WNS Cares Foundation (WCF), the CSR arm of WNS has partnered with Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL), an initiative under the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) by NITI Aayog, to empower children and youth with knowledge on relevant topics around cybersafety and digital education through its platform, CyberSmart.
ATL will use CyberSmart and other WCF’s digital-led programs in more than 6,500 schools across India that are part of its network to introduce students to pertinent themes related to cybersecurity, and other relevant content. WCF volunteers have already begun conducting capacity building workshops for ATL’s Regional Teachers of Change (RTOC) and will continue to support ATL in charge to deliver modules effectively.
“We are proud to be able to contribute to the Government of India’s lofty mission of empowering the citizens of tomorrow with future-ready skills. This partnership could not have come at a more opportune time when digital platforms and cyberspace are increasingly becoming an important dimension of children’s lives,” said Keshav R. Murugesh, Group CEO, WNS.
“The Atal Tinkering Labs were established with the objective of fostering curiosity, creativity and innovation in school students across the country. WCF’s CyberSmart is a timely resource that is going to empower these young innovators, who are spending considerable time online now, in using internet judiciously while learning to make the most of it. Cybersecurity for all citizens is a key national agenda and this partnership will ensure that it is achieved, especially for our children and youth,” said R Ramanan, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission.
“CyberSmart was created with the intent of making the subject of cybersecurity simple and easy to understand while educating them about the need to navigate the virtual world cautiously. The platform can be used with a unique blend of online and offline methodologies. This partnership is sure to enhance the accessibility of the platform and help impact thousands of children significantly, across India,” said Shamini Murugesh, Honorary Chief Mentor, WCF.
India’s first holistic cybersecurity education portal, CyberSmart enables gamified learning using thematic quiz-based modules based on curriculum advisory and challenges that children encounter in cyberspace. It was launched nationally in May 2020 by Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
Since the launch, CyberSmart has empowered over 164,000 learners including teachers, parents and students on traversing cyberspace safely. The portal is currently available in ten languages- English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Urdu and Bengali and soon, it will be available in few more regional languages.
