77% of students report discomfort with classroom seating, highlighting the need for ergonomic learning spaces, reveals a study from Interio by Godrej
Bengaluru : Interio by Godrej, a leading furniture brand from the Godrej Enterprises Group, has unveiled its latest study, “Screens, Seating & Strain: Rethinking Student Health through Ergonomics,” examining the relationship between gadget use, prolonged sitting, classroom design and student health. Conducted among 1,000 college students across India, the study explores the prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort, visual strain and sedentary behaviours among students, while highlighting the role of ergonomic furniture and flexible learning environments in supporting student well-being, engagement and academic performance.
Commenting on the findings, Sameer Joshi, Senior Vice President and Head of B2B Business, Interio by Godrej said, “As technology continues to reshape the way students learn, it is important to rethink the physical environments in which learning takes place. Prolonged sitting, increased screen exposure and conventional classroom furniture can contribute to physical discomfort and affect students’ ability to remain focused. The findings reinforce the need to make ergonomics an integral part of educational spaces. At Interio by Godrej, we believe that learning environments should evolve to become more flexible, comfortable and responsive to students’ needs, allowing them to learn better while supporting their overall well-being.”
The whitepaper highlights the growing discomfort among students in conventional classroom environments, with 77% of students reporting discomfort with classroom seating, citing inadequate desk-to-chair spacing, lack of cushioning and improper height alignment. Additionally, more than 55% of students continue to use conventional wooden desks and benches, while 61% identify prolonged sitting as their primary cause of pain, with only 7% recognising inadequate furniture support as a contributing factor. The research further highlights the impact of prolonged sedentary behaviour, with 65% of students attending one-hour classes without breaks and 15% attending classes for two to four hours continuously. On average, students attend a minimum of four lectures per day, resulting in over six hours of classroom sitting, while 61.2% study for 7–9 hours daily and approximately 10% study for more than 10 hours a day, further increasing their sedentary time.
The study also highlights the impact of digital gadget use, with 74% of students reporting symptoms of visual fatigue, which pushes students closer to their screens and worsens neck strain, while 80% expressed a desire to rearrange their learning spaces to better support different activities and postures. The whitepaper recommends modular chairs, height-adjustable and sit-stand desks and alternative seating such as bean bags and floor cushions, alongside posture training, the 20-20-20 rule for eye strain and movement breaks every 45–60 minutes. The findings underscore the need for ergonomic furniture, alongside awareness of posture and movement, to reduce physical strain and create learning environments that support student comfort, concentration and overall well-being.
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