Authorities on Wednesday banned students from carrying and using mobile phones in educational institutions in the district.
School students of primary to 12th standard and also those studying in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the district have been banned from using and even carrying mobile phones during school hours, district magistrate, Poonch, Kuldeep Lal Khajuria said.
He said that instructions have been given to the chief education officer (CEO) of the district to send teams to educational institutions for surprise checks to ensure that these directions are complied forthwith.
Mobiles carried by any student would be seized and a fine upto Rs 1,000 would be imposed on him, Khajuria said. These directions have been given with an aim to ensure that students devote their time properly towards studies and do not indulge in any activities that might distract them during school hours, he said.