3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Aug 14, 2026 02:44 PM IST
Following complaints that children in several schools were spending four to five hours a day using smart and digital boards, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration today directed schools across Noida and Greater Noida to cap daily screen time at 30 minutes for primary students and 60 minutes for upper-primary students.
In a statement released on Thursday, the authority said that the directions apply to all government, aided and private schools in the district, with designated magistrates and nodal officers tasked with monitoring compliance.
The administration further highlighted that the parents’ associations had complained that smart and digital boards were being used continuously for teaching, including displaying textbooks and conducting classwork, question-answer sessions and homework.
“Smart and digital boards are a supplementary medium to make teaching more effective, but their continuous and unnecessary use should not affect the health, studies, sports and other activities of students,” the statement noted.
The administration said prolonged screen exposure may increase the risk of eye strain, short-sightedness, headaches, poor concentration and other physical and behavioural issues among students. It has therefore directed schools to ensure the use of smart boards and digital boards remains limited, balanced and purposeful, keeping students’ health and overall development in mind.
Under the guidelines, screen time should not exceed 30 minutes in primary classes and 60 minutes in upper-primary classes. Smart boards should primarily be used to explain difficult concepts and display relevant images, videos and teaching material, rather than for continuous display of textbooks.
For writing exercises, practice, question-and-answer sessions and other interactive activities, schools have been asked to regularly use blackboards, whiteboards or greenboards.
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The administration has also directed schools to maintain appropriate screen brightness and classroom lighting, ensure students sit at a suitable distance from screens and provide breaks after around 20 minutes of screen use.
For online classes, schools have been asked to follow NCERT recommendations on session duration and breaks, including the 20-20-20 rule. Under the practice, students should look at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds after every 20 minutes of screen use.
The guidelines also encourage schools to promote activity-based learning, reading, writing, sports, group activities and physical exercise to reduce students’ dependence on screens.
Schools have been advised to immediately inform parents if students experience symptoms such as eye irritation, headaches or blurred vision, and seek medical advice where required. They have also been directed to conduct eye examinations every quarter and share the reports with parents.
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School Management Committees have been asked to discuss the guidelines on the balanced use of smart and digital boards and students’ health. Minutes of these meetings are to be shared with parents during parent-teacher meetings.
The administration has further encouraged schools to introduce “digital-free periods”, “digital zero days” and “digital detox” activities, giving students more opportunities for sports, creative activities, reading and social interaction away from screens.
To monitor compliance, designated magistrates and nodal officers will oversee implementation in the schools assigned to them and submit reports through the District Inspector of Schools, Gautam Buddh Nagar, the administration said.