JAMMU: The Economic Survey 2025–26, tabled in Parliament on Thursday, has raised serious concerns over the rapid rise of digital addiction and screen-related mental health challenges in India, particularly among children and adolescents.
Describing the trend as alarming, the survey warns that excessive use of smartphones, social media, online gaming and digital platforms is increasingly affecting wellbeing, learning outcomes and long-term economic productivity.
Authored by Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran, the survey suggests that age-based access limits may need to be considered, as younger users are more vulnerable to compulsive behaviour and exposure to harmful content.
The report defines digital addiction as a pattern of persistent, excessive or compulsive use of digital devices that results in psychological distress and functional impairment. It notes that such behaviour is manifesting in reduced concentration, sleep deprivation, anxiety, and declining academic or workplace performance. Over time, it also weakens social capital by eroding peer networks, reducing community participation and diminishing offline social skills.
Beyond personal and social consequences, the survey highlights significant economic costs. These include direct financial losses due to impulsive online spending, gaming and cyber fraud, as well as indirect losses through reduced employability, lower productivity and diminished lifetime earnings.
The survey links compulsive digital use closely with anxiety, stress, depression and sleep disorders, especially among students facing academic pressure and those exposed to cyberbullying and high-stimulus digital platforms.
Mental health experts have welcomed the survey’s focus on the issue. Dr. Rajiv Mehta, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist at the Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science, said that digital overuse adversely affects both mental health and physical wellbeing, contributing to the early onset of lifestyle diseases due to reduced physical activity among the younger generation.
Social Media Addiction a Key Concern
The survey expresses particular concern over social media addiction, which it associates with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, cyberbullying stress and higher suicide risk. It cites multiple Indian and global studies indicating a high prevalence of these issues among young people aged 15 to 24 years.
Despite the risks, digital engagement continues to expand rapidly. In 2024, nearly 50 per cent of India’s internet users watched online videos, while 43 per cent accessed social media, 40 per cent used email or streamed music, and 26 per cent made digital payments. In absolute terms, this amounts to about 40 crore users on OTT video and food delivery platforms and nearly 35 crore users on social media.
As a result, the survey notes, India’s youth are growing up in an intensely digital environment. While digital access has opened new avenues for education, employment and civic participation, access itself is no longer the primary constraint, particularly among those aged 15 to 29, where mobile and internet usage is almost universal.
The policy focus, the survey argues, must now shift towards behavioural health concerns, including addiction risks, content quality, wellbeing impacts and digital hygiene.
Recommendations and Global Examples
To address the challenge, the Economic Survey recommends a range of interventions, including cyber-safety education, peer-mentor programmes, mandatory physical activity in schools, parental training on screen-time management, age-appropriate digital access policies, and stronger accountability for online platforms hosting harmful content. Families are also encouraged to adopt screen-time limits, device-free hours and shared offline activities.
The report draws on international examples to underline the urgency of action. Australia has implemented strict measures against youth digital addiction, including bans on social media use below a certain age. South Korea’s gaming restrictions, China’s strict limits on online gaming time, and Singapore’s community-driven cyber wellness initiatives are cited as notable models. Several countries, including France, Spain, Finland, Japan, Brazil, Australia, South Korea and parts of the United States, have also restricted smartphone use in classrooms to protect student wellbeing.
For India, the survey suggests additional steps such as creating offline youth hubs, promoting voluntary “digital diets,” introducing education-only digital devices for children, and expanding the government’s Tele-MANAS mental health helpline.
Taken together, the survey stresses that these measures are crucial to ensure that India’s digital growth does not come at the cost of the mental health, social development and future productivity of its young population.
