancements, including e-cigarette bans in several Indian states and adoption of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 5.3 policies in Meghalaya, Puducherry, Odisha, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. It has strengthened tobacco control governance by facilitating State- and District-Level Tobacco Control Coordination Committees and promoting inter-sectoral collaboration. RCTC has further advanced evidence generation through 70+ research publications, policy briefs, case studies, national conferences, and regional workshops. Strategic partnerships, including AIIMS and other medical college consortia, have reinforced institutional capacity for tobacco control. This case study highlights RCTC as a scalable and sustainable model for tobacco control knowledge management and policy support in India.