Reading for pleasure? You are one of the few: Reports warn students are paying a high price for skipping books

The ruffling of pages, the faint scent of old books, the quiet satisfaction of scribbling little notes in the margins, memories like these once defined a student’s world. Today, reading feels almost like a lost art.

Once, the aisles of libraries were utopian realms where curiosity thrived and imaginations soared. Now, the very word “reader” seems to be fading, swallowed by the endless scroll of feeds and the glow of screens. The tactile joy of turning a page has been replaced by taps and swipes, while books sit silently on shelves, waiting to be discovered, their stories unheard. Across the United States and the UK, daily leisure reading among students has dropped to historic lows. National Literacy Trust, 2024 data suggests that only 34.6% of children aged 8–18 enjoy reading in their free time, with daily reading falling to 20.5%. In the United States, daily leisure reading among adults and older students has declined more than 40% over the last two decades, according to the data suggested by the University of Florida & University College London, 2025The stark and bitter reality echoes through Indian classrooms and homes as well.

Research shows that a growing number of students no longer form a meaningful connection with books for pleasure. Early immersion in digital devices, screen-based learning apps, and smartphones has displaced the family-centered reading culture that once nurtured both literacy and imagination. Today, children spend more time on mobile games, short-form videos, and endless streams of digital content than on literature, shrinking the space for sustained attention, creativity, and critical thinking to flourish.

Why students are turning away from books

The decline in student reading stems from multiple, overlapping factors:

The consequences students pay

The consequences of declining reading habits among students are profound, affecting cognition, literacy, and long-term academic trajectories.Research from Stanford University indicates that during COVID-19 school closures, the oral reading fluency of second- and third-graders stalled nearly 30% behind expected levels, particularly affecting students from lower-income and historically underperforming districts.

Reading fluency serves as a gateway skill: without it, students struggle across subjects such as mathematics, science, and social studies, because comprehension underpins learning in all domains.Adding more weight to these findings, Harvard University research says that differences in phonological processing, critical for decoding written language, emerge as early as 18 months, before formal schooling.

Children who lack early reading support experience widening literacy gaps over time, leading to persistent deficits in reading, attention, and critical thinking.In India, the consequences are amplified by early screen exposure and a shrinking family reading culture. Students who do not engage in regular reading show diminished attention spans, weaker imagination, and reduced empathy. They are less equipped to navigate complex social contexts, analyze nuanced information, or engage in sustained problem-solving.

The decline also risks perpetuating educational inequities: Students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or rural areas face compounded literacy and cognitive deficits due to limited access to books and guided reading support.The implications extend to higher education and career readiness. Students entering college without strong reading habits and cognitive resilience struggle to cope with complex texts, critical analyses, and interdisciplinary learning.

Their capacity for independent thinking, creativity, and lifelong learning is compromised, creating cascading effects on their academic and professional futures.

Rekindling the habit

Reversing this trend is not child’s play or a one-day job. It will require consistent efforts, systemic and cultural intervention. Schools and communities must make books accessible and engaging, fostering reading as both enjoyable and essential.

Structured programmes, such as incentivised reading challenges, peer-led book clubs, and interactive literary activities, can translate reading into a compelling pursuit.Balancing screen time with designated reading hours is critical, alongside fostering family and community modeling of literacy habits. In India, strengthening libraries, improving book availability, and integrating culturally relevant literature into students’ reading lives can encourage sustained engagement.For students today, reading for pleasure is more than a pastime; it is an act of resistance. Against distraction, against superficial engagement, and against cognitive erosion. Those who read are not merely preserving a habit; they are safeguarding attention, empathy, and intellectual independence. In an age of digital saturation, students who continue to read are building resilience for the challenges of the modern world.Science says children mimic elders. When the generation that dwelled with books is keeping them in the backseat and choosing screens instead, the present generation cannot be treated as a scapegoat. They are following in the footsteps and carrying ahead the legacy. Yes, the change starts from us, the change starts from within.