The Classroom Lost to Phones in Kashmir: How Screens Are Replacing Learning, Connection, and Confidence
By: Javid Amin | 18 Aug 2025
A Silent Crisis in Education
In the snow-clad valleys of Kashmir, schools have long been considered safe havens where children built their dreams, exchanged ideas, and envisioned brighter futures. Education has always been deeply respected in the region, seen not just as a tool for employment but as a pathway to dignity, wisdom, and social progress.
Yet, a new silent crisis is unfolding inside classrooms. It is not a shortage of teachers, infrastructure breakdown, or lack of books—it’s the invasion of the mobile phone.
Phones, once banned from schools, have found their way into every pocket. They ring during lessons, vibrate during exams, and whisper digital distractions into the ears of students who should be immersed in textbooks, blackboards, and discussions.
Dr. Aasif Ahmad wrote in Kashmir Reader:
“Students spend more time on their phones than in their books.”
And that short sentence captures the essence of this crisis—a generation digitally connected, but academically and emotionally disconnected.
The Classroom That Vanished
Once upon a time, Kashmiri classrooms were filled with chalk dust, debates, and the occasional mischief of students whispering behind notebooks. Teachers narrated stories of saints, poets, and scientists. Classmates bonded over shared struggles with mathematics or the excitement of essay competitions.
Now, those same classrooms are often eerily silent—not because students are attentive, but because they are too busy scrolling. Heads are bent, but not toward books; they bow to glowing screens. The old sound of pens scratching on paper has been replaced by the rapid tapping of fingers on glass.
This vanishing classroom has consequences beyond academics. It erodes friendships, weakens teacher-student relationships, and even alters how young people imagine their future.
The Rise of Screens Over Syllabi
Mobile phones were originally welcomed in Kashmir as tools of empowerment. They served as:
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Alarm clocks to wake students up for school
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Calculators for quick problem-solving
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Cameras to capture notes and assignments
But gradually, they became something else entirely: distraction machines.
Instead of preparing for exams, many students are:
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Trapped in TikTok loops, scrolling endlessly for entertainment
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Lost in WhatsApp gossip groups, where rumors spread faster than facts
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Consumed by Instagram envy, comparing their lives to curated feeds
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Hooked on online gaming, turning study breaks into all-night marathons
Even during class hours, the constant vibration of phones fragments attention. A student may try to focus on an algebra problem, but a single ping from Snapchat can derail concentration for hours.
Education experts call this phenomenon “attention residue”—the inability to fully return to a task after being distracted. In Kashmir, it has become a daily struggle for both students and teachers.
Teacher’s Perspective: Phones vs Pedagogy
Teachers in Kashmir are among the most frustrated stakeholders in this digital disruption. They face the impossible task of competing with apps designed by billion-dollar tech companies whose sole aim is to keep users hooked.
A senior teacher in Srinagar lamented:
“Instead of pens and notebooks, students carry power banks and earbuds.”
The challenges reported by educators include:
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Decreased concentration: Students can’t hold focus beyond a few minutes.
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Lower academic performance: Marks in exams have dropped steadily.
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Disrespectful behavior: Some students use phones even when warned, undermining discipline.
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Loss of classroom unity: Instead of discussing lessons, students isolate themselves with devices.
Attempts to ban phones often backfire. Students simply hide devices in their pockets, behind books, or under desks. Some even use miniature Bluetooth earbuds invisible to the naked eye, listening to songs while pretending to listen to teachers.
The teacher’s authority—once unquestioned—is now constantly challenged by glowing screens.
Communication Breakdown: Kashmir’s Multilingual Challenge
Kashmir’s classrooms are already complex linguistic spaces. Students may speak Kashmiri at home, interact in Urdu socially, study in English, and occasionally converse in Pahari or Gujari.
Phones, however, flatten this richness. Instead of struggling to articulate thoughts in class, students turn to Google Translate, emojis, or slang. Why struggle to find the right English word when a laughing-crying emoji will do?
But this convenience comes at a cost:
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Public speaking confidence declines—students fear judgment without emojis to soften their words.
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Writing clarity suffers—assignments often feature abbreviations like “u” instead of “you.”
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Critical thinking weakens—memes and quick replies replace deep conversations.
In a region already balancing multiple languages, this dependency on digital shorthand deepens the communication gap.
Mental Health and the Digital Trap
The impact of excessive phone use isn’t limited to academics—it is reshaping students’ mental health.
Common Issues Reported:
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Eye strain & poor posture from hours of screen time
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Sleep disruption due to late-night scrolling
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Anxiety & depression linked to comparison on social media
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Addiction caused by dopamine hits from likes and notifications
Many Kashmiri students describe feeling “lonely despite being online.” They spend hours chatting, liking, and commenting, but when asked if they feel truly supported, the silence is deafening.
The pressure to perform digitally—to post beautiful pictures, funny reels, or fashionable outfits—creates a cycle of low self-esteem. The classroom becomes less about learning and more about maintaining a digital persona.
Social Media, Status, and School Gangs
Beyond mental health, phones have also reshaped social dynamics in schools. According to Kashmir Life:
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School gangs are on the rise.
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Cyberbullying has become a hidden epidemic.
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Peer pressure is magnified by online comparisons.
Take the case of Aliza, a Class 10 student. She shared how a private photo sent to a friend was misused, leading to months of isolation and whispers in school corridors.
Or Zamin, who faced intimidation from classmates because he couldn’t afford the latest phone.
Phones amplify what once ended at the school gate—teasing, bullying, and status anxiety now follow students home through notifications. For many, school is no longer a safe space.
What We’re Losing: Confidence, Curiosity, and Connection
The mobile phone crisis in Kashmiri classrooms is not just about distraction. It is about what students are losing:
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Curiosity → Instead of asking “Why?” they Google answers.
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Confidence → Instead of speaking, they type.
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Connection → Instead of building friendships, they build follower counts.
Education was meant to help students think, reflect, and express. Now, too many are learning only how to scroll, mimic, and perform.
Islamic Perspective: Seeking Knowledge vs Seeking Likes
In Kashmiri culture, education is deeply intertwined with faith. Islam emphasizes learning as an act of worship.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.” (Sunan Ibn Majah)
But today, students often prioritize:
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Validation through likes over intellectual growth
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Entertainment over enlightenment
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Distraction over discipline
Phones are not inherently evil. Like any tool, they can be used for good or harm. But when misused, they block the very blessings (barakah) that education is supposed to bring.
What Needs to Change: Policy, Parenting, and Pedagogy
Reclaiming Kashmiri classrooms will require a three-pronged effort:
For Schools
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Enforce no-phone policies during class
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Introduce digital detox days
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Encourage storytelling, debates, and group projects
For Parents
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Monitor screen time actively
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Promote reading, sports, and outdoor activities
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Model healthy phone habits at home
For Policymakers
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Fund digital literacy programs
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Invest in mental health support in schools
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Train teachers in modern pedagogy to keep lessons engaging
Bottom-Line: Reclaiming the Classroom
Kashmir’s classrooms are losing more than attendance—they are losing confidence, curiosity, and connection. If this trend continues, the valley may produce a generation that is brilliant at scrolling but weak at thinking.
But hope is not lost. With coordinated efforts from teachers, parents, policymakers, and students themselves, the classroom can be reclaimed.
It begins with small choices: turning off a phone before class, choosing a book over a reel, speaking face-to-face instead of sending an emoji.
Education in Kashmir must return to its essence—a sacred space where knowledge is valued over noise, wisdom over Wi-Fi, and connection over clicks.
