Widespread Training Initiatives in New Criminal Laws Reach Thousands

The Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) has trained over 43,000 officers and personnel in new criminal laws, with states and union territories training an additional 840,000 officials. The training aims at enhancing the capabilities of various stakeholders including police, prison staff, and forensic experts. Multiple webinars, seminars, and other platforms have been utilized to disseminate this training.

The Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) has successfully trained 43,150 officers and personnel in the newly enforced Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, as revealed in a Rajya Sabha session on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar highlighted the coordinated efforts of states and union territories, which have also imparted training to an additional 840,465 officials from multiple departments, including police and forensic experts.

The BPR&D has rolled out 13 training modules and adopted the 'Training of Trainers' model for 'master trainers.' The Central Academy for Police Training (CAPT) and Central Detective Training Institutes (CDTIs) have been pivotal in these initiatives, conducting 274 training courses, webinars, and seminars so far.

In a significant technological stride, the iGOT-Karmayogi Bharat portal has offered courses since February 2024, enabling over 2,19,829 officers to complete at least one, and 1,72,970 all three new criminal law courses. Government platforms like MyGov have actively participated by sending emails and hosting quizzes to engage citizens.

Awareness efforts extended to grassroots levels through joint webinars by various ministries and extensive participation from nearly 50 lakh grassroots functionaries in both Hindi and English sessions. Media channels like the Press Information Bureau, Doordarshan, and All India Radio have been instrumental in broadening the outreach.

The educational sector also participated actively, with the University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) disseminating information to thousands of institutions. The Department of Legal Affairs hosted conferences to bring together experts from diverse fields.

On July 1, higher education institutions marked the enforcement day of the new laws with a series of educational activities. Police stations across the nation organized awareness programs, and a bilingual booklet summarizing the new criminal laws was distributed.