At 7 PM, A Siren Also Rings In This Maharashtra Village And Children Start Studying
The experiment to keep screen time limited has been successful as parents get time to spend with children and guide them as and when necessary.
Published : January 6, 2026 at 4:20 PM IST
Beed: If Halaga village of Belagavi taluk in Karnataka decides to reduce screen time exposure of kids, can Beed in Maharashtra stay behind? Here too, a siren has started playing as the reminder at 7 PM every day and children of Nagapur village in Parali taluka pick up their study books away from the television sets and cellphones. The initiative that started a fortnight back ensures children study and complete their homework by 9 PM and the entire village adheres.
In fact, this experiment first began in Vadgaon in Sangli district Maharashtra three years ago when the residents decided to initiate digital detox. So when Nagapur village panchayat wanted to follow the detox routine, they took the locals into confidence and made clear the rules of the mission.
"This is the age of social media and we are seeing it is tough to get off the phones and television. We had heard of the Sangli experiment and we wanted to implement it. When we decided to start this measure, we spoke to the villagers and received an overwhelming response to this experiment," said Santosh Solanki, the deputy sarpanch of Nagapur.
After getting the residents' nod, the village heads roped in educated youth and teachers of the village to be a part of the patrolling squad. The members of this squad go door-to-door to check and speak to the students.
"We called on the educated youth from our village and teachers. They go and check if students are really studying. They also ask questions to ascertain whether the students have really understood what they have studied," Solanki told ETV Bharat.
The effort, Solanki said, has helped parents who return from their work places or are busy with household chores. "Parents do not have to chase children to pick up books or complete homework as they see the children study and keep a tab on how serious the kids are," he adds.
Hailing the initiative, More, a resident of the village says it has been satisfying to keep study time sacrosanct bereft of any distraction. "Now I see my child pick up study books even before the siren goes off every day. I see all children diligently continue with their homework even if there is a power outage. They either light a candle or use a torch. Earlier they would be sitting with cell phones, now they sit with books. It is heartening," More said adding, children have also gotten habituated and complete studies first even before sitting for dinner.
Another resident, Manish Soundade, said, "Our children are more focused now. In case they finish their homework early, we see them draw something, or pick up any other reading material, instead of looking at the screen. This way, we also take time out to sit with our children and try to clear their doubts."
It is not just about introducing patrolling to ingrain discipline in the kids. The village head also offers incentives to students so that they are motivated. "We don't just monitor them, we also encourage them with educational materials," said Solanki.
The teachers in the village also expressed happiness seeing the progress of the students. "This drill has definitely disciplined the children. Earlier we would see all of them stuck either to the television screens or busy seeing reels on their parent's cellphones. We are thankful to the village heads and the parents," said Radhakrishna Purshottam Joshi, a teacher.
The Panchayat officials said if the process goes on unhindered, the village will become a model where every child will come out well-educated. "We are sure the children will make us proud and set a benchmark for other villages to follow," they said.
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