Tamil Nadu Bans Mobile Phones In Colleges – Does This Makes Sense? [Poll Results]
Earlier this month, France too had banned mobiles in schools. Will the help?
Tamil Nadu has become the first state in India to ban mobile phones in colleges. Mobile phones being such an indispensable part of our lives now, this decision has certainly raised strong objections from the students.
We have conducted a poll on Twitter and Facebook, to ask this question: Does this ban makes sense?
You too can participate in our poll, and express your opinions (The poll will run till 6 days on Facebook starting from August 20th; and for 24 hours on Twitter)
Meanwhile, we will share more information about this news, and also reveal the results of such bans in other countries.
Keep reading!
Contents
Tamil Nadu: Sorry, No Mobiles For Students!
The Directorate of Collegiate Education (DCE) has issued a notification stating that all arts, science, commerce and other colleges under their purview will ban mobile phones inside campuses.
Director of Collegiate Education R. Sarumathi issues this notification to all Regional Joint Directors of Collegiate Education (RJD), which covers government-aided and self-financing institutions.
As per the notification, the decision was made on the directive of Higher Education Secretary (in charge).
Interestingly, in 2012, Tamil Nadu became the first state in India to ban usage of mobile phones in Assembly; and in 2014, Vellore had imposed ban on mobile in primary, municipal, high, higher secondary and matriculation schools.
What Is The Base Of This Decision?
As per the Education Department, there are mainly three reasons for imposing this ban:
- Some students take inappropriate pictures of women faculty and teachers
- Usage of mobile phones in examinations
- Mobile phone causes disruption
Interestingly, the ban doesn’t cover IITs, as “the students in such institutions knew how to use mobile phones reasonably.”
Students Protests
Students, and administration of some colleges have vehemently opposed this ban on mobiles in campuses.
Murali, former Principal of Madura College and State general secretary of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has termed this decision as “regressive and absurd”.
He said that mobiles should be banned inside classrooms, but a total ban doesn’t make sense.
Prof M Andrew Sesuraj, assistant professor, Department of Social Work, Loyola College claimed that he encourages usage of Google in classrooms, and conducts lectures via Facebook Live. This ban will create hurdles in his teaching.
D Elizabeth, a literature student from Tamil Nadu said, “We boast of digital India, but see what we are doing.”
Shalini Daga, a journalism student from Tamil Nadu said that Internet forms the base of most of the work, and said, “Most of our work is done via phones. We have to use internet for almost everything.”
Mobile Phone Ban For Students Is Good?
Before you see our poll results, and participate in the poll, it is important to have a balanced view.
In a study conducted by Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics, it was found that if mobile phones are banned in schools, then it has a positive impact on the overall academic results.
Test scores of 16-year olds improved by 6.5%, which was “equivalent of adding five days to the school year”
When Richard Cairns, a headteacher at Brighton College banned mobile phones, it was declared as a great decision, and the students actually thanked him.
When a newspaper asked him about his decision, he said, “They found they had more freedom, more time for contemplation. ‘We don’t miss our phones at all,’ a group of Year 9 pupils told me.”
Earlier this month, reports emerged that France too is banning smartphones in schools.
Here are our poll results on Facebook and Twitter:
Tamil Nadu has banned mobile phones in all colleges (except IITs, because the students there are ‘matured’). The reason given is that some students click inappropriate pics of women faculty and students, and use it for cheating in exams.
Do you think this is a right decision?
— Trak.in (@trakin) August 20, 2018
Do share your views on this news, by commenting right here!
HAHAHA I thought we were moving to having education available ON phones (as is said above)!! How can they ban it then?? :) Have they gone mad??!!! HAHAHAHA!!
Right decision it shud be implemented across pan India all education institute s. 3 decades back we had no mobiles and our academic scores are fairly Gud then current best.
Obviously your academics did not involve SPELLING, ROFLMAO….. :)