No mobiles in HP schools and colleges

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 28

The Himachal Pradesh Government has pulled the plug on cellphone use in government colleges and high and higher secondary schools across the state, saying it creates nuisance and disturbs academic atmosphere.

In a letter to principals, Director of Higher Education BL Vinta has barred students from using mobile phones in classrooms or on campus, and imposed restrictions on teachers and staff. Vinta has directed principals to designate a zone on the campus such as staffrooms for the faculty to use phones “without causing any disturbance”.

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Failure to comply with the directives will be viewed seriously and defaulters will attract disciplinary action, he warned. The decision has been taken since the use of cellphones on campuses “disturbs academic activities and affects the teaching-learning environment”, the letter says.

“Every teacher and staff member carries a phone and uses it either in the classroom or campus, causing disturbance,” said a senior staff member of Government College, Sanjauli (Shimla).

Himachal Government College Teachers’ Association general secretary Dr RL Sharma welcomed the move, saying college students neglected studies by remaining busy on social networking sites.