The government decided to ban cellphones in educational institutions after it was found it interfered with students’ academics, besides being a health hazard. An order was issued on October 5 banning use of cellphones in government, private aided and unaided schools and PU colleges.

The ban is also applicable for teaching and non-teaching staff of educational institutions.

However, a reality check by Deccan Herald found that students have become so dependent on cellphones that they have found a way round to carry it along with them to campuses.

The need to keep in touch with friends and home is the reason students cite for their affinity for their mobiles.
The fear that cellphones will be confiscated by college authorities is the only reason students don’t use these instruments on campus. Hiding phones in their socks and bags has become common.  In some cases, students even dismantle their cellphones, only to assemble them soon after class hours.

 “My parents are staying in Iran. I need to communicate with them often. I feel that cellphones should be allowed in the campus but not inside the classroom,” said Saeed Isakhani, I PU student of St Joseph’s College.
His friend Pradeep Benjamin adds that authorities sometimes  “raid” classrooms to check for cellphones.
“During the raids, the students place cellphones outside the window of the classroom or keep it in their socks. There are instances where students swap phones. For example, if the authorities have checked the first row, then the student from behind will pass on to a person in the first row,” he said, adding that some of the students hide cellphones in their bikes.

Teachers exempt?
But in most educational institutions, teachers are allowed to use their cellphones. Baldwin Girls’ High School Principal Indira Williams said that teachers bring their cellphones to school, but keep them switched off. “Only in case of emergency, they are allowed to keep it switched on,” she said.

The school has caught around eight students for bringing cellphones in spite of the ban. “The cellphones were seized and parents summoned. We informed them about the ban, took it in writing from them. Later, we returned the cellphone to them,” she said.

Some institutions like National Pre-University college, Basavanagudi, constantly keep a check on the use of phones. The college authorities pay surprise visits and also check students when they enter classes. “We have around 1,200 students studying in our college and it’s not possible to check every student thoroughly,” said Prof K V Prasad, Vice Principal of the college.