The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) has recently taken a landmark decision to ban the usage of mobile phones within the premises of all CBSE-affiliated schools. According to its circular, ‘The use of mobile phones definitely needs to be restricted in school environment. The Board is of the opinion that all stakeholders connected with school education, such as students, parents, teachers, and heads of institutes, need to arrive at a consensus on the use of mobile phones in their schools and restricting its entry into the school campus. This is because mobile phones can be a serious cause of distraction, lack of concentration, anxiety, fear, and sometimes even misuse. Even if the mobiles are in silent mode, they can be a source of disturbance within the classroom as students can make use of SMS (short messaging service) during the class or even during an assignment. The cameras, which are a common feature now in most mobile phones, can also be misused’.

This circular has sparked a debate with flurries of opinion both in favour and against the decision. Some parents endorse the ban, as they feel the move will put a little less pressure on their monthly budgets and feel that the circular should be strictly implemented. However, there are some parents who feel that the ban is completely unnecessary and that they will loose an effective way of keeping track of their kids. Most students attend extra classes or tuitions after school hours. In such cases, mobile phones become a vital medium of communication. On the other hand, teachers and school authorities claim that parents are notified prior to the classes, and that the schools also provide calling facilities to the students. So, there is actually no need for the students to carry cell phones to schools.

Another important aspect is that mobile phones pose a grave threat to our health, especially that of children. Long-term and frequent use of cell phones, which receive and emit radio frequency, have been associated with a number of health risks. Henry Lai, an expert on radiation and a professor at the School of Medicine and College of Engineering at the University of Washington, US, found that even low-level microwave radiation splits the DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules of the brain, which can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer. The use of mobile phones also affects the eyes and auditory nerve, and may also cause sleep disorders.

Incidentally, the ban is not only applicable on students but on teachers and other staff members of the schools as well. The circular clearly spells out that ‘The principal, teachers, and other staff should also not be seen using the mobile in classrooms, playgrounds, common areas, laboratories, and other parts of the school premises’.

Such decisions are also being taken in other countries. The Sri Lankan education ministry has implemented a similar rule in all the schools of the country. This decision followed the horrific incidents of two students of reputed Sri Lankan schools attempting suicide after receiving reprimands for using cell phones in school premises. The Sri Lankan ban is applicable for all schools—private and public. Teachers and staff members, too, have been instructed not to use their phones ‘unnecessarily’ during school hours.

The Glasgow City Council in Scotland has recently issued guidelines to control mobile phone usage in schools under its jurisdiction. While it has not called for an outright ban, the guideline instructs that phones need to be switched off while in school. It comes after an incident in which a 15-year-old boy was filmed allegedly assaulting a Borders rector. The Educational Institute of Scotland teachers’ union then passed a motion calling for more responsible use of mobile phones in classrooms.

The Tory Party (or Conservative Party) of the United Kingdom has recently called for a ban on the use of mobile phones in schools. It is part of a bigger plan of giving some authority to teachers in school in the wake of the rise in disruptive behaviour and bullying in the schools.

It goes without saying that many countries are facing problems of rising indiscipline in schools, and interestingly, all these countries consider the use of mobile phones as a part of the problem.

The advent of mobile telecommunication has undoubtedly bettered our lifestyles, but on the flip side, their spread has created problems as well. The advancements in technology need to be used judiciously to avoid such problems. Netiquettes or cell phone etiquettes have already been adapted in varying degrees around the world. But for young, easy-to-influence minds like that of school children, strict regulation is the best way out. And the CBSE schools have taken a big step in this direction—a dramatic decision for a country such as India where mobile usage is growing by the day.