Nasscomm Foundation, DeitY to Make 1 Million Digitally Literate in 1.5 Years

Nasscom Foundation and CSC-SPV, a company promoted by Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), have inked an agreement to make a million people in India digitally literate within 18 months.

The two signed an MoU to accomplish the first phase goal for National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) or 'DISHA' by making 10 lakh individuals in India digitally literate in 18 months, a statement said.

This unique public-private-partnership (PPP) will provide for a strong foundation towards the larger NDLM goal of making at least one person from every household across India digitally literate by 2020, it added. Out of the 10 lakh number targeted, the industry will be responsible for training a minimum of one lakh people.

Additionally, Nasscom Foundation will promote and market NDLM to nearly two thousand member companies. It will align the training content of industry partners with that of NDLM curriculum framework as prescribed by CSC-SPV as well as mobilise financial resources and volunteers from industry partners.

"Nassscom Foundation will set up training centres in various parts of the country, monitor and ensure quality delivery of training through centres set up by the industry," it said.

Nasscom Foundation has already tied up with companies like Amdocs, Cognizant, Cyient, Google, Intel, Microsoft and Zensar Technologies to create NDLM centres across India and at least a dozen more companies are expected to participate in the first phase of the programme.

We believe that our partnership will facilitate in utilisation of industry infrastructure and achieve the objective of NDLM within defined timeframe," CSC-SPV CEO Dinesh Tyagi said.