Regulate children’s mobile use before it causes lasting damage, say experts

Concerned about the growing dependency on mobile phones among children and its harmful effects on their health and learning abilities, the Yog Manav Vikas Trust (YMVT), based in Banikhet, Chamba, has launched an intensive awareness campaign to combat mobile phone overuse.

The initiative follows an experimental study conducted by the Trust, which revealed alarming impacts on students’ memory, eyesight, concentration and cognitive development due to excessive screen time.

YMVT chairperson Kiran Dodeja said the campaign is targeting schools, panchayats and households through a coordinated awareness drive. “Mobile phones became indispensable during the pandemic when children had no choice but to rely on them for education. But now we are witnessing the side effects—and we can no longer ignore them,” she said.

To gauge the seriousness of the issue, the Trust surveyed 160 senior students at a local school. The study assessed daily mobile phone usage and its impact on comprehension, memory and focus. Professional optometrists conducted eye examinations as part of the survey.

The findings were troubling: many students, particularly boys, were spending over six hours a day on mobile phones. Several reported deteriorating vision and a significant number showed difficulties in recalling or repeating information they had just read or heard.

“In many cases, memory was weakening and cognitive function was starting to decline,” Dodeja revealed. “This is a serious issue and we knew it was time for action.”

The campaign features interactive audio-visual sessions in schools, hands-on exercises to improve eye health and concentration and the active involvement of school principals and teachers. Informative leaflets are being distributed widely, while panchayat meetings and door-to-door outreach—facilitated by panchayat pradhans—aim to bring the message home to every family.

“Technology isn’t the enemy,” Dodeja emphasised. “But when its overuse starts hurting young minds, we must step in. Awareness is the first step towards change.”