In News:

The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) announced the launch of its Internet Governance Internship and Capacity Building Scheme. This program aims to build awareness and develop expertise in internet governance (IG) among Indian citizens.

Key Highlights:

Objective:

To develop awareness and build a skilled pool of professionals in Internet Governance (IG) in India, enabling active Indian participation in global digital policy platforms.

Key Features:

• Internship Format:
  • Bi-annual internship with two tracks: 3-month and 6-month durations
  • Mentorship by experts from:
    • International bodies (e.g., ICANN, APNIC, APTLD)
    • Academic institutions and retired officials
• Stipend: ?20,000/month
• Outreach Component: Mandatory awareness programs to be conducted by interns

Focus Areas:

• Engagement with I-Star organizations, such as:
  • ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers)
  • ISOC (Internet Society)
  • IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
  • IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force)
• Exposure to global best practices and policy mechanisms in digital governance
• Capacity building for inclusive participation in emerging internet issues

Significance:

• Promotes digital policy leadership among Indian youth
• Enhances India’s representation in global internet governance dialogues
• Fosters a tech-savvy and policy-aware workforce for digital India initiatives

About NIXI (National Internet Exchange of India):

• Established: 19 June 2003
• Type: Not-for-profit (Section 8 company)
• Parent Ministry: MeitY
• Mandate:
  • Enhance internet adoption and digital infrastructure in India
• Key Services:

• Internet Exchange Points (IXPs): Facilitate domestic internet traffic exchange
• .IN Registry: Manage India’s country code top-level domain (.in)
• IRINN: Allocate IPv4 and IPv6 resources within India

Capacity Building & Training: Promote internet-related knowledge and skills