Maharashtra Govt Forms Expert Panel To Combat Rising Digital Addiction Among Children

Mumbai: State Cultural and Information Technology Minister Ashish Shelar on Wednesday informed the State Legislative Council that the Maharashtra government has constituted a committee of experts to study the growing problem of excessive digital usage among children and recommend corrective measures. He said the panel would examine the impact of prolonged screen time on children’s mental and physical health and suggest practical solutions to reduce digital dependency. The committee’s detailed report will be submitted before the commencement of the next session of the State Assembly to facilitate policy decisions.

MLCs Raise Alarm Over Digital Addiction

The issue was raised through a calling attention motion by MLCs Niranjan Davkhare and Sanjay Kenekar, who highlighted the alarming rise in digital addiction among children and adolescents. Expressing concern over the unchecked expansion of social media and online gaming platforms among minors. Legislators also questioned whether age restrictions for gaming apps and social media platforms would be strictly enforced and whether digital advertisements targeting children would face regulatory curbs.

Responding to the debate, Shelar said written instructions had been issued on February 2, 2026, to the Principal Secretary of the IT Department, Virendra Singh, to constitute an expert task force. He noted that Maharashtra has nearly four crore children below 18 years of age, including about three crore under 15, making their well-being a matter of serious concern. He added that a separate committee comprising members from both Houses would also deliberate further on the issue.

Multi-Disciplinary Expert Panel to Examine Child Safety

The state-level expert task force will include educationists, psychiatrists, child counsellors, technology and management experts, medical professionals, legal specialists and senior government officials. It will examine child protection and safety, mental health impact, balanced digital use, educational outcomes, cultural and family factors, gender-based differences, rural-urban disparities and broader macroeconomic implications. The panel will also review national and international frameworks on digital safety for children.

Citing a study by Responsible Netism, the minister said the global gaming market is valued at over $200 billion, with India ranking first in mobile game downloads. With rising smartphone penetration in Maharashtra, the domestic gaming industry is projected to reach $8.6 billion by 2027. However, concerns over gaming disorder are mounting. Data from five centres in the state indicate that nearly three out of every ten child cases are linked to gaming addiction. Assessments conducted in schools using the Internet Dependency Scale suggest that around 40 per cent of children exhibit moderate to severe gaming addiction.

Psychological and Physical Toll

Shelar noted that excessive gaming and screen exposure are associated with psychological effects such as irritability, declining academic performance, phantom vibration syndrome and social withdrawal, along with rising anxiety and depression. Physical consequences include tech-neck disorders, eye strain, disrupted sleep cycles and obesity due to reduced physical activity.

The government is considering a series of regulatory, educational and health-focused interventions. Proposed regulatory steps include mandatory age verification through e-KYC for gaming platforms, establishment of an Indian-based gaming rating authority, compulsory time-out features and daily usage limits for minors, and tighter control over loot boxes that resemble gambling mechanisms. Educational initiatives under consideration include introducing digital hygiene in the SCERT Maharashtra curriculum, implementing a Screen-Free Saturday initiative in government schools and training teachers to identify early signs of digital addiction. On the health front, the state is planning to establish Cyber Wellness Centres at government medical colleges and district levels, recognise gaming disorder as a mental health priority under state schemes and mandate statutory health warnings in gaming advertisements.

The minister said games promoting cognitive development would be encouraged through competitions. He clarified that the power to enact legislation lies with the Central Government, which is examining the issue, and added that any recommendations for amendments to existing laws arising from the task force’s findings would be formally communicated to the Centre for consideration.

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