New Delhi: In an advisory issued on Thursday, the education ministry has asked parents to be cautious while choosing ed-tech platforms for their children.
It said the advisory was issued because several ed-tech companies were asking vulnerable families to sign up for automatic payment options under the guise of providing free service.
Given the hybrid nature of learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ed-tech platforms have gained popularity in most Indian households. Whether it is at school level or higher education, there are platforms available to help Students in all domains – entrance exam preparation, daily school work, skill development etc.
The ministry, however, said that families opting for such platforms are at risk of being duped.
“Given the massive impact of technology in education, many ed-tech companies have started offering courses, tutorials, coaching for competitive exams etc. in online mode… decision to parents, students and all stakeholders in school education. Have to be careful while taking. Opting for online content and coaching being offered by a host of ed-tech companies,” read the advisory.
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‘Collected parents under the guise of free services’
The ministry said it has come to the notice of the Department of School Education and Literacy that some ed-tech companies are “luring parents in the guise of offering free services” and “signing electronic funds transfer (EFT) mandates”. are or are activating.” Auto-debit facility, especially targeting vulnerable families”.
The advisory warns parents of students not to “be fooled by success stories shared by ed-tech companies without proper scrutiny as they can be a trap to garner more audience”.
It also asked them to “not blindly trust ads” and to do their own research before registering with a platform.
Do a detailed background check of the ed-tech company you wish to subscribe to and verify the quality of the content provided by the ed-tech companies.
“Make sure it is in line with the curriculum and your scope of study and is easily understood by your child,” it added.
‘Avoid automatic debit option’
The ministry in its advisory also issued detailed instructions to avoid financial frauds.
It said parents should avoid “automatic debit option for payment of subscription fee”.
The ministry said, “… some ed-tech companies may offer a free-premium business model where a lot of their services may seem free at first glance, but in order to gain access to continuous learning, students are required to pay a fee. Membership option.
It advised parents “not to install any mobile ed-tech application without verifying the authenticity and to avoid credit/debit card registration on the app for membership”.
In addition, parents should not allow purchases on the Platform without their consent.
The legal provisions of e-commerce firms have also been shared with the public in the advisory to create awareness about their rights.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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