New Delhi: Educators and parents across the country are demanding strict national guidelines to curb social media use and excessive screen exposure among students under 18.
A nationwide survey by the National Council of CBSE Schools (NCCS) revealed an overwhelming concern, with 88% of school leaders, teachers, and parents backing regulations to tackle children’s unsupervised digital consumption. The findings highlight a growing alarm over the unchecked influence of screens on young minds and the urgent need for decisive policy action.
The findings are based on responses from 6.3 lakh participants collected through NCCS State councils across the country. The survey examined patterns of screen use among school students and the academic, behavioural and social impacts associated with excessive digital exposure.
According to the report, nearly 74% of students spend more than two hours a day on screens for non-academic purposes. Of these, around 21% spend over four hours daily on mobile phones, gaming platforms and social media, raising concerns among educators and parents about growing digital dependency among children and adolescents.
NCCS, an organisation formed by the managements and principals of CBSE-affiliated schools, analysed the responses to understand the broader effects of screen use on students’ learning and well-being. The report suggests that extended screen exposure is increasingly affecting students’ concentration and academic engagement.
Around 69% of teachers and school leaders who participated in the survey reported a decline in students’ classroom attention span and study focus. Many respondents said students were finding it harder to stay engaged during lessons, attributing this partly to prolonged exposure to digital devices outside school hours.
In addition, about 63% of respondents reported noticeable behavioural and emotional changes among students. These include irritability, anxiety, mental stress, mood fluctuations and a tendency towards social withdrawal. Educators said such changes are becoming more visible among students who spend long hours on mobile phones or social media platforms.
The survey also pointed to the impact of increased screen time on students’ physical and social activities. Nearly 66% of respondents said participation in outdoor sports and physical exercise has declined, while direct social interactions among students have also reduced as digital engagement rises.
According to NCCS, these trends indicate that excessive screen exposure among children has evolved into a significant educational and public well-being concern. In a communication submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the council said there is an urgent need for a structured and age-appropriate regulatory framework to guide digital use among school students.
The organisation has recommended a series of policy measures aimed at promoting responsible digital habits while safeguarding students’ mental and academic development. These include regulating digital usage in schools, introducing stronger age-verification systems on online platforms and developing tools that enable parents to monitor and manage their children’s screen time more effectively.
NCCS has also proposed the creation of a national child digital safety framework that would set standards for online platforms, educational institutions and families to ensure safer digital environments for young users. The council said such measures would help balance technology use with healthy learning and lifestyle practices.
The report and its recommendations have been submitted to PM Modi, said the NCCS. Copies have also been shared with the Union ministry of education, chief ministers and education ministers of all states, and the chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education.
The council said the proposed guidelines are intended to support a balanced digital ecosystem for students by strengthening safeguards, encouraging responsible technology use and advancing the broader educational goals outlined in the National Education Policy 2020.
(Cover photo by Aman Upadhyay on Unsplash)