Delhi govt bans use of mobile phones for students, teachers in school

The Delhi government's Directorate of Education (DoE) has banned the use of mobile phones within classrooms, libraries, playgrounds, and school premises for both teachers and students. Instead, schools are directed to establish helplines that parents and students can utilize for essential calls during emergencies.

As per a ToI report, the advisory, issued on Thursday by Himanshu Gupta, Director of DoE, follows a request made by the Action Committee of Unaided Private Schools, an association of private schools, to implement this regulation. Their request was prompted by the tragic suicide of a 17-year-old girl student in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, leading to the arrest of a school principal and teacher.

Bharat Arora, President of the action committee, expressed gratitude for the proactive step taken by the education authorities.


The advisory highlighted the omnipresence of mobile phones in contemporary life and the potential adverse consequences of overreliance on these devices. It recognized that excessive smartphone use could contribute to various issues including depression, anxiety, social isolation, hyperactivity, hypertension, sleep deprivation, and impaired vision.

DoE further argued that the use of mobile phones could adversely affect academic performance and potentially lead to incidents of bullying, harassment, and inappropriate content sharing. The advisory called for a collective effort from students, parents, teachers, and school heads to establish a consensus on limiting mobile phone usage in schools.

Parents are instructed not to allow their children to carry phones to school, and in cases where students do bring phones, schools are directed to provide secure storage options like lockers for safekeeping. Mobile phones are explicitly prohibited in classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and playgrounds. Teachers and staff are also urged to refrain from using mobile phones during teaching and learning activities.

This bold measure aims to curb distractions and foster a focused learning environment while also addressing potential negative consequences associated with unrestricted mobile phone use.