Karnataka Mass Education Department Introduces Dedicated Chapter On Digital Literacy For The Elderly

Senior citizens will soon get a dedicated chapter on digital literacy, especially, old-age individuals. Time is changing fast, and everything is shifting to digital modes, starting from home appliances, doing financial transactions, a bill payment, or simply using the digital map.

However, digital literacy among seniors remains low for various reasons. One of the reasons is their unfamiliarity with digital technology and the comfort with the modes they have been using all their life, like using cash for transactions, issuing cheques instead of UPI, and visiting banks to withdraw money instead of using ATMs, among others.

As the world is changing fast due to technological advances, it could be difficult for seniors to understand it and adjust themselves. This makes them easy prey for financial and other kinds of digital frauds. 

According to a Deccan Herald report, the Department of Mass Education in Karnataka has decided to dedicate a chapter on seniors’ digital literacy. The department has taken this decision after discussing the issue with the Department of School Education and Literacy.  It was decided that the Department of School Education Research and Training (DSERT), after discussing with the mass education department, would revise the textbooks for elderly learners.

As per the decision, there will be a chapter about digital literacy for seniors. It will focus on topics, such as safe digital payment practices, digital frauds, the significance of one-time passwords (OTPs), how frauds can happen, the modus operandi of frauds, etc., to make them aware and safe.

Being digitally aware is a must now. One cannot live without learning the basics of how digital modes work. However, rising cyber fraud is a growing concern, which underscores the need for seniors to be digitally literate.

According to the report, the new textbook ‘Baalige Belaku’ developed by DSERT has chapters on digital education adapted for seniors. This would also include real-life incidents enabling seniors to connect better and learn more about it.

Notably, the state has identified 1.86 crore elderly illiterates across different citizens, including Bengaluru, Mysuru, etc., to educate them at the gram panchayat level.

Over the last few years, digital technology has penetrated almost all fields. One cannot stay away from it for long without getting adversely impacted. For a small task like booking a ticket or making a UPI payment, one should know how to open a website and act on the instructions. What to trust and what not, and what to do in case a fraud is suspected or happens.

The initiative is to enhance the digital literacy of those seniors who may not learn about it otherwise.