Recognising online dating fraud and creating secure passwords: 280 schools in Punjab will provide cyber security courses.

 

The comprehensive "e-Suraksha" subject will now cover a wide range of new terms and frauds, from "romance scams," in which cybercriminals form emotional bonds with victims, to "charity scams," in which con artists pose as charitable organisations in order to extort money. Students in 280 Punjab government schools will be taking this course.

As per the most recent directive from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), 280 government schools in Punjab (23 revenue and 5 police districts) have begun offering a special subject on cybercrime and security as part of the Student Police Cadet (SPC) Programme.

Gurpreet Kaur Deo, Punjab's special DGP for community affairs, stated that it will teach children about the ways in which the police operate, inform them of their legal rights, and promote regular meetings between senior police personnel and schoolchildren. He added that the MHA had provided the syllabus and that training had begun in classes eight and nine. "The programme was first started by the Kerala Police and after seeing its success, it was picked up by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) for replication in all states," the speaker stated.