The Supreme Court of India, sitting as a two‑judge bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K. Vinod Chandran, issued sweeping directives aimed at strengthening child‑protection mechanisms in schools and other educational settings. The order, delivered while examining safeguards against the circulation of child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) online, requires that children be taught about safe and unsafe touch, consent and digital safety from the primary stage onward. It also mandates the display of child‑protection helpline numbers in every classroom, hostel, library and computer lab, and calls for systematic training of teachers, parents and online platforms.
Curriculum and Classroom Measures
The Court instructed that age‑appropriate sex education and digital‑safety awareness become core components of the school curriculum. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) together with State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs) must develop the material in consultation with child psychologists, educators and parenting experts. The content is to be tailored to varying literacy levels across the country, employing text, pictorial representations, illustrations and audio‑visual aids.
Key topics to be covered include an understanding of the body, the distinction between safe and unsafe touch, the importance of consent, and the fundamentals of healthy relationships. The Court highlighted that children sometimes capture, upload or circulate intimate images of peers without grasping the seriousness of the act, underscoring the need for respect for peer dignity.
Digital safety instruction must teach children how to protect personal data, recognise online enticement, sexual extortion and other exploitative practices, and identify signs of grooming or harassment. Learners are to be informed about the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act that criminalise viewing, possession or distribution of CSEAM. The Court stressed that children should know trusted adults—both at home and school—to approach, and be assured that reporting will be confidential and free from reproach.
In addition to curriculum changes, the Court ordered that the Child Helpline number 1098, the Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and details of state‑wise nodal officers be prominently displayed in every classroom, hostel, library and computer laboratory. Schools must also publish this information on their websites. To limit exposure to harmful content, the Court directed that devices and networks within schools, hostels, childcare institutions, tuition and coaching centres be equipped with reasonable and proportionate content‑filtering mechanisms.
Training for Teachers and Parents
Teachers and other school staff are to receive adequate training on digital safety and age‑appropriate positive sex education. Training modules must cover the identification of grooming, abuse and online harassment, appropriate response protocols when a child discloses an incident, and reporting obligations under the POCSO Act. The Court reminded that Section 19 of the POCSO Act requires any person who apprehends or has knowledge of a POCSO offence to report it to the Special Juvenile Police Unit or local police, while Section 21 prescribes up to one year’s imprisonment and a fine for failure to report.
The order also recognises parents and guardians as the first line of defence. Schools are to organise regular awareness programmes for them, covering online risks, parental controls, safety settings on devices, signs of distress in children and appropriate response strategies. Parents must be sensitised to monitor online activity without fostering mistrust, the Court noted.
Government and Platform Responsibilities
The Union and State Governments, in coordination with the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights, are tasked with launching sustained public‑awareness campaigns about child sexual abuse, the POCSO Act and digital exploitation. Campaigns must be continuous rather than sporadic and disseminated through television, social media, OTT platforms, print media, SMS, telecommunication channels and public signage.
Online intermediaries are also directed to periodically remind child users about safe platform usage, privacy settings and help options. When a child attempts to connect with an unknown adult, platforms must display cautionary prompts, and they must issue warnings for search queries associated with CSEAM.
Finally, the Court ordered that the Union and State Governments establish mechanisms to provide free counselling, psychological support and therapy to victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation for as long as necessary.
Collectively, these directives aim to create a holistic safety net that combines legal enforcement, education, technology safeguards and community awareness, ensuring that children are equipped to recognise danger, understand their rights and seek help without fear.
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