New Delhi: The Government of India has flagged growing digital addiction as a serious health concern impacting children and young people, contributing significantly to the nation’s mental health crisis, according to the Economic Survey 2025–26 tabled in Parliament on Thursday.The Survey, presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, pointed out that digital addiction — fuelled by excessive screen time on smartphones, social media, online gaming and other digital platforms — is increasingly linked with poor academic performance, sleep disruption, anxiety, depression and weakened social interactions among the youth.
“Digital addiction negatively affects academic performance and workplace productivity due to distractions, ‘sleep debt’, and reduced focus. It also erodes social capital,” the report noted, warning that compulsive behaviours such as social media addiction, gaming disorders and compulsive scrolling are becoming more widespread, especially among those aged 15–24.
The Survey linked high prevalence of social media addiction with problems such as low self-esteem, cyberbullying stress, and social withdrawal, adding that such patterns can lead to longer-term mental health issues if not addressed.
Other concerns highlighted include:
Sleep disruption, aggression and depression linked to excessive screen engagement.
Reduced offline social interactions and community participation.