**Policy Summary: Cybercrime Targeting Children in India (2018-2022)**
This policy addresses the issue of cybercrime targeting children (under 18 years) in India. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) released data indicating a rise in such crimes between 2018 and 2022, as compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The NCRB's "Crime in India" report for 2022 details crime head-wise cases registered.
Key data points include:
* **2018:** 232 cases
* **2019:** 306 cases
* **2020:** 1102 cases
* **2021:** 1376 cases
* **2022:** 1823 cases
Specific crime heads include cyber blackmailing/threatening/harassment, fake profiles, cyber pornography (hosting or publishing obscene sexual materials depicting children), cyber stalking/bullying, internet crimes through online games, and other cyber crimes against children.
The policy acknowledges that police and public order are State subjects, making States/Union Territories (UTs) primarily responsible for prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution. The Central Government supplements these efforts through advisories and financial assistance.
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) was established on July 1, 2024, as an attached office to address cybercrime. The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) at https://cybercrime.gov.in, a part of I4C, allows the public to report cyber incidents, with a focus on crimes against women and children. A toll-free helpline, 1930, is operational for assistance in lodging online cyber complaints. FIRs and subsequent actions are handled by State/UT Law Enforcement Agencies.
Initiatives to create cybercrime awareness, especially in North Eastern States, include special sessions conducted through CBSE and Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) under MeitY. A special booklet on cyber hygiene, targeting women and children, is being designed by I4C in collaboration with ISEA for distribution in North East States. I4C is also collaborating with NCERT to include a cyber hygiene chapter in the school curriculum for North East States.
I4C has provided cyber hygiene training to over 2 lakh NCC, NSS, and NYKS students. Awareness campaigns include newspaper advertisements in local languages, audio/video messages on local FM and TV channels, and collaboration with the Department of Posts to publicize cyber awareness messages in post offices.
The information was provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Home Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for internal security and law enforcement.
National Crime Records Bureau: An Indian government agency responsible for collecting and analyzing crime data.
Crime in India: An annual publication by the NCRB providing statistical data on crimes in India.
Constitution of India: The supreme law of India, which defines the framework for the government and outlines the rights and duties of citizens.
Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre: An attached office established to coordinate efforts to combat cybercrime.
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal: A portal to enable public to report incidents pertaining to all types of cyber crimes.
North East States: Refers to the group of states in the northeastern region of India.
Bandi Sanjay Kumar: Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Ministry of Home Affairs
CYBER-CRIME TARGETING CHILDREN
Posted On: 29 JUL 2025 5:11PM by PIB Delhi
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes the statistical data on crimes in its
publication “Crime in India”. The latest published report is for the year 2022. As per the data published by
the NCRB, details of crime head-wise cases registered under cyber crimes against children(below 18 years)
during the period from 2018 to 2022 are at Annexure.
‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The
States/UTs are primarily responsible for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of crimes
including cyber crime and cyber crime against children through their Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs).
The Central Government supplements the initiatives of the States/UTs through advisories and financial
assistance under various schemes for capacity building of their LEAs. The ‘Indian Cyber Crime
Coordination Centre’ (I4C) has been established as an attached office on 01.07.2024.
The ‘National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal’ (NCRP) (https://cybercrime.gov.in) has been launched, as a
part of the I4C, to enable public to report incidents pertaining to all types of cyber crimes, with special focus
on cyber crimes against women and children. Cyber crime incidents reported on this portal, their conversion
into FIRs and subsequent action thereon are handled by the State/UT Law Enforcement Agencies concerned
as per the provisions of the law. A toll-free Helpline number ‘1930’ has been operationalized to get
assistance in lodging online cyber complaints.
The Central Government has taken various initiatives to create cyber crime awareness including among
children in the North eastern States. Special awareness session was conducted through CBSE in online
mode, which was also delivered to schools in North eastern States. Information Security Education and
Awareness (ISEA) under MeitY also conducts similar sessions in north eastern states for awareness of
children on digital safety. A special booklet in collaboration with ISEA is being designed by I4C on cyber
hygiene, specially targeted at women and children, which will be delivered to North East States’ schools and
district centres. I4C is also in touch with NCERT to include cyber hygiene chapter in course curriculum
which will be taught in schools of North East States, as well. I4C, MHA has imparted Cyber Hygiene
training to more than 2 lakh NCC, NSS & NYKS Students across the country. Besides, I4C has published
Newspaper ads on cybercrime awareness in north eastern States in local languages as well. Awareness audio
and video messages have been telecast through local FM and TV channels all across India, including the NE
states. I4C has also collaborated with Department of Posts to publicize cyber awareness messages in post
offices of North eastern rural and urban areas.
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ANNEXURE
Crime Heads-wise Cases Registered under Cyber Crimes against Children (below 18 Yrs.)
during 2018-2022
SL Crime Heads 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
C y b e r
1 4 3 3 23 74
Blackmailing/Threatening/Harassment2 Fake Profile 3 2 1 9 2
Cyber Pornography/ Hosting or
Publishing Obscene Sexual Materials
3 44 103 738 969 1171
depicting children
4 Cyber Stalking/Bullying 40 44 140 123 158
Internet Crimes through Online
5 0 1 0 0 2
Games etc
6 Other Crimes against Children 141 153 220 252 416
Total Cyber crimes against
232 306 1102 1376 1823
Children
Source: Crime in India
This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar in
a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
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VV/RR/HS/PS/PR
(Release ID: 2149788)