#alcoholpolicy

The Uttar Pradesh Excise Policy 2025-26 has officially come into effect from April 1, 2025, bringing significant reforms to the state's liquor retail and licensing system. The Minister of State for Excise, Nitin Agarwal, announced a major shift in liquor sales, allowing English liquor and beer to be sold under one roof. This move simplifies the customer experience and streamlines operations for retailers.

🔹 Key Highlights of the UP Excise Policy 2025-26

✅ 1. Composite Shops for English Liquor & Beer

Separate stores for foreign liquor (English liquor) and beer are now merged into "composite shops."

This integration increases accessibility without increasing the number of licenses issued.

✅ 2. Model Shops with On-Site Consumption

Retail outlets with a minimum area of 400 sq. ft. can now be upgraded to ‘model shops.’

These shops offer on-premise liquor consumption, similar to bars and lounges.

✅ 3. Country Liquor Shops Can Now Sell Beer

Select country liquor shops are now permitted to sell beer, expanding availability in rural and semi-urban areas.

✅ 4. Introduction of Low-Alcohol Bars

Beer and wine-only bars are being introduced in cities like Noida, Ghaziabad, Agra, and Lucknow.

The aim is to promote lighter alcohol consumption in a controlled environment.

✅ 5. Premium Retail in IT Hubs

Premium liquor stores and bars will now be allowed within IT and ITES zones.

These zones must be larger than 20,000 square meters, catering to professionals in business and technology parks.

✅ 6. Event Bar License Restructured

The licensing system for bars at private and public events has been streamlined.

The introduction of multiple license categories prevents misuse and ensures better regulation.

🔹 Boost to Tourism & Liquor Industry

The policy encourages "Liquor Tourism" by offering incentives to distilleries, breweries, and wineries for hosting guided tours and tastings.

The state government will facilitate licenses and permissions for tourism-based alcohol ventures.

🔹 E-Lottery System for Liquor & Cannabis Shops

The government has launched an e-lottery system for the fair allocation of liquor and cannabis shops.

This enhances transparency, eliminates manual intervention, and prevents corruption.

📢 Impact & Industry Outlook

With these reforms, Uttar Pradesh aims to streamline liquor sales, boost tourism, and enhance retail transparency. This policy is expected to increase revenue and modernize the alcohol industry in the state.

“Red cups and sweaty bodies everywhere, hands in the air like we don’t care.”  Thank you Miley Cyrus for putting into words what just about any large gathering of college students in the country looks like.  It was these same words that Randolph students were screaming at ‘Merica party the first Saturday back on campus this fall.  If you did not have the pleasure of joining the star-spangled, camo-clad masses at the MAC-sponsored dance on Septemeber  7th, then you missed not only one of the more epic parties we’ve experienced on this campus, but also the cataclysm that resulted in administration seriously rethinking campus-wide alcohol and party policies. 

            In the week following the ‘Merica party, the always churning Randolph rumor mill gave birth to some wildly untrue, albeit creative, stories about how Dean of Students Matha Thornton and her office might be dealing with alcohol and parties moving into the 2013-2014 school year. The first rumor we would like to dispel right off the bat is that Randolph College is not going to become a dry campus. So put down your pitchforks, legal ones; your fridge of watery beer is safe, just as long as it stays in your room and out of a funnel.

Now to address the second rumor that needs clearing up. MAC parties such as the Great Gatsby party, scheduled for the end of October, and Tacky Party and Fall Formal, set to happen at the beginning of November, are, at this point in time, still a go.  However, private parties, such as ones in Smith Bar, are being dealt with on a case-by-case basis.  The only change to the alcohol policy in the student handbook this year is a ban on drinking games, such as beer pong, and their paraphernalia, such as beer pong tables, for all students, regardless of age.  This has been enacted not only to encourage responsible alcohol consumption, but also to ensure the school will not be held liable if the participation in a drinking game leads to, say, a broken arm during a Dell run.

After receiving an email from Dean Thornton with the subject line, “Expectations Regarding Respect,” on the Wednesday following the ‘Merica party, many students were very confused as to what actually happened at the party that left administration so concerned about our well being and behavior. In an effort to promote transparency, we sat down with both Dean Thornton and newly appointed Assistant Dean of Students, Ben Foster, and asked each to elaborate on what was meant by an unacceptable “level of disrespect and disregard. “

The concerns reported back to Dean Thornton from staff at the party included students showing up visibly intoxicated; students getting onstage and being rude to staff members, who asked them to get down; students getting in a verbal altercation; and students using obscene gestures when asked to show their Pawpass upon entering the event. We also learned that the most unsettling rumor — the admittance of a presumed homeless man to the dance, who then proceeded to try to sell alcohol from his bag to students — turned out to be true.  These incidents, in combination with racist remarks from Randolph fans at the previous night’s men’s soccer game, led to DOS temporarily suspending all parties, public and private, until its staff could come up with a way to better control the crowds at large campus events. 

             Although the events the first weekend back prompted much of the conversation currently happening between students and administration, the class of 2014 has been hollering about changing the school’s alcohol policies since the end of last year when we found out there would no longer be senior-only living spaces available for the 2013-2014 year.  In an open forum with students on Thursday September 26th, even Dean Thorton admitted that many of the policies in the student handbook were unclear and could use revision.  At that same meeting, as well as in a one-on-one interview earlier in the week, Dean Thornton expressed a keen desire to work out new policies as a community and made it clear that she wants it to be a campus conversation: “My goal is for you guys to be safe, but to have fun on campus…[W]e’ve got to do this together.” 

            In the next few weeks, we can expect the creation of a student committee, which will sit down, with limited administration involvement, and come up with reasonable solutions to the problems with the current alcohol policy and party contracts.  The conversation will primarily revolve around the creation of a space or spaces on campus where students 21 years and older can drink while still being in the presence of underage students. Ideally, these policies will be in place by Homecoming weekend, the 25th of October. 

Moving forward, any student can help the situation by staying informed and staying safe. Read your emails, come to town hall and Student Government meetings when you can: be an active participant in the change you want to see on campus.  Otherwise, don’t complain when the newly established policies are not to your liking. After all, as Miley so eloquently puts it: “This is our house, this is our rules, and we can’t stop, and we won’t stop.” 

-Kendall Trewin and Alyssa Denisco ('14)