• Dr. Dandinker Suryakant N

The protection of children from sexual offences (POCSO) Act 2012 was enacted to provide legal protection to individuals less than 18 years of age from sexual abuse. This study aimed to assess the awareness of the POCSO Act 2012 among secondary school teachers in the Chikkamagalur district of Karnataka state. The research considered variables such as school type, language of instruction, gender and location. A descriptive survey method was employed involving 800 secondary school teachers selected through stratified random sampling. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA. Results revealed the significant differences in awareness across various demographic groups. The Government secondary school teachers exhibited greater awareness than the private secondary school teachers. The english medium schools teachers were generally more informed than those in Kannada medium school teachers. The Female teachers, particularly in government secondary schools, demonstrated a higher understanding of the POCOS Act 2012 compared to males. The urban secondary school teachers show greater knowledge than the rural teachers, indicating the disparities in access to information and training. The science secondary school teachers show the highest awareness than the non science teachers. The findings underscore the urgent need for tailored awareness programs, particularly targeting private, rural, and Kannada medium secondary school teachers. The gender and subject specific training initiatives should also be prioritized. Incorporating child protection laws into teacher education and ongoing professional development is also crucial and promoting comprehensive awareness among secondary school teachers is essential to ensure a safe and informed learning atmosphere.

POCSO Act 2012, Teacher Awareness, Child Protection, Legal Literacy,

"A STUDY AWARENESS ON PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCES (POCSO) ACT, 2012 AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN CHIKKAMAGALUR DISTRICT, KARNATAKA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 10, page no.d672-d678, October-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2510387.pdf

"A STUDY AWARENESS ON PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCES (POCSO) ACT, 2012 AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN CHIKKAMAGALUR DISTRICT, KARNATAKA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 10, page no. ppd672-d678, October-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2510387.pdf