‘Desh ke Mentor programme’ adds verification

The Delhi government has added new procedures to the 'Desh Ke Mentor' initiative to ensure the safety of children.

After the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) raised concerns that the program would expose children to possible safety hazards, improvements were made, including police verification of all mentors.

The Directorate of Education stated in a circular addressed to the NCPCR that if a registered mentor receives an unfavourable complaint from the police during verification, the person will be deregistered immediately. The government will monitor all phone calls between mentors and mentees, according to the report, ensuring that there is no room for child abuse.

All phone numbers will be hidden as well, and if a mentor meets with a mentee offline, he or she will be removed from the program.

Priyank Kanoongo, chairwoman of the NCPCR, said the panel was pleased with the extra safeguards taken by the Delhi government.

Instructions for parents

The Department of Education has also published a circular recommending parents to guarantee that any adult family member is present during the app chat between the mentor and the mentee.

According to the Delhi government, 37,000 mentors have signed up for the 'Desh Ke Mentor' initiative, which will guide 1.5 lakh children in government institutions.

The effort began in October 2021 with the goal of assisting youngsters by recruiting young volunteers to speak with them, assist them in forming their professions, and act as a friend or older siblings with whom the kids may share their experiences. Mentors from all around the country can sign up for the program via a special app.

After obtaining an "unsatisfactory" response to the questions it had raised about children's safety, the NCPCR asked the Delhi government to stop the scheme on January 11 until all loopholes pertaining to their protection were rectified. Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister, then slammed the BJP, alleging that it was afraid of the program's success and was using a false complaint to try to put a stop to it.