Figure 3: No Copyright Infringement Intended

Context:

• A recent controversy broke out after the Children's Rights Commission (NCPCR) recommended that the Government of Delhi suspend its flagship program, Desh ke Mentor, until all loopholes related to child safety are eliminated.

About the program

• The program, launched in 2021, aims to match grade IX to grade XII students with volunteer mentors. People between the ages of 18 and 35 can apply as mentors.
• Connect with students based on common interests through an app created by a team at Delhi Technological University.
• Mentoring includes regular phone calls for at least two months and can optionally continue for another four months. Young mentors need to accompany students through their learning and career choices: preparing for college entrance exams and dealing with pressure.
• Volunteers must enter information about themselves, such as date of birth, education level, profession, and organization of employment.

Raised Concerns:

• Abuse Protection: NCPCR have found that matching a child to a same-sex mentor does not necessarily guarantee safety from abuse.
• Lack of police review: NCPCR also expressed her concern about the lack of police review of mentors.
• About the Psychological Measurement Test: Is this psychometric test a complete assessment of a person's evidence as a potential threat to a child? NCPCR also found that restricting phone calls does not guarantee the safety of children, as telephones can cause crimes for children.
• It states that obtaining parental consent is an essential requirement: the ministry has a responsibility and accountability to protect children from such situations. Parental consent cannot be used as a buffer in the event of an incident.

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