E-Paper
Himachal to act against members posting irrelevant, obscene content in online study groups
Higher education department issues memo after complaints by women teachers about such content becoming an embarrassment on WhatsApp study groups
SHIMLA: Acting on complaints of women teachers, the department of higher education of Himachal Pradesh has warned of departmental action against members who post irrelevant and obscene messages on official WhatsApp study groups.
Director, higher education, Amarjeet K Sharma said on Wednesday that he has issued a memo in this regard to all principals of colleges and higher secondary schools and headmasters of high schools.
Sharma said that the department had taken the initiative to create WhatsApp groups of all institutions to facilitate employees and students to stay connected for day-to-day activities and for the delivery of online study material of all classes.
“However, it’s been observed that some members of these WhatsApp groups just post good morning/evening greetings besides irrelevant messages and videos even at odd hours,” he said.
Sharma said that this creates unnecessary burden on the minds of other group members. “Some women employees informed the authorities that such messages put them in an awkward position before their families,” he said.
Directions have been issued that only departmental information should be shared and irrelevant messages should be strictly avoided in the official groups. “All members must respect the dignity and self-respect of others at all levels. Any violation will be viewed seriously and departmental proceedings will be taken against the offenders,” he said.
Schools and colleges had created WhatsApp groups to facilitate online studies as the institutions are closed since March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, some obscene material was posted in these groups which have parents and teachers as members.
The government has announced vacations in educational institutions till June 30 which may be extended till July if the situation does not improve.
There are 10,714 primary schools in the state with 23,909 teachers; 1,996 middle schools with 6,614 teachers; and 2,749 high schools with 36,288 teachers.
