PTI

Chennai, Oct 16: After Karnataka, the Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday imposed a blanket ban on the use of cellphones by students within school premises across the state.

State school education Minister Thangam Thennarasu said in a statement the action followed rising complaints to the government by educationists and parents that the attention of students was getting diverted due to the use of mobile phones.

And the SMS factor also seems to have weighed heavily in the mind of the government. The number of students who were keen on sending SMSs instead of concentrating on studies had also increased, he said.

Apparently concerned over students addicted to the cellphones, the Minister said the ban would be beneficial to students and hoped they would show more interest in studies and emerge as outstanding students.

The school education secretary had been instructed to give necessary advice in this regard to students and their parents, he added. The Karnataka government last month had banned the use of cellphones in schools by children below 16 years and issued the necessary orders early this month.

The ban was widely welcomed in the state as a move to ensure that the students do not stray away from studies. The government notification also envisaged punishment to those selling the mobiles to such students.