Haryana school teachers will not more be allowed to use cell phones in classrooms as per the new guidelines.

Haryana school teachers will not more be allowed to use cell phones in classrooms, as per the guidelines released by the state government on Thursday. According to the new rules, teachers cannot bring their mobile phones to the classrooms unless it is an academic emergency.

As per an Indian Express report, if there is an urgency, the school head and the second senior in-charge, or clerk, should keep a contact number each, the guidelines say, adding that mobile phones can be utilised in a confined area away from the classrooms to save students from the disturbance and external influence of mobile phones.

The guidelines

“If a teacher happens to head the institution, they will have to take care that neither they nor other teachers indulge in this fancy as fresh guidelines have been issued by the Haryana Education Department in this regard. It (mobile phone) shall be kept stashed away in the staff room or in an area earmarked by the head of school. If for some unavoidable reasons, mobile phone is required to be taken to the class-room for academic use by a teacher, prior permission should be taken from the head of school for reasons to be recorded in a register to be maintained for this purpose,” the guidelines say.

“All inspecting officers, whether on regular inspection or surprise inspections, shall check whether compliance of these instructions is being made meticulously or not. In case of any violation, action against the head of school shall be proposed by the inspecting officer.,” the statement says.

The decision has been taken as it was observed that teachers have been using mobile phones in classrooms for personal instead of professional reasons and this is diverting the teaching hours to unproductive activities.