Karnataka to frame law restricting mobile use among under-16s: Minister Madhu Bangarappa

The Karnataka government is preparing a comprehensive framework to regulate mobile phone and social media usage among students below 16 years , Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa said on Monday, citing growing concerns over excessive screen time and its impact on children.

Replying to questions raised by MLCs Pratap Nayak and Javare Gowda during Question Hour in the Karnataka Legislative Council , Bangarappa said the government plans to introduce a law restricting mobile phone use among children under 16 , a proposal first announced in the state Budget.

The minister acknowledged that restrictions on mobile phones in schools already exist , but enforcement has been weak. Many students continue to use phones outside school premises and there is currently no structured monitoring system.

Explaining the rationale, Bangarappa said that while mobile phones can support learning, they are increasingly exposing children to harmful or unnecessary digital content .

“If mobile helps learning it is acceptable, but much of the content reaching children today is unnecessary. Children tend to absorb whatever input they receive,” he said.

The minister said the government is coordinating with the state IT Department , which has formed a committee to examine social media practices and their impact on young users. Based on its findings, the government is preparing detailed regulatory guidelines .

He also noted that parents sometimes contribute to the problem by giving smartphones to children at an early age to keep them occupied, which can lead to mobile addiction.

As part of broader reforms, the government has reintroduced moral education in schools , distributing moral science books free of cost and allocating dedicated periods for value-based learning.

Bangarappa stressed that mobile phones cannot be eliminated in today’s AI-driven world , and the aim is to regulate rather than remove technology. The proposal will be placed before the House in the next session after consultations with parents, education experts and international child organisations . While several Indian states restrict phones on school campuses through administrative rules, India has no nationwide law regulating smartphone use by students . Karnataka’s proposal could therefore become one of the first structured state-level policies targeting mobile use among under-16s .

Globally, similar steps are being explored. Australia , for instance, introduced a nationwide law in December 2025 preventing children under 16 from maintaining social media accounts, with companies required to block underage users. Bangarappa said the government hopes to evolve a model policy on student mobile use that could serve as a reference for other states.