Rajasthan judges turn teachers to raise cybersecurity awareness in schools

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Jaipur, April 7 (IANS) In a unique initiative, judges across Rajasthan stepped into classrooms on Tuesday to educate students on cybersecurity, highlighting the growing risks in the digital age.

The judicial officers from districts including Jaipur, Kota, and Ajmer visited schools to explain common cyber fraud techniques and preventive measures. The programme is part of the statewide campaign, ‘Empowering Rajasthan Youth: A Legal Literacy Initiative – 2026’.

This is a first-of-its-kind initiative for the state in which judges across Rajasthan will join teachers in classrooms to educate students on cybersecurity and legal awareness.

Under the ‘Transformative Tuesday’ campaign, nearly 1,400 judicial officers will conduct sessions in as many selected schools across the state. Students will be sensitised to issues such as cyberbullying, digital arrest scams, online fraud, and safe use of social media.

The campaign is part of the broader programme, ‘Empowering Rajasthan Youth: A Legal Literacy Initiative – 2026’, aimed at strengthening legal awareness among young citizens. According to Hariom Attri, Member Secretary of the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority, the campaign was conceptualised on the initiative of the Acting Chief Justice, Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma. It was formally launched on February 20 during a state-level cyber law conference, attended by Supreme Court Chief Justice Surya Kant.

The sessions are designed for students from Classes 8 to 12, with the aim of reaching over four lakh students in a single day.

The initiative will continue throughout the year, with programmes scheduled every Tuesday, covering a wide range of legal topics. In addition to cyber safety, students will be educated on laws related to daily life, constitutional rights, legal aid, child rights, women’s rights, and responsible citizenship.

As part of the campaign, a unique ‘Court Wali Didi Complaint Box’ will be placed in participating schools. Students can anonymously submit their grievances, which will later be reviewed by teams from the Legal Services Authority for appropriate action and resolution.

The initiative aims not only to raise awareness but also to instil a sense of responsibility, legal literacy, and respect for the law among students.

–IANS

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Number of Self Help Groups exponentially increased in last 7 years: Meghalaya CM

Shillong, Feb 25 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma, on Wednesday informed the Assembly that the state’s Self-Help Group (SHG) movement has expanded exponentially over the last seven years under the ruling dispensation, emerging as one of the largest grassroots livelihood initiatives in the region and covering nearly 90 per cent of households.

Replying to a question in the House, the Chief Minister said the number of SHGs in Meghalaya has risen from just about 4,000–5,000 groups in 2018–19 to around 53,000 at present.

He said the network has mobilised close to Rs 1,100 crore in credit, significantly boosting women-led livelihoods across rural and semi-urban areas.

Sangma explained that SHGs in the state are formed voluntarily, with a minimum requirement of 10 to 15 women per group, and do not require formal registration.

He said the Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society (MSRLS) plays a key role in facilitating bank linkages.

“When they come together as a group, they do not need to furnish collateral. They can open a bank account and access loans at an interest rate of seven per cent,” he said.

Highlighting the financial discipline of SHGs, the Chief Minister said that nearly 95 per cent of loans are being repaid on time.

He said banks have so far disbursed Rs 755 crore to SHGs, with more than 40,800 groups regularly servicing their repayments.

“This reflects the sense of responsibility and sustainability of the SHG system,” he added.

According to Sangma, nearly Rs 1,100 crore is currently available to SHGs, benefiting over 58,000 women’s groups, with about 70 per cent of the funds coming from bank credit.

He credited the MSRLS team for driving the movement, saying officers have worked tirelessly to strengthen livelihoods at the grassroots.

The Chief Minister said SHG membership has grown from around 40,000 women eight years ago to nearly 5.8 lakh today, while credit flow has increased from less than Rs 100 crore to current levels.

Responding to a supplementary by Voice of the People Party MLA, Brightstarwell Chyne, on relatively lower participation in urban Mawlai, Sangma said SHG formation depends on willingness of individuals.

He noted that urban areas like Mawlai and Mawpat have shown weaker response compared to rural blocks, but assured that efforts are ongoing to achieve full coverage.

On income generation, Sangma said 41,323 SHG members have already achieved “lakhpati” status, and the government is now working to help them scale up to higher income levels.

–IANS

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Nepali student row: Odisha legislators demand action against private varsity authorities

Bhubaneswar, Feb 18 (IANS) The administration of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Bhubaneswar continues to face flak for the mistreatment meted out to the students from Nepal, following their protest over the suicide of a fellow female student in the hostel last week.

Several legislators across party lines on Tuesday raised the issue in the Odisha Assembly, demanding action against the authorities of the private educational institute for the incident.

The legislators alleged that the incident tarnished Odisha’s image on international platforms.

Raising the issue in the House during the Zero Hour on Tuesday, senior Biju Janata Dal leader Pratap Keshari Deb said that the image of Odisha is tarnished on the global stage due to the suicide and subsequent forceful eviction of Nepali students by the university authorities.

He also alleged that the law and order situation in the state has been deteriorating rapidly under the BJP government that came to power using ‘Odia Asmita’.

Similarly, Congress leader Taraprasad Bahinipati demanded a judicial probe into the suicide of the female student and the allegations of assault on other students from Nepal.

Bahinipati also warned to sit on protest in the House if the BJP government does not accept his demand for a judicial probe.

He said that the relationship of Odisha with Nepal is deep and the mistreatment meted out to the Nepali students is shameful.

BJP MLA Babu Singh also raised the issue in the Assembly, demanding the arrest of the founder of KIIT, Achyuta Samanta.

“Odisha is known for its culture and hospitality in the past. We should not neglect to extend our hospitality to the students who are coming to Odisha for studies. The incident that took place at KIIT two days back is a shame for Odisha as well as India,” said Singh.

He demanded the arrest of Samanta claiming the incident could not have occurred without his instructions.

The deceased Prakriti Lamsal (20), a student of B.Tech (Computer Science) at KIIT University, ended her life on Sunday following harassment by her estranged boyfriend and the accused Advik Shrivastava, a student of B.Tech (Mechanical).

–IANS

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Man killed in blast in Amritsar, terror link suspected

Chandigarh, May 27 (IANS) An explosion in a residential colony on the Majitha Road Bypass in Punjab’s Amritsar city on Tuesday killed a man who was there to collect a “consignment”.

The police are probing a terror angle and suspect the man of being linked to a terrorist organisation.

The incident took place near Decent Avenue Colony on the Majitha Road Bypass.

Eyewitnesses heard a loud sound of the blast. As locals rushed to the spot and informed the police, officials from Sadar police station and a bomb disposal squad reached the spot.

The man who was killed in the explosion has yet to be identified.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Border Range) Satinder Singh said, “The person who was injured is a member of a terrorist organisation, and he had come to retrieve the explosive consignment. We have received a lot of clues. Further investigation is underway. Babbar Khalsa and the ISI are active in Punjab and most likely, he is a member of Babbar Khalsa.”

A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory was at the spot to collect samples of the explosive, he said.

According to media reports, the man’s arms were blown off in the blast.

Initially treated as a case of mishandling explosive material, officials are probing a terror angle too. However, the police are suspecting that the man, believed to be a scrap dealer, might have been attempting to dismantle an old bomb found among metal waste, which exploded during the process.

The injured man was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Amritsar Rural) Maninder Singh said the man was retrieving some explosive material when the blast occurred, possibly due to mishandling. However, he said the man might be linked to a terror outfit.

As the probe continued, panic gripped the area.

More details were awaited.

–IANS

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