NIELIT signs MOU with Intel

VARINDIA- INDIA'S FRONTLINE IT MAGAZINE

Taking forward the National Digital Literacy Mission and Digital India Campaign of the Government of India, the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), a body with the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Ministry of Communications & IT, Government of India, has signed an MOU with Intel India to jointly conduct courses and online examinations on digital literacy as well as vet NIELIT’s courses on Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM). Intel will develop the software for assessment of candidates under the National Digital Literacy Mission to make the courses more industry oriented to endeavour to make one member of each household digitally literate in India. The MOU was signed by Dr Ashwini Kumar Sharma, Managing Director, NIELIT, with Debjani Ghosh, Managing Director, Intel South Asia, in the presence of Chief Guest Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble Minister for Communications & Information Technology and Law & Justice, at NIELIT’s national-level workshop 2014 for its accredited partners (900 Nos.) and facilitation centres (5000 Nos.). 31 NIELIT centres are located across the country from Leh in the North to Chennai in the South. NIELIT also entered into an MOU with the Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW) on the occasion. Also present were Shri R. S. Sharma, Secretary, DeitY; Shri Tapan Ray, Additional Secretary, DeitY; and Dr Ajay Kumar, Joint Secretary, DeitY. Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble Minister for Communications & Information Technology and Law & Justice, said, “With the launch of the National Digital Literacy Mission and Digital India Campaign, a digital revolution is beginning. The Digital India program of the Government of India encompasses a time when the common man would be easily able to access and track the Government schemes and services even through his mobile phone.  To address these needs I am happy to notice that NIELIT has stepped up its efforts in skill development in the Electronic System and Design Manufacturing sector and has entered into many MoUs to leverage its capacity and create synergy in the area of training and support services.” Dr Ashwini Kumar Sharma, MD, NIELIT, said, “The new mantra of ‘3S’ that is ‘Skill’, ‘Scale’ and ‘Speed’ defines the developmental approach of NIELIT in line with the National Policy on Information Technology aiming to make at least one individual in every household e-literate, thus helping India become a global IT hub. It is great to see technology leaders like Intel come forward and support the cause. We are sure that through MoUs like this we will be able to work together to realize the vision of a Digital India.” Debjani Ghosh, Managing Director, Intel South Asia, said, “Intel has always been committed to realizing the dream of a Digital India. Through our efforts in accelerating digital literacy in the country, we have already reached out to over 3 million citizens till date. We are proud to work with NIELIT in assessing the impact of digital literacy in the country as well as contributing to the ESDM course creation. This collaboration is a true demonstration of the government’s vision of fostering strong public private partnerships under the ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ philosophy to realize the dream of a Digital India.” More than 9 lakh candidates have been skilled by NIELIT in 2013-14 as against about 4 lakh in the previous year (2012-13). Due to high quality of standards, many universities have accorded recognition to NIELIT’s non-formal  courses, for lateral entry to formal courses such as MCA, MBA, etc.