NCERT lessons and cyber clubs to make students safer online: Govt to Rajya Sabha
The Centre told the Rajya Sabha that schools are being used to strengthen cyber safety education for children. The push combines curriculum changes, teacher training and tighter digital rules to curb online harm.
The Centre has outlined a series of measures being implemented through schools to promote cyber safety and responsible digital behaviour among students, including NCERT curriculum changes, CBSE cyber clubs and teacher training programmes, according to a reply in the Rajya Sabha.
In a reply to a starred question in the Rajya Sabha on adult content in mobile applications meant for children, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said educational institutions are playing a key role in promoting safe and responsible internet use among students.
According to the government, the Ministry of Education's PRAGYATA Guidelines on Digital Education, issued in 2020, provide a framework for safe online learning while promoting students' well-being and responsible use of social media and electronic devices.
The reply said CBSE has strengthened these efforts by issuing guidelines on digital etiquette, conducting cyber-security training for teachers, publishing a Cyber Security Handbook, and advising schools to establish cyber clubs to promote cyber safety awareness among students.
The government also said NCERT has integrated cyber safety into its curriculum, including a chapter on "Societal Impacts" for Classes 11 and 12. CIET-NCERT has additionally developed and disseminated cyber safety learning resources for students and educators.
PARENTAL CONSENT, NO TARGETTED ADS
The Rajya Sabha reply also highlighted legal safeguards aimed at protecting children online.
Under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, platforms must obtain parental consent before processing a child's personal data and are prohibited from tracking, behavioural monitoring or targeted advertising directed at children.
The government said the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the IT Rules, 2021, require intermediaries to prevent content harmful to children. Significant social media intermediaries must deploy tools to detect child sexual abuse material (CSAM), publish compliance reports and appoint grievance and compliance officers.
It further noted that amendments to the IT Rules notified in February 2026 explicitly cover AI-generated harmful content, including child sexual exploitation material, and have reduced the timeline for removing unlawful content on government or court orders from 36 hours to three hours.
Beyond schools, the government said it is implementing the Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) project, under which 6,650 awareness workshops have been conducted, reaching over 11.37 lakh participants. It added that multilingual awareness material has been disseminated through various platforms, while CERT-In regularly publishes cyber safety advisories and educational resources for internet users, including children.
The Centre has outlined a series of measures being implemented through schools to promote cyber safety and responsible digital behaviour among students, including NCERT curriculum changes, CBSE cyber clubs and teacher training programmes, according to a reply in the Rajya Sabha.
In a reply to a starred question in the Rajya Sabha on adult content in mobile applications meant for children, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said educational institutions are playing a key role in promoting safe and responsible internet use among students.
According to the government, the Ministry of Education's PRAGYATA Guidelines on Digital Education, issued in 2020, provide a framework for safe online learning while promoting students' well-being and responsible use of social media and electronic devices.
The reply said CBSE has strengthened these efforts by issuing guidelines on digital etiquette, conducting cyber-security training for teachers, publishing a Cyber Security Handbook, and advising schools to establish cyber clubs to promote cyber safety awareness among students.
The government also said NCERT has integrated cyber safety into its curriculum, including a chapter on "Societal Impacts" for Classes 11 and 12. CIET-NCERT has additionally developed and disseminated cyber safety learning resources for students and educators.
PARENTAL CONSENT, NO TARGETTED ADS
The Rajya Sabha reply also highlighted legal safeguards aimed at protecting children online.
Under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, platforms must obtain parental consent before processing a child's personal data and are prohibited from tracking, behavioural monitoring or targeted advertising directed at children.
The government said the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the IT Rules, 2021, require intermediaries to prevent content harmful to children. Significant social media intermediaries must deploy tools to detect child sexual abuse material (CSAM), publish compliance reports and appoint grievance and compliance officers.
It further noted that amendments to the IT Rules notified in February 2026 explicitly cover AI-generated harmful content, including child sexual exploitation material, and have reduced the timeline for removing unlawful content on government or court orders from 36 hours to three hours.
Beyond schools, the government said it is implementing the Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) project, under which 6,650 awareness workshops have been conducted, reaching over 11.37 lakh participants. It added that multilingual awareness material has been disseminated through various platforms, while CERT-In regularly publishes cyber safety advisories and educational resources for internet users, including children.
The Centre has outlined a series of measures being implemented through schools to promote cyber safety and responsible digital behaviour among students, including NCERT curriculum changes, CBSE cyber clubs and teacher training programmes, according to a reply in the Rajya Sabha.
In a reply to a starred question in the Rajya Sabha on adult content in mobile applications meant for children, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said educational institutions are playing a key role in promoting safe and responsible internet use among students.
According to the government, the Ministry of Education's PRAGYATA Guidelines on Digital Education, issued in 2020, provide a framework for safe online learning while promoting students' well-being and responsible use of social media and electronic devices.
The reply said CBSE has strengthened these efforts by issuing guidelines on digital etiquette, conducting cyber-security training for teachers, publishing a Cyber Security Handbook, and advising schools to establish cyber clubs to promote cyber safety awareness among students.
The government also said NCERT has integrated cyber safety into its curriculum, including a chapter on "Societal Impacts" for Classes 11 and 12. CIET-NCERT has additionally developed and disseminated cyber safety learning resources for students and educators.
PARENTAL CONSENT, NO TARGETTED ADS
The Rajya Sabha reply also highlighted legal safeguards aimed at protecting children online.
Under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, platforms must obtain parental consent before processing a child's personal data and are prohibited from tracking, behavioural monitoring or targeted advertising directed at children.
The government said the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the IT Rules, 2021, require intermediaries to prevent content harmful to children. Significant social media intermediaries must deploy tools to detect child sexual abuse material (CSAM), publish compliance reports and appoint grievance and compliance officers.
It further noted that amendments to the IT Rules notified in February 2026 explicitly cover AI-generated harmful content, including child sexual exploitation material, and have reduced the timeline for removing unlawful content on government or court orders from 36 hours to three hours.
Beyond schools, the government said it is implementing the Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) project, under which 6,650 awareness workshops have been conducted, reaching over 11.37 lakh participants. It added that multilingual awareness material has been disseminated through various platforms, while CERT-In regularly publishes cyber safety advisories and educational resources for internet users, including children.
