NIXI announces launch of its Internet Governance Internship, Capacity Building Scheme

Launched by S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Chairman of NIXI, the program aims to build awareness and develop expertise in internet governance (IG) among Indian citizens.

The Ministry added that the program aims to equip participants with the knowledge to effectively engage in global internet governance processes with I-Star organisations like Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Internet Society or Information Security Operations Center (ISOC), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and collaborate closely with leading experts in the field.

It will nurture a pool of domestic talent who can deeply engage with emerging internet governance issues and contribute to their resolution, the Ministry's release added.

The program offers a bi-annual internship with two parallel tracks: a six-month program and a three-month program. Each intern will be mentored by subject matter experts from international organisations like ICANN APNIC or APTLD, members from Special Interest Group, high-ranked retired government officials and faculty advisors from recognised institutions/universities. A fixed stipend of Rs 20,000 per month will be provided to interns along with support to conduct mandatory outreach programs, according to the release.

S Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, GOI and Chairman, NIXI, expressed his enthusiasm regarding the internship, he said, " We need people from different fields who can dedicate time to internet governance and represent the real concerns of our society. Our goal is to inspire young minds to learn, grow, and use their knowledge to make a positive impact in their organisations and communities, helping the internet grow in a fair and inclusive way."He further added that the scheme is set to shape the next generation of tech policy leaders & Internet Governance experts.

"Today's generation values experience over traditional stable jobs. NIXI's Internet Governance Internship is a great opportunity for youth passionate about digital policy, providing global exposure," Krishnan added.

Set up on June 19, 2003, the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) is a not-for-profit (Section 8) company under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India.

It is tasked with increasing Internet penetration and adoption in India by facilitating various infrastructure aspects to enable the Internet ecosystem to be managed and used by the masses. (ANI)