Edu dept to raise awareness on 'Blue Whale Challenge'

The minister for primary and secondary education, Tanveer Sait has asked officials of the education department to create awareness among students in schools and colleges to be wary of the ‘Blue Whale Challenge’, which encourages children who take part in it to harm themselves.

The ‘challenge’ originated in Russia and is said to have claimed the lives of several youngsters in Russia and the United Kingdom. The suicide of teenagers in Kerala and West Bengal have also been suspected to be linked to it.

The minister’s letter says that children have easy access to the harmful game through websites and Internet cafes. “Innocent children are becoming victim to this game and committing suicide and this is a matter of grave concern,” Sait has written.

The minister has instructed the department to issue circulars to all deputy directors and block education officers. They have been to create awareness among school and college students about the dangers of the game and advise them to stay away from other such harmful content on the internet. The department has also been asked to create awareness among parents.

The letter instructs officials to use pamphlets, banners and newspaper ads with information on the Blue Whale challenge and guidelines on dos and don’ts.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) is writing to the home department, health department and IT department about the Blue Whale challenge. Chairperson Kripa Amar Alva said, “We will ask them to give us a report in 15 days about what information they have on the challenge and how we can deal with it.” Based on their probe, KSCPCR has found that the challenge targets children between the ages of 10 to 22.

Anyone who wants to participate has to answer a set of questions which assess the frame of mind of the applicant, Alva said. They are waiting for more information on the challenge before issuing any orders on action to be taken, she said.