Mobile phones a nuisance in schools, say Indians

Should cellphones be banned in schools and colleges? A cross section of Indians feel that they should keeping in mind our children's behaviour and health.
“Such a move is welcome because cellphone use is increasing tensions in law and order and ensuring alienation of the children both socially and emotionally,” says Subhamita Chakrabarty a teacher in a Kolkata school.
Explaining further, “A student with a cellphone is an uninterested student, one with a short attention span who cares more about socializing than education. When I’m writing on the blackboard, how many times I have found students text-messaging or otherwise playing with their phones. Am certain a handful of these students will fail and far too many will drop out of school.
The onus for failure should be placed on distractions in the classroom, specifically cellphones. Parents think of cellphones as a connection to their children in an emergency. In most cases, contacting the hospital or the police would seem more urgent. And parents can always call the school's main office to reach their children. Cellphones are status symbols for teenagers because when their phone rings while the teacher is talking, everyone laughs. And they think playing video games on their cell makes them look cool.”
Use of mobile phones amongst children should be banned across all the states, not only because it is likely to increase health hazards, but also as it hinders law and order.
Explains Dr Jagadindra Mandal, former professor and head of the department of Psychology and dean of the Faculty of Science, University of Calcutta, “A mobile phone would have been useful if the students used it for innocent purposes like keeping in touch with parents. But in today's world, they have facilities like MMS and SMS, which the immature students use for wrong purposes. A lot many young students come to me for counselling, who are addicted to mobile phones."
Adds Dr Mandal, "It would be wise to remember that law and order starts from school. Silly SMS, MMS messages can trigger unwanted disturbances, like we are all aware of the DPS-MMS scandal. Guess no one wants to see his or her own child in such a situation. After all we all have grown up without cellphones in school."
Says Sharmila Chatterjee who teaches in DAV Public School, Gurgaon, "In my school, cellphones are already banned, even in higher classes – children above 16 years are also not allowed to carry mobile phones."
“Children have been devoting more time to send an SMS, MMS and jokes etc., than on studying. They just keep on playing with the mobile sets day and night. Parents should take care of misuse by the children. In the parent-teacher meet we often counsel the parents not to provide cellphones to their wards," adds Sharmila.
14-year-old Vishal, of St. Mary's School, Mayur Vihar is not happy with the concept of banning cellphones. "No, mobiles shouldn't be banned. They enhance prestige amongst our friends. The more updated is the cellphone, the more is the prestige," he says.
Gushes Chanpreet Singh, an IT professional working with a media organisation, "Once the Karnataka government had decided to put a ban on cellphone. It is a welcome move. We hope that every state will follow the same. Students these days are too addicted to cellphones."
Psychiatrist Dr Sanjay Chugh sums up, "Providing a cellphone to a kid is ensuring alienation socially and emotionally, even more than they already are. Cellphones are a nuisance in school. Students are on the phones all day long even during class, and miss important lessons, which is the point of attending school. Health hazard shouldn't be the only cause. The use of cellphones should be banned for school children especially, because they make the children unsocial. And all state governments across India should take this initiative."