Overview

• Recent Indian studies report that children under five average 2.2 hours of screen time daily, doubling the World Health Organization’s recommendation.
• Children under two spend an average of 1.2 hours per day on devices despite guidelines advising zero screen time for that age group.
• A BMJ Paediatrics Open survey found that 13 percent of toddlers receive up to eight hours of screen exposure each day.
• Seventy to eighty percent of parents remain unaware of WHO screen time guidelines, often using devices to pacify children or manage household chores.
• Experts recommend establishing tech-free zones, co-viewing content, enforcing clear time limits and boosting offline play to support healthy development.