It’s now a familiar sight anywhere in the world. Teenagers hunched over their smartphones, scrolling endlessly, oblivious to the world around them. We brush it off as a sign of the times, but the latest Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 forces us to pause and reflect. It reveals that 79 percent of students aged 14 to 16 in Jammu and Kashmir use smartphones, a figure higher than the national average of 76 percent. More strikingly, 64 percent say they use their phones for education, compared to a national average of 57 percent.
But are these numbers a sign of progress, or a troubling shift in how our young minds? True, the new generation is born into screens. For today’s teenagers, the smartphone isn’t just a gadget—it’s their classroom, playground, diary, and best friend. They aren’t just using these devices; they are living through them. The ASER survey found that nearly half (48.5 percent) of students in J&K own a personal smartphone, far above the national average of 31.4 percent. That means they are making their own decisions—what to watch, who to follow, when to log in, and when to tune out.
The pandemic only deepened this reliance. With schools shut and classrooms shifting online, smartphones became the lifeline of education. Even today, schools continue sharing lectures, assignments, and study materials through WhatsApp and Telegram, making digital access more of a necessity than a luxury.
Yes, students are using their phones to search for information, attend online classes, and complete assignments. But education is only part of the picture. Social media is where they spend most of their time. ASER found that 73.8 percent of J&K students know how to block or report a profile, much higher than the national average of 62 percent. But at what cost? Attention spans are shrinking. Face-to-face interactions are dwindling. Family conversations are being replaced by silent dinners where everyone is glued to a screen. We are raising a generation that knows how to change a password – 75.4 percent of J&K students can, compared to a national average of 57.7 percent.
Where do we go from here? This is not about banning smartphones. That ship has sailed. The question now is how to strike a balance. Schools must teach digital discipline, not just digital access. Parents need to step in, not as enforcers, but as guides—setting limits, encouraging outdoor activities, and most importantly, being present.
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