The Delhi High Court has said that a complete ban on the use of smartphones by school students was an “undesirable and unworkable” approach and that it should be regulated and monitored. Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani then issued guidelines that would serve as guiding principles to balance the beneficial and deleterious effects of permitting the use of smartphones by school students.
The court said schools must educate students on responsible online behaviour, digital manners and the ethical use of smartphones.
The students, the court said, must also be counselled that high levels of screen-time and social media engagement could lead to anxiety, diminished attention spans and cyber-bullying.
"Much has changed in the past years as regards the use of technology, including for educational and other related purposes, therefore, a complete ban on use of smartphones by students attending school is both an undesirable and unworkable approach," the judge said in an order passed on February 28.
The court said aside from the harmful effects of the indiscriminate use or misuse of smartphones, these devices served salutary purposes, including help in coordination between parents and children and ensuring their safety and security.
"As a matter of policy, students should not be barred from carrying smartphones to school, but the use of smartphones in school must be regulated and monitored," it said.
The court said that wherever it was possible to make arrangements for the safekeeping of smartphones, students should be required to deposit their devices upon entering schools and retrieve them upon their return home.
"Smartphones must not disrupt classroom teaching, discipline, or the overall educational atmosphere. To this end, the use of smartphones in class must be prohibited. Use of cameras and recording facility on smartphones should also be barred in the common areas of the school as well as in school vehicles," it said.
The policy should permit the use of smartphones for connectivity for purposes of safety and coordination but disallow the use of smartphones for entertainment or recreational use, the court added.
The court said the policy on regulating and monitoring the use of smartphones in school should be made in consultation with parents, educators and experts to evolve a balanced approach to mitigate concerns of all parties.
