Education

NCERT Releases Guidelines To Prevent Cyber Bullying During Online Learning

New Delhi: The National Council For Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released dos and don’ts for safe online learning in times of COVID-19. The guidelines have been developed jointly by NCERT and UNESCO India.

Identifying the negative impact of cyber bullying on academic achievement, mental health, and quality of life in general, the document released by NCERT has advised students on what they should and should not do to stay safe online.

“With COVID-19 closing schools across all states, Education Departments have made efforts to ensure continuity of learning through various digital platforms. Millions of learners are turning to online education and with this comes a huge increase in use of electronic devices and Information and communication Technologies (ICTs).”

With the massive switch to online modes of learning, students are at a greater risk of cyber bullying. Online bullying not just affects students but also prevents teachers from imparting quality education through online media.

Some forms of cyber bullying include:

Posting hurtful comments on updates, pictures, and videos shared by an individual
Uploading embarrassing photographs without an individual’s consent
Excluding individuals of different cultural, socio-economic backgrounds from online groups and forums
Stealing someone’s account password
Sending unwanted/inappropriate messages from that account to harass other individuals.

The ‘Dos’ include:

Creating a strong password
Read privacy settings of social networking sites
Communicate only with known people
Practice caution while posting photos and videos on social media sites
Ensure that only authorised personnel access computer systems and labs.

The ‘Don’ts’ include:

Keeping your password secret
Not revealing personal information like age address etc. as it can lead to identity theft
Not posting anything hurtful on social media sites
Not forwarding anything you read on social media without verifying it.

Cyber bullying is a punishable offence under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Indian Penal Code and should be reported. Students can download the complete guideline here.

Also Read: New NCERT Syllabus & Textbooks By April 2023: Director Hrusikesh Senapaty