Page 54 - EW February 2026

Cover Story

Model school-student cell phone contract cyber bullying.
• If a school/teacher/administrator has doubts about incor-
o promote a focused, respectful, and safe learning envi- rect phone usage on restricted sites or topics, then the
Tronment, all students and their families should complete phone can be confiscated for inquiry.
this contract regarding student cell phone use during school • Smartwatches and other wearable devices with phone
hours. capabilities are subject to the same rules as phone.
Does this student have a cell phone? Y/N
If yes phone number_______ Consequences for violation of cell phone rules
• First offense: Verbal warning and reminder of rules.
Cell phone use Rules • Second offense: Phone is confiscated and returned at the
• Phone must remain off or on silent mode during school end of day.
hours unless specifically allowed by teacher for instructional • Third offense: Phone is confiscated and returned only to a
purpose. parent/guardian.
• Phone must be kept out of sight during class time (e.g, in • Further offense: Additional disciplinary action, which may
backpack or locker) unless given express permission by a include loss of phone privilege at school for a set period of
teacher. time.
• Phones can be used only during: I understand that using my cell phone responsibly is part
1. Designated break (e.g. lunch or recess) as permitted by of maintaining a positive learning environment for myself
school policy. and others. I agree to follow the rules outlined in this con-
2. Emergency situation with staff approval. tract and accept the consequences if I violate them.
• No photography, video or audio recording is allowed on
school grounds without explicit permission from teacher or Student signature:__________ Date:________
administrator. Parent/guardian signature:___________ Date:_______
• Texting, calling, or using social media is not allowed during
class time. Source: Early Childhood Association & Association for
• Phones, texting, social media platforms will not be used for Preparatory Education & Research

of ‘likes’ they expect, they experience spaces challenging,” says Madhura
“dopamine toxicity”. As the brain be- Pathare, an alum of Mumbai and
comes conditioned to quick rewards, it SNDT universities with professional
becomes harder to tolerate frustration experience in school counselling, or-
and develop emotional regulation. Re- ganisational development, and mental
peated exposure to carefully curated health advocacy. She currently heads
online lives also intensifies, as the Drishti (estd.1994) which works
fear of missing out (FOMO) takes over closely with schools affiliated with
with low self-worth and negative self- the State, CBSE, ICSE, Cambridge &
comparisons taking a toll on children’s IB exam boards to support students’
mental health. social-emotional development.
“In school settings, I frequently India’s existing regulatory frame-
encounter the negative consequences work — anchored in the archaic In-
of excessive social media usage. They formation Technology Act, 2000 and
include emotional dependency on dig- the IT Rules, 2021 — is being supple-
ital devices, heightened anxiety, sleep Pathare: target platform providers mented by the new Digital Personal
deprivation, and comparison with Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023
peers. Higher secondary — classes designed for adult brains. Until chil- which unfortunately will become fully
XI-XII — students, tend to panic when dren are firmly denied access through enforceable only by May 2027.
asked to submit their phones during legislation targeting platform provid- “I don’t think our laws are strict
school hours, and most are emotion- ers and content generators, social enough to adequately regulate social
ally drained after spending hours media is likely to do more harm than media. In fact, s.79 of the IT Act, 2000
scrolling. I believe the issue is not the good. When used positively, social allows online intermediaries (social
smartphone itself, but unsupervised, media can offer students avenues media platforms, search engines, e-
excessive, and developmentally inap- for creativity, information, peer sup- commerce sites, telecom networks
propriate use of it. Without guidance, port, and a sense of belonging, espe- and online marketplaces companies)
young people are navigating platforms cially for those who find offline social to classify themselves as neutral inter-

54 EDUCATIONWORLD FEBRUARY 2026