Children

Substance abuse among children is a child protection issue: CJI Surya Kant

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday said substance abuse among children must be understood as a child protection issue, rather than as a matter of public health concern. Delivering the Pataliputra Pragya Pravah lecture on 'Childhood Beyond Drugs: Protection, Care and Reintegration' at the Bihar Lok Bhavan here, Justice Kant cited a recent Lancet study to say that at least one in five teenagers in India were at moderate to high risk of substance abuse. "Substance abuse among children must be understood not only as a matter of public health concern, but as a child protection issue as well," he said. Justice Kant stressed the need for a "child-sensitive response" to addiction to protect not only the child's physical and mental well-being but also their dignity and sense of self-worth. He said, "Restoration means creating conditions in which a child can again experience what childhood ought to provide -- education, relationship, play, trust, and the confidence of a future bey

Creche course: Training gaps, low wages pose hurdles for childcare industry

Industry experts say India suffers from a shortage of workers as well as a dearth of skilled professionals

Datanomics: Under-20 age group increasingly drives India's smartphone usage

The EU Kids Act proposes banning social media for children under 13 as several countries tighten access rules, while India weighs age-based restrictions amid rising smartphone use and cybercrime risks

Cough syrups may soon get a red warning against use for children under 4

Drug regulator proposes prominent age warning and pictorial label on cough syrups; the move comes after continued concerns over use of such medicines in very young children

European Union may propose a law curb children's access to social media

The EU is joining a growing global movement to restrict children's access to social media over mental health and safety concerns

India's TikTok ban shows forcing teens off their phones isn't always good

As countries consider stricter controls on social media use by minors, India's experience suggests restrictions may shift users between platforms rather than reduce screen time

Erdogan wants Turkey to have more babies; few parents are listening

Demographers attribute the decline to factors common in countries around the world: urbanisation, changing lifestyles and the spread of higher education, especially among women

China to regulate 'digital humans', bans addictive services for children

China proposes strict rules for digital humans, mandating labels, curbing misuse and protecting minors amid rapid AI expansion

Ultra-processed foods may lead to anxiety, hyperactivity in toddlers

A large Canadian study finds toddlers who consume more ultra-processed foods may show slightly higher anxiety, aggression and hyperactivity by age five

Regulating social media: Banning it for children is no silver bullet

A private member's Bill has even proposed disabling the accounts of all under-16 users

Allocations for women, children jump 11.55% to ₹5.01 trn in Budget 2026

Allocation for women and girls under various schemes has increased by 11.55 per cent to Rs 5.01 lakh crore in 2026-27, up from Rs 4.49 lakh crore in the previous financial year as per the Gender Budget Statement (GBS) released by the government. Gender budget statement includes allocations for schemes exclusively for women and girls, as well as proportion of spending in broader schemes that benefit them, bringing together total allocations across ministries aimed at promoting gender equality. The share of allocation of gender budget in the Union Budget has also risen to 9.37 per cent 2026-27 from 8.86 per cent, the Ministry of Women and Child Development said in a statement on Wednesday. The allocations were announced as part of the Union Budget 2026-27, which was presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1. A total of 53 ministries/departments and five Union territories have reported allocations in the gender budget this year -- compared to 49 ...

UIDAI completes over 10 mn biometric updates for children in 83K schools

Aadhaar custodian UIDAI has completed mandatory biometric updates (MBU) for one crore school children covering 83,000 schools across the country, an official statement said. A child under the age of five can enrol for Aadhaar by providing the photograph, name, date of birth, gender, address and birth certificate but the fingerprints and iris biometrics of a child are not captured for Aadhaar enrolment below the age of five as these indicators are not mature by then. Therefore, providing fingerprints and iris information in Aadhaar by following the process of MBU, upon crossing the ages of 5 and 15 years, is an essential requirement for children. Lack of MBU in Aadhaar may lead to difficulties while carrying out authentication for receiving benefits under various government schemes, registering in competitive and university examinations like NEET, JEE, CUET etc. "The UIDAI has crossed the milestone of completing over one crore Mandatory Biometric Updates (MBUs) for school-children .

PM Modi's ally proposes bill to ban social media for children in India

India, the world's second-biggest smartphone market with 750 million devices and a billion internet users, is a key growth market for social media apps and does not set ‌a minimum age for access

Eldest, middle, or youngest: Does birth order shape who you finally become?

Does being the firstborn, middle child or youngest shape personality? Psychologists say effects are small, while culture, parenting styles and sibling roles matter far more

Rainbow Children's Hospital to add 900 beds, with half coming up in NCR

Rainbow Children's Hospital Group is accelerating its pan-India expansion with nearly 900 new beds planned over three years, half of which will come up in the NCR

Justice on hold for 50,000 kids as juvenile system strains: Report

A new India Justice Report says over 50,000 children in conflict with the law await case outcomes, with half pending before understaffed Juvenile Justice Boards, exposing major systemic gaps

NCPCR rescued 2,300 children across country in 6 months, says official

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has said that in the past six months, it disposed of around 26,000 cases and rescued more than 2,300 children across the country. Division head for Juvenile Justice, POCSO and special cells of NCPCR, Paresh Shah, however, said that child rights violations are not mere statistics and each case represents a story of a child and a family. Effective action by officials determines not only the lives of children but the future of the country, he said. Shah stated that both the Central and state governments are committed to safeguarding every child in Arunachal Pradesh, but stressed that strong laws alone are not enough without robust monitoring, awareness and coordinated enforcement. The assertion came during a state-level conference on gaps and challenges in the implementation of key child rights legislations held here recently. Child rights violations are not mere statistics, and each case represents a story of a child and

Aadhaar Card 2025: UIDAI gives free biometric update for children aged 7-15

The UIDAI with BIT, aims to make the Aadhaar biometric process simpler for children. The two crucial milestones at ages 5 & 15 when each child must refresh their fingerprints, iris scans & photo

Happy Children's Day 2025: History, significance & all about November 14

Children's Day honours children and their teachers; programs are held at schools to celebrate, or books are given as gifts. 'For Every Child, Every Right' is the Children's Day 2025 theme

Denmark govt mulls ban on social media access for children under 15

Denmark's government on Friday announced a political agreement to ban access to social media for anyone aged under 15. The move, led by the Ministry of Digitalisation, would set the age limit for access to social media but give some parents after a specific assessment the right to give consent to let their children access social media from age 13. Such a measure would be among the most sweeping steps yet by a European government to address concerns about the use of social media among teens and younger children. It would follow upon a move in December in Australia, where parliament enacted the world's first ban on social media for children setting the minimum age at 16. That made platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram subject to fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (USD33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts. As one of the first countries in the EU, Denmark is now taking a groundbreaking