Explained | Should cybersecurity be introduced as a subject to Class 9th and 10th students?

Here are some reasons to include cybersecurity in the syllabus for students of classes 9th and 10th.

Explained | Should cybersecurity be introduced as a subject to Class 9th and 10th students?

By India Today Web Desk: The internet has become the paramount necessity of daily life in this era and the education sector is not falling behind in leveraging its benefits. But the rise of cyber criminals compels every educational institution to tighten their security. After the pandemic, Indian educational institutions started to tilt to technical support and online education has become indispensable in the lives of millions of students and teachers.

But India is also high on cybersecurity attacks and the education sector needs protection from data breach, phishing, and ransomware.

Learning about cybersecurity is important for every age and students in 9th and 10th grade need more knowledge of it. Teenagers are more prone to be a victim of cyber-attacks which may pose a negative effect on their brain and overall mental health. There may be different degrees of cyber-attacks that students may face: Distributed Denial-of-Service, IoT vulnerabilities, data manipulation, and more.

Let us learn more about the importance of introducing cybersecurity to class 9 and 10 students in detail.

WHY SHOULD THERE BE EDUCATION ON CYBERSECURITY?

Cybersecurity offers a defensive mechanism for internet-enabled devices from cyber hackers. This type of security is a prerequisite for any organisation which runs digitally. Several reasons such as lack of technical knowledge, increased internet usage, and lack of awareness of cyber-attacks are contributing to the recent rise of cybercrime.

Online thieves don't spare the education sector and always make a way to steal and manipulate information. They will not only hatch malicious activities on the educational portals but also infuse some unwanted malware that may leak any private information.

So, knowing about cybersecurity is crucial for students and teachers. This will help students stay safe while developing their skills without compromising any confidential information.

Cybersecurity is also important for the mental peace of students. Random breaches of data and unwanted system dysfunction will create disturbance in the minds of students.

Here are some reasons to include cyber security in the syllabus for students of classes 9 and 10:

1. CYBER SECURITY JOBS PROVIDE GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Cybersecurity has transformed to be an evergreen industry and proved to serve the greater good of aspiring students. Many tech-based companies, like Dell, Cognizant, InfoTech, Accenture, etc have considerable demand for cyber security experts.

Aspiring students who have developed technical skills in cyber security will get a chance to work in top-notch organisations. In addition, national crime agencies, security departments, and police force departments will have vacancies for cyber security experts.

2. JOBS IN CYBER SECURITY OFFERS LUCRATIVE SALARIES

Jobs in cyber security provide high salaries and, as per the designations and job roles, a professional will likely get hikes. Every online business has to safeguard its data and appoint security specialists, spending lots of money.

Rising cyber-attacks in almost every industry make every organisation take this very seriously. That is why government and private agencies are willing to provide training and high-earning opportunities.

At present, there is an annual shortage of 39,000 information security analysts, according to Cyberseek, a globally recognized interactive career pathway. Hence, there is an exigency for skilled professionals for cyber security.

3. CHANCES TO INCREASE PERSONAL GROWTH

Learning a new skill will increase one's mental dimension. Acquiring knowledge of cyber security will not only enrich a person with valuable information but also secure the online environment in a better way.

Each day will be full of new challenges and one will have scope to expand one's skills, interpersonal and analytical skills. Complex technical problems will widen one's mind's sharpness and help one to grow overall.

WHAT SHOULD BE EXACTLY INCLUDED IN THE CYBERSECURITY COURSE?

Education ministers need to come up with new courses on cyber security for various classes. Starting cyber education from classes 9 and 10 will be the most productive as many students want to take up subjects that spark their interests.

Not all students are willing to take up traditional streams like science, commerce, or the arts. Some of them are interested in learning about technology and making a career out of it. So, introducing cybersecurity at the school level will give them enough time to hone their skills and be prepared for their dream job.

However, many students who choose a non-technical stream may be deprived of cyber security courses. This course should be planned in such a way that every intending student can opt for it. The eligibility criteria should be relaxed to encourage the maximum number of students to choose this course.

Tech-background, as well as non-tech background students, should be able to take up this course after their 10th class examination.

The course must have hands-on experience with the trainers rather than theoretical lessons. Students should be mentored in such a way that they can showcase their skills while getting recruited.

By Harsh Suresh Bharwani, CEO and MD of Jetking Infotrain.

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