Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Mar 24: In a significant step to curb rising digital addiction among students, the state government has released a draft policy on responsible digital usage.
The draft policy has been formulated following the budget announcement by chief minister Siddaramaiah, and the government is moving towards imposing restrictions on social media usage for children below 16 years of age.
As per the draft policy, students are recommended to use mobile phones for a maximum of one hour per day, excluding school-related work. It also suggests implementing a ‘tech curfew’, under which all digital devices must be switched off at least one hour before sleep.
Each school has been directed to frame its own digital usage policy and strictly implement it, along with setting up a digital wellness committee. The committee should include the principal, teachers, mental health experts, parent representatives, students, and cybercrime police officials.
The policy has been formulated with the involvement of the department of health and family welfare, NIMHANS, the education department, experts from various educational institutions, parents, and the cybercrime department.
Under the policy, schools are required to develop specific protocols to prevent cyberbullying and digital misuse. Teachers will play a key role in monitoring students’ digital usage and guiding them on safe practices. It is also suggested that teachers be given special training to help identify signs of mobile addiction among students.
Additionally, schools have been advised to adopt a ‘diary system’ instead of direct communication through WhatsApp. In collaboration with the digital technology and media sectors, steps should be taken to develop age-appropriate content and implement age restrictions.
The policy also calls for the development of age-appropriate phones for children and suggests providing OS updates as they grow older. It further proposes designing a special ‘children’s plan’ for audio-only phones and recommends restricting data usage after 7 pm.
Schools are advised to maintain confidential records related to student counselling, keeping mental health in focus, and to promptly address cases of cyberbullying. Students are encouraged to report any suspicious or harmful online behaviour to authorities or counsellors. Awareness will also be created about contacting Tele-MANAS – 14416 for support.
The policy may also be incorporated into teacher training programmes, with provisions to train teachers with the assistance of NIMHANS experts.
Parents have also been assigned a key role, with suggestions to encourage more offline interaction, play, and reading activities with children. They are advised to regularly monitor the apps used by children, their online friends, and the information they share.
Overall, the draft policy marks a major step towards ensuring students’ mental health, safety, and balanced digital usage. The draft has been uploaded on the official website of the health department, and public feedback has been invited.