Anti-Mobile Awareness Drill at Khatima School Leaves Young Students Distressed

A well-intentioned attempt to keep children away from excessive mobile phone use has instead left many of them frightened at a private school in Uttarakhand. At Adarsh India Montessori School in Biria Majhola, Khatima, in Udham Singh Nagar district, teachers organised an awareness activity focused on the risks of long hours spent on smartphones, gaming and social media. The method chosen, however, unsettled the young audience. According to a video that circulated widely on social media, one or more students appeared with their eyes covered in bandages. Red-coloured liquid was applied around the bandages to create the look of a serious injury. The child then told classmates that doctors had removed both eyes because of too much mobile phone use. Several children reacted with visible distress. Some cried and screamed. Others could be heard promising they would never touch a mobile phone again. The footage quickly drew public attention and criticism over the use of fear in a classroom setting. School authorities had designed the exercise as a practical demonstration of the possible consequences of prolonged screen time. Yet the emotional impact on the students raised immediate questions about whether such methods are appropriate for young children. District education officials moved quickly once the video came to their notice. Udham Singh Nagar District Education Officer Harendra Kumar Mishra directed the Khatima Block Education Officer to investigate the incident and submit a report. Necessary action would follow based on the findings, he said. Khatima Sub-Divisional Magistrate Tushar Saini also commented on the matter. He noted that activities creating fear among children should be avoided and that the school management had been advised to ensure programmes do not harm students’ well-being. The inquiry is expected to examine how the activity was planned, whether adequate safeguards for children’s emotional safety were in place, and if the exercise aligned with norms that prohibit mental harassment of students. For parents watching the video, the episode highlights a growing tension. Many want schools to address rising screen time and mobile dependence among children. At the same time, they expect awareness efforts to remain sensitive and age-appropriate. Teachers and school leaders across the country face similar challenges as digital devices become more common in students’ daily lives. Education experts and officials have long stressed the need for balanced approaches. Clear information about eye strain, sleep disruption and reduced outdoor play can be shared without relying on graphic simulations that risk causing lasting fear. The Khatima case now serves as a reminder that the way a message is delivered can matter as much as the message itself. The education department’s findings will likely guide how schools in the region handle similar awareness programmes in the future. Until the report is submitted, the focus remains on ensuring that efforts to protect children from excessive mobile use do not themselves leave lasting emotional marks.