PUBG is officially banned in schools, says Gujarat government

HIGHLIGHTS

• The circular directs District PEOs to ensure necessary steps taken in order to ban the game.
• The official reason behind the ban is stated as adverse effects of the game on the young minds.
• The NCPCR had sent a letter to all the states and recommended a ban on the game.

Gujarat is now officially the first state in India where the popular mobile game PUBG has been banned from primary schools. The state's primary education department has issued a circular that directs primary schools to ensure that a ban has been implemented on PUBG. The circular directs District Primary Education Officers to ensure necessary steps have been taken in order to ban the game completely in primary schools. The official reason behind the ban is stated as adverse effects of the game on the young minds.

Since the game rocketed into fame last year, PUBG has been often seen as one of the most addictive games. The mobile version, called PUBG MOBILE, has been downloaded by millions on smartphones and tablets. The immense popularity of the game has led the developers and several event organizers to hold esports tournaments involving the game. The game even got selected as the best game on Android for 2018 while the PC version was elected as one of the top grossing titles on Steam.

However, the popularity of the game has seen adverse effects on its players, especially the youngsters. Youngsters have been found to be addicted to the game vastly, leading to poor academic performance. Some cases have even led to lethal outcomes for players, with many of them traumatized badly.

This has led many institutions to see PUBG as a deadly tool that youngsters are hooked to. Late last year, the Vellore Institute of Technology banned PUBG inside its campus in the interest of keeping its students focused on education. The game was also considered to deliver a negative impression on youngsters due to the violent nature of its gameplay. And not only youngsters, but a recent media report also stated a fitness trainer hospitalised after his addiction rose to such an extent that he was traumatised and injured himself.

The Gujarat government's recent circular to ensure a ban on the game seems to be on account of upcoming board examinations in the next few months. In fact, The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has recommended a ban on the game across the country, said Jagruti Pandya, chairperson of the Gujarat child rights body. "The NCPCR had sent a letter to all the states and recommended a ban on the game. All the states are required to implement it. Looking at the negative effects of the game, we had recently sent a letter to the state government recommending a ban on the game," he said.

India Today Tech has reached out to Tencent for an official statement and is yet to receive a response.

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