Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Nov 19: On the sixth day of the fourth Bal Mela (Children’s Fair), organized by the Swarnarekha Area Development Trust and the Nature Foundation, a thought-provoking speech competition was held on the theme, “Childhood in the Digital Age: Social Media and the Identity Crisis.” The session sparked deep reflection among students, bringing several pressing issues to the forefront.
Participants expressed that today’s children were increasingly struggling with loneliness, stress, irritability and depression. Instead of playing outdoor games with cricket bats and friends, they now spent hours tapping screens on mobile phones. Many argued that children had become prisoners of the virtual world, unaware of the benefits of real physical play. The growing distress among children, they said, had become a serious concern.
One student noted how the digital age had fundamentally altered childhood. Earlier, children woke up early, went out to play, met friends and interacted with people. Today, interactions had shifted to WhatsApp chats and phone calls. Face-to-face communication had declined sharply. He stressed, “Education through video calls may help students score marks, but it cannot replace the learning that takes place inside a classroom.” They also cautioned against cyberbullying, calling it harmful and deeply unsettling for children.
Another participant highlighted that children’s lives were becoming disrupted from the very beginning. They were unable to live naturally, becoming physically weaker with deteriorating eyesight. With 4 to 6 hours of screen time daily, children were now living in two separate worlds—real and digital. The challenge, they said, was to balance the advantages of digital tools while staying grounded in real life.
Students recalled the pre-digital era as a world of books—filled with love, imagination, and the scent of soil. While technology was important, many felt it was also driving society toward darkness. The essence of childhood the fragrance of the soil, playing in the mud and traditional games were fading away. Rising screen time was replacing real experiences. Children now fought with parents over mobile phones. Participants emphasized that changing one’s perspective could change the world itself. Reducing mobile dependence, they said, would bring joy, peace and satisfaction.
Students acknowledged that the digital age was a miracle granting access to global information with a single click. Yet it was also a curse, as that same click could empty a bank account. Thus, wise and mindful usage was essential.
Many deemed social media particularly dangerous for young people, arguing that it distorted personality, encouraged superficiality and drove users into a fake virtual world. Acts like posting imaginary personas or even suicide content sent harmful messages. The central question they posed was: Are we controlling social media, or is it controlling us?
Winners from Classes 9 and 10 included Ritu Kumari (first), Kumari Shraddha Gosain (second) and Abhijeet Pandey (third). From Classes 11 and 12, Kajal Kumari secured first place, followed by Roshni Kumari and Lakshmi Mahato. Retired IPS officer Sanjay Ranjan and senior JD (U) leader Dharmendra Tiwari presented awards to the winners.
