Following the inaugural session, the floor was opened for an interactive panel discussion on “The Age of Distraction and Doomscrolling: Its Impact on Student Behaviour and Mental Health”.

In his opening remarks, moderator and The Hindu Special Correspondent Rishikesh Bahadur Desai set a vibrant tone by appealing to the student panelists and the audience to make the session lively, cheerful and interactive rather than confining the discussion to the stage.

The panel featured a comprehensive debate with active participation from engineering student Maktedar Abubakar and medical students Aamera Mariam, Anirudh Kulkarni, Rahman Mujahid, Firdous Sabha and Premika Vallabhaneni.

Together, they dissected the issue from multiple angles, tracing the problem from backend algorithms to the psychological toll of these designs.

Throughout the session, they balanced the professional utility of immediate information access against vulnerabilities like comparison anxiety and fractured attention spans, guiding the conversation toward user-driven solutions.

Moving away from a rigid format, the discussion did not divide participants into opposing sides speaking strictly for or against mobile phones.

Instead, the dialogue progressed on a nuanced trajectory with every speaker comprehensively exploring both the merits and demerits of the digital ecosystem.

Ms. Sabha highlighted the gravity of the modern crisis during her opening remarks by asking the audience whether anyone in the hall can voluntarily stay away from their mobile phone for just 30 minutes, excluding periods spent in examinations, classrooms or sleeping.

The telling response from the assembly, marked by hesitant glances, served as immediate proof of the seriousness of screen dependency among the youth.

The dialogue took an intriguing turn when Mr. Desai prompted the panel on whether the concept of bloomscrolling – a constructive, positive pattern of content consumption – can realistically replace negative doomscrolling.

This shifted the trajectory of the debate, steering the conversation toward the immense advantages these devices offer when managed with intent.

Mr. Abubakar offered a personal illustration of constructive digital engagement by sharing how he utilised social media to learn the principles of calisthenics.

By discovering instructional videos and analyzing advanced bodyweight routines, he completely transformed his physical training. “If you are mindful of what you are consuming, it will definitely help you,” he said.

Ms. Vallabhaneni observed that cognitive diversion has constantly existed across generations in various forms, such as the advent of television. It is merely the technological format and the immediacy of accessibility that have transformed today.

“Doomscrolling is not the only distraction. It is just one among several distractions available today. And, for many, it has simply become a convenient mechanism for escaping reality,” she remarked.

Upholding the concept of bloomscrolling, Mr. Mujahid maintained that intentionally following specific pages for curated content benefits the user, whereas doomscrolling is a passive trap engineered by algorithms to manipulate retention.

Delving into the neuroscience behind the habit, he explained the underlying biochemical mechanisms, illustrating how continuous, algorithmic feedback loops artificially exploit the brain’s reward pathways to drive digital addiction.

Mr. Kulkarni shared an analysis of the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), noting that students scroll through feeds driven by an underlying anxiety that they might miss something important.

Citing behavioral research, he pointed out that once a student is distracted by a notification and begins scrolling, it takes an average of 23 minutes of cognitive effort to fully refocus on the original task.

He advocated for mindful scrolling emphasizing that users must stop browsing the moment they obtain the specific information they sought.

“The backend algorithms are so powerful that if you do not step away intentionally, they will simply trap you in an endless loop,” he warned.

Ms. Mariam shed light on how the multi-billion dollar algorithm industry systematically exploits human emotional vulnerabilities. While cautioning against mindless scrolling, she focused on the advantages of adapting to evolving technology.

“We cannot simply go back to the pre-social media era nor is it practical to enforce bans or shield ourselves from the digital world entirely. The sustainable solution lies in learning to adapt through comprehensive digital literacy,” she said and stressed the “need to transform our relationship with technology from passive consumption into conscious utility.”

A significant portion of the deliberation centered on accountability turning into a profound debate over who should ultimately exercise control – the individual users or the tech manufacturers.

Rather than merely highlighting the dark realities of digital overload, the panelists constructively offered practical solutions.

They suggested actionable strategies ranging from conscious digital detoxification and self-imposed screen-time boundaries to utilizing productivity applications that block distracting interfaces during intensive clinical and academic studies.

The session grew intensely collaborative as audience members shared personal insights on reclaiming time management during examination cycles.

The extensive two-hour program concluded with a formal vote of thanks delivered by coordinator of the Medical Education Unit Sushma D.S., who thanked The Hindu Group and the host university for facilitating an essential framework for students to evaluate their digital habits and reclaim their cognitive autonomy.