New rule in bihar
The Government Is Ready To Keep Children Away From Mobile Phones : The Bihar government is formulating a policy to control the adverse effects of increased screen time and exposure to social media platforms by children. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chowdhury announced this in the Assembly on Monday (February 23, 2026).
Samrat Chowdhury said, ‘The state government has sought a detailed report from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru. Controlling increased screen time and online gaming among minors is a matter of serious concern. It is a multi-sectoral issue involving many stakeholders. After receiving the NIMHANS report, a meeting of all stakeholders will be called to formulate a policy in this regard.’
Janata Dal United (JDU) MLA Samriddh Verma raised the issue during Question Hour. He said, ‘This is an unseen epidemic that is weakening the foundation of Bihar’s future. Toys and books have been replaced by long hours of scrolling on screens, which constantly grabs the attention of children. The Economic Survey 2025-26 has also mentioned this as a warning and has recognised it as a national health crisis.’
The MLA said, ‘Everyone knows how dopamine affects mental control and dulls real life. This is leading to behavioural changes and lack of concentration among minors. Internet access is widespread in Bihar, but the level of digital literacy is low to combat this. We are teaching children AI, but where is the solution to protect them from its toxicity?’
He urged the state government to include ‘Digital Sanity’ as a compulsory subject in all government schools. He also suggested setting up addiction counselling centres in every district hospital and using the livelihood network to educate rural mothers about screen time management.
Information Technology Minister Shreyasi Singh said, ‘The department has sought a detailed report from NIMHANS, Bengaluru. After receiving the report, a policy will definitely be formulated in this regard.’
