Board exam season has its own atmosphere in Indian homes. The dining table suddenly becomes a study table. Mothers quietly bring a glass of milk at midnight. Fathers ask softly from the doorway, “Paper kaisa hua?” Books lie open everywhere — physics formulas on one side, history notes on another.
But somewhere in the middle of all this preparation, there is one object that quietly sits beside the notebook.
A phone.
Sometimes face down. Sometimes lighting up every few seconds. And according to a recent report by ThePrint, this small glowing screen may have been one of the biggest distractions for students during exam season.
What the Data Shows
The report refers to a study conducted through the Child Online Protection App, which collected responses from 5,000 families across India, including major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and several Tier-2 cities.
The findings reveal something many parents already suspect. Almost 89% of parents say they were worried about their children’s screen time during exams. On average, students spent nearly four hours a day on screens during the exam period.(Read here).
Even more concerning — around 68% of this time had nothing to do with studies.
Reels.
Messages.
Late-night scrolling.
The kind of digital noise that quietly eats into concentration.
The Late-Night Scroll
Walk into many homes during the recent board exams and you would have noticed a familiar scene.
A student studying late at night.
A notebook open.
A phone lying nearby — “just for a minute.”
One notification appears. Then another. Five minutes become twenty. The mind that was revising chemistry reactions is suddenly watching something entirely unrelated. The study also notes that screen usage often peaks late at night, which means students were not just losing focus — they were also losing sleep. And during exam season, sleep is half the battle.
The Real Challenge of Today’s Board Exams
For earlier generations, the biggest challenge during exams was finishing the syllabus. Today’s students face something else alongside their textbooks.
Distraction.
Not outside the window. But inside their phones. And perhaps the real test for many students today is not only mathematics or history. It is the simple — and increasingly difficult — ability to keep their attention where it truly belongs. On the page in front of them.
Small Changes That Can Help
Now that the exams are over, this may be a good moment to reflect on what worked — and what didn’t. Sometimes, the solution is not something big or complicated. Just a few small habits that quietly bring back focus.
- Keep the phone away while studying. Even placing it in another room can help the mind stay with the book instead of waiting for the next notification.
- Turn off unnecessary notifications. When the constant buzzing stops, the brain slowly settles into deeper concentration.
- Set simple screen-time boundaries. A small agreement to limit social media during study hours can make learning more effective.
- Protect sleep. Late-night scrolling may feel harmless, but a rested mind remembers more and thinks more clearly.
- Create a calm study space. A quiet corner, fewer distractions, and a little encouragement from family can go a long way.
Board exams are over now, like they always are. The textbooks are closing.
The late-night revisions will soon turn into stories students laugh about later. But perhaps the real lesson of this season stays behind. In a world full of glowing screens and endless notifications, learning how to return your attention to the page in front of you may be one of the most important skills of all.