Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, February 10
The Himachal Pradesh government has announced a ban on the use of mobile phones in government schools from March 1, saying the move is aimed at improving the academic environment and helping students focus on their studies. Education Minister Rohit Thakur said a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlining the rules would be issued soon.
He said teachers would be allowed to carry two mobile phones on campus, but their use during classroom teaching would be strictly prohibited. The decision, he added, was part of the state government’s ongoing efforts to raise educational standards in schools.
“The objective is to ensure better concentration among students and to create a more disciplined academic atmosphere,” Thakur said. Separately, the minister expressed concern over a recent trade deal between India and the United States, warning that it could adversely affect apple growers in Himachal Pradesh.
He said the central government should safeguard the interests of orchardists in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. Apple cultivation supports the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people in these hill states.
Thakur cautioned that reduced import duties on foreign apples could lead to cheaper imports, potentially harming local farmers.
