PM Modi urges teachers to tackle excessive screen time and drug addiction among students
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with National Teachers Awards winners at his official residence in New Delhi. Photo: YouTube/@NarendraModi via PTI.
Addressing 82 National Award-winning teachers at his official residence on Friday (September 4, 2026), Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for children’s excessive screen time to be tackled through sports and creative activities.
He urged teachers to preserve childhood and encourage children’s natural curiosity.
The awardees include 48 teachers from the Department of School Education and Literacy, 21 teachers/faculty members from universities and polytechnics and 13 skills trainers from the Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship. The awards highlighted the experiences and innovations that shaped their teaching journey. They shared some of the creative approaches they have taken to make classroom learning more engaging and effective.
PM Modi emphasized that teachers must look beyond the academic performance of children and be attentive to their behavior and daily life. He drew attention to the decline of traditional joint families and emphasized the growing importance of teachers in children’s lives. He also called for teachers to be vigilant about changes in students related to drug use and help those struggling with addiction.
He emphasized that teachers play a vital role in preserving children’s innocence. By nurturing and guiding children’s innate curiosity, teachers can greatly contribute to their development, he added.
He highlighted the issue of excessive screen time and said it had become a major problem. He urged teachers to talk to parents about how much time their children spend in front of screens and whether they continue to use mobile phones late at night. He suggested that children could gradually wean themselves off excessive screen use by developing an interest in sports, physical games and creative activities.
Referring to the National Education Policy, PM Modi emphasized the importance of taking children out of the classroom and connecting them with real-world skills and forms of work. He also asked teachers to go beyond imparting knowledge of the curriculum and help inculcate values such as the dignity of work in children.
Published – 05 Sep 2026 11:21 IST