Parliament Question: Regulation of Use of Smartphone in Schools

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4902 ANSWERED ON 23/03/2026 Regulation of Use of Smartphone in Schools 4902. Dr. Ganapathy Rajkumar P: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether the Union Government has any proposal to regulate and restrict the use of smartphone by students under the age of 16 in Government and private schools across the country; (b) if so, the details thereof; and (c) if not, the reasons thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) to (c): The Ministry of Education has undertaken comprehensive interventions to address screen time management through its constituent bodies and affiliated organizations. The Ministry of Education, Government of India, introduced the PRAGYATA Guidelines on July 14, 2020, which aim to ensure the safety and academic welfare of students by recommending age-appropriate screen time limits. For pre- primary students, screen time is limited to 30 minutes per day, primarily for interactions with parents. Students in Classes 1 to 8 are advised to have no more than two online sessions of 30-45 minutes each per day. For Classes 9 to 12, up to four sessions of 30- 45 minutes each per day are recommended. The guidelines also emphasise the importance of parental involvement in monitoring children’s physical and mental well- being, promoting open communication about internet use and balancing online activities with offline play and physical exercise. Education is part of the Concurrent List of the Constitution and most of the Government schools are under the administration of the State Government and its bodies. Various States/UTs are taking measures to regulate and restrict the use of smartphone by students. These measures are aimed at ensuring academic discipline, reducing distractions, addressing concerns related to excessive screen time and digital addiction, preventing cyber-misconduct and promoting equitable and responsible use of technology in education. *****