Bengal govt will no longer give students money for mobiles:Students earlier received ₹10,000; CM Says, ‘We will spend money on infrastructure’

The West Bengal government will end the ₹10,000 assistance provided to Class 11 and 12 students to buy mobile phones. Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari announced this on Saturday. The one-time assistance was provided under the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government’s ‘Taruner Swapno’ scheme. Adhikari said the Bharatiya Janata Party government would spend more on providing modern educational infrastructure for students’ studies. He said clearly, “But we will not give mobile phones.” Indications of a ban on mobile phones in schools The official had hinted at banning mobile phones in schools at a Teacher’s Day programme last week. The official made the remark citing Gujarat as an example. The official had then said, “Mobile phones have a very negative impact on schoolchildren. This will be a difficult decision and I may lose votes because of it.” The official had said, “Gujarat has banned mobile phones for students up to Class 12. Even after their parents go to sleep, students stay awake and continue looking at their mobile phones.” Free smartphone scheme in many states Several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim, offer financial assistance to students to purchase free smartphones, tablets, or laptops. Examples include the Swami Vivekananda Youth Empowerment Scheme in Uttar Pradesh and the free gadget scheme in Tamil Nadu. These programs have significantly helped poor students access online education, prepare for competitive exams, and learn digital skills. This has narrowed the digital divide, although challenges such as poor internet connectivity and a lack of digital training remain. ​