Parents in Gurugram say that the use of technology, which has become an intrinsic part of school life and academics for children, should be moderated during preparations for the upcoming board exams.

An indicator of the increased reliance on technology is a tech-savvy letter to students sent by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) last week, using technology-infused lingo. “Face (your) books. Insta your studies. Do your best. Stay sharp,” read CBSE’s letter addressed to students of class 10 and 12.

While some parents said that they had restricted the use of gadgets to avoid distractions from social media, others are using technology positively to help with board preparation.

Maryam Syeda, the mother of 16-year-old Sanaa Shaikh, said, “Gadgets can be addictive and it’s best if they are kept away, to avoid diversion from studies. My daughter’s iPad has been switched off and she isn’t allowed to use it during the board preparations. She has her mobile phone, but only in the good faith that she will not get distracted. TV viewing time has also been reduced significantly.”

Syeda, however, said that regulated use of technology is important as children often end up spending hours chatting or surfing the internet. “Usage of technology needs to be disciplined, especially at this crucial juncture. While using social media or chatting, a lot of time is wasted. This needs to be avoided. Most schools also tend to have online outreach platforms. So, students are anyway staying in touch with the school for clearing doubts. But beyond that, I feel the need to keep an eye on my daughter since boards cannot be taken lightly,” she added.

“We take away gadgets like phone and laptop during the night as there is no adult supervision. It’s important to make sure that children sleep through the night without getting distracted,” said Deepti Jalota, whose son Aryan is appearing for class 10 board exams.

Jalota added that complete removal of technology is not possible since children are dependant on it for academics. “My son uses online tutorials to understand and revise concepts in biology. Many children prefer these online tutorials. The key is to strike a balance while using these online platforms,” she added.

Parents said that the current generation of students has grown up with technology and understand subject concepts explained in apps well.

“While my son doesn’t spend a lot of time on gadgets and online platforms, we, as parents, sometimes need to remind them to control the usage. However, technology is also being used creatively by students now. My son uses technology for group study sessions that take place virtually through Skype. Moreover, he also uses the school interface to email teachers whenever he has a doubt,” said a mother of a student who is set to appear for class 10 boards.

The CBSE class 12 board examinations started from February 15 and will conclude on April 3, while the class 10 board examinations will be held from February 21 to March 29.

First Published: Feb 20, 2019 15:01 IST