Mangaluru: Residential PU colleges across the coastal districts are stepping up efforts to curb screen addiction among newly admitted students, many of whom became reliant on digital devices during the Covid-19 era. With the region drawing students from across India and abroad, institutions are implementing strict no-phone policies and offering controlled digital alternatives.
Thousands of students live on campus in these residential setups, where mobile phones are banned. After heavy screen exposure until Grade 10, students must abruptly adapt to a phone-free environment, often communicating with family only via landlines or in-person visits.
“This is a major lifestyle shift,” says N.K. Vijayan Karippal, principal of Expert College, Valachil. “To bridge the gap, we introduced educational tablets, but only for academic use.”
Other institutions echo similar strategies. Mohammed Sadakath, principal of Alva’s PU College, notes, “Most students are phone-addicted. It usually takes about a month for them to adjust. We maintain a strict mobile-free policy.”
At Excellent PU College, Moodbidri, students use monitored desktops for academic browsing. Dinesh M. Kodavoor of Jnanasudha PU College, Karkala, explains that entrance exams help filter out overly dependent students, and advises day scholars’ parents to track screen time at home.
Interestingly, some parents intentionally enroll their children in residential PU colleges to break digital dependency, making academics a secondary motivation.
With a mix of discipline, alternative learning tools, and close supervision, colleges aim to realign students’ focus towards academics and personal growth.