WCF Launches CyberSmart, Free-for-all Gamified CybersafetyPortal for Students, Teachers, Volunteers and Parents

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Mumbai, May 19, 2020:WNS (Holdings) Limited, a leading provider of global Business Process Management (BPM) services, through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm – WNS Cares Foundation (WCF) launched CyberSmart portal (cybersmart.wnscaresfoundation.org), a holistic cybersafety learning ecosystem for education & empowerment of students, teachers, volunteers and parents.

The Marathi version of the portal was virtually inaugurated by Shri Satej Patil, Hon’ble Minister of State for Home, Housing, Transport, IT, Parliamentary Affairs and ex-Servicemen Welfare, Govt. of Maharashtra, India. The interface is available in three languages – English, Hindi and Marathi, and covers a bandwidth of 50,000 concurrent users, without capturing any personal data.

CyberSmart is a free-for-all platform that enables gamified learning as opposed to voluminous existing PDF material for teachers, students, volunteers and parents to impart education using a unique blend of online and offline methodology. The portal exhibits thematic quiz-based learning module pertinent to each age group that follows curriculum advisory and challenges children to encounter in the cyberspace. Each learning journey has a set of 25 question assessment to check to learn. Post completion of all the themes and their respective journeys, every student can download a badge or certificate. The portal also allows issuing a unique ID for every visitor to retrieve the certificate. It also has a special feature – a call for help button for children under duress.

Keshav Murugesh, Group CEO, WNS and Former Chairman Nasscom and Shamini Murugesh, Chief Mentor, WCF

Speaking at the launch, Keshav R. Murugesh, Group CEO, WNS, said, “Given the pandemic situation we are in, millions of children are exposed to online learning. Opening up more time on internet-connected devices has exposed them to unfiltered content making them vulnerable in the cyberspace. A seismic shift to smarter cybersecurity is the need of the hour, especially for children and youth.CyberSmart portal is an attempt to create a repository of age-appropriate content that is engaging and empowers children and youth alike to navigate the internet judiciously.”

Debjani Ghosh, President of NASSCOM, said, “As the world learns to become more virtual, the need for safe internet usage is even more pronounced, especially for children and youth. NASSCOM supports the CyberSmart initiative that would spur a safer internet landscape across the nation. Launch of the CyberSmart portal could not have come at a more appropriate time. This resource is sure to benefit parents and teachers as much as it will impact students in learning about traversing cyberspace purposefully, during and post COVID-19 world.”

Shamini Murugesh, Honorary Chief Mentor, WCF, said, “With India taking a giant leap in digital learning initiatives, the need to identify protocols for a safe digital landscape and set up a formal framework is imperative for the best interest of students. The purpose of CyberSmart platform is to create awareness and educate students and parents about cyber safe behaviour through an engaging gamified learning model. The platform also enables teachers, NGOs and volunteers to impart education using our unique online and offline methodology. At WCF, our endeavour is to spearhead conversations and create the right platforms for parents, academia, NGOs, and government to address and resultantly contain this pressing issue.”

In 2017, WCF created an awareness programme around the dangers of the digital world, CyberSword, through a competition which reached over 1,35,000 children across 345 schools in eight countries including India through a series of videos and multi-media presentations. Further, WCF launched a digital-led initiative, ThinkTalkTeach, in January 2019 and created two informative videos on the safe use of the internet for primary and secondary school students. This initiative has garnered 1.3 million+ views on social media so far.