After Tamil Nadu, now Puducherry has decided to ban use of mobile phones in schools.

Announcing this on Friday, Education Minister M O H F Shahjahan in a release said the decision taken as use of mobile phones led to diversion in students' concentration from their studies.

He said teachers also should not use the mobile phones inside the class rooms.

School heads had been asked to keep a vigil on the situation and prevent students and teachers from using the mobile phones, he said.

The DMK government in neighbouring Tamil Nadu on Monday banned use of mobile phones by students within the school premises on the same ground.

Shahjahan also said strict instructions had been given to private schools in Puducherry not to hold special tuition classes after 6 pm in view of complaints from parents that such classes extending up to 9.30 pm in some schools caused a sense of insecurity to students, particularly girls.

He warned that no school should hold special classes beyond 6 pm and schools violating this directive will face de-recognition.