During the coronavirus pandemic, lockdowns brought public life to a standstill, disrupting the education system and pushing learning online. As virtual classes became the norm, smartphones found their way into the hands of students, with even the West Bengal government stepping in to provide devices to ensure studies continued uninterrupted. The COVID situation no longer exists. But has smartphone usage among students decreased?
Students are facing problems due to having smartphones in their hands. Their focus on studies is declining. Their patience is also decreasing. The device that once became a 'blessing' is now considered a 'curse' by teachers. The habit of reading books and writing among students has decreased. Handwriting and the quality of studies have deteriorated. Therefore, many countries around the world have imposed bans on smartphone usage in schools. India is also among them.
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What is India's picture?
The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education's guidelines state that students cannot enter school premises with mobile phones. Teachers also cannot use smartphones or Bluetooth devices while in classrooms or laboratories.
Himachal Pradesh has also walked this path. From March 1 of this year, the government there has imposed a ban on mobile phone usage in all government and private schools in Himachal Pradesh. If any student is caught using a smartphone in school, they will have to pay a fine of up to 500 rupees.
In March 2025, the Delhi High Court advised balance instead of completely banning students' mobile usage in schools. The court stated in its observation that this decision is not practical and implementing it is also problematic.
On the other hand, Karnataka has imposed a ban on social media usage among school students. A draft policy was presented on April 1 through a joint initiative of Karnataka's Health and Family Welfare Department and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS).
What does UNESCO's report say?
Along with India, a total of 114 countries worldwide have imposed bans on smartphone usage in educational institutions. This information has emerged in UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring Report. In June 2023, one out of four countries had walked this path. This number has been increasing since 2025. Then, about 40% of the world's countries had imposed bans on smartphone usage in schools. In March 2026, that number reached 58%.
According to data, more than half of the world's countries have bans on smartphone usage in schools. Researchers in Hungary conducted a survey of 1,200 school teachers and found that smartphone usage in schools decreased after implementing this ban. Where previously 37% of students regularly used phones, it has decreased to just 4%. This ban has been implemented in schools in various countries including France, China, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, and England.
Smartphone usage has been banned in 38% of Oceania, 50% of sub-Saharan Africa, 53% of East and Southeast Asia, 57% of Latin America and the Caribbean, 61% of North Africa and West Asia, 86% of Europe and North America, and 92% of Central and South Asian countries. This number represents 58% of the world's total education systems.
What changes have been observed after banning smartphones in schools?
Research shows that after banning smartphones in schools, students' attention in classrooms has increased. Students are participating in various extracurricular activities. Their interest in sports has also increased. The habit of socializing with people and talking face-to-face has also been observed.
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However, about 64% of teachers say that not much change has been noticed. Even if they don't use phones in school, they are using phones at home. Many students are secretly bringing phones again. In some cases, studies have not improved either.
Have there been any changes in students' mental health?
An Australian study says that stopping phone usage in schools has reduced mental stress among students compared to before. The anxiety they used to experience has decreased. It's not that they are always thinking positively. But students' mental health has improved significantly compared to before.
