Tamil Nadu Govt Bans Cell Phones In Colleges

Cell phone is both a boon and a bane for humans. It has its tremendous amount of advantages while it has it’s disadvantages too. Especially it’s a double edged sword for students. It definitely helps them to keep in touch with parents back home and fellow classmates for regular college updates but it also distracts them from studies and is also used in several malpractices. The Tamil Nadu government has taken a drastic step regarding the same.

The Directorate of Collegiate Education (DCE) in Tamil Nadu has issued a circular asking all arts, science and other colleges, coming under its purview, to ban use of cellphones by students on the premises of the institutions.

Earlier this month, a circular was issued by Director of Collegiate Education R. Sarumathi to all Regional Joint Directors of Collegiate Education (RJD) stating the ban applies to government, government-aided and self-financing institutions.

The circular states that the decision was made as per the advice of Higher Education Secretary (in charge). Pradeep Yadav, Principal Secretary, School Education Department, was in charge of Higher Education Department (HED) at that time, as Sunil Paliwal, Principal Secretary, HED, was on leave, an official said.

β€œIn co-education colleges, we have received complaints that boys were taking videos and pictures of girl students. Mobile phones are also occasionally used for malpractices during examinations,” the official said.

The IIT Madras has been exempted from the ban. The official said, “The students in such institutions knew how to use mobile phones reasonably.”

The ban of cell phones on campuses is not a step in positive direction and should be termed regressive. The government shouldn’t have outrightly banned the usage of cell phones but could have restricted its usage.

There is a small section of students who indulge in malpractices and other activities but there is a large chunck of students who use the cell phones appropriately. The Tamil Nadu government must definitely rethink on the ban.