Microsoft partners with Indian government to enhance computer literacy of civil servants

New Delhi, Aug 11: Microsoft has partnered with the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), and Capacity Building Commission (CBC) to enhance the functional computer literacy of nearly 2.5 million civil servants of the Government of India. The project will digitally empower them to provide efficient and effective citizen-centric services to the vulnerable and underprivileged sections of society, the company said in a statement, according to news agency PTI.

Within the project, the training will include job roles such as section officers, assistant section officers, clerks, upper division clerks, lower division clerks, under secretaries, deputy secretaries, and equivalent officers at senior, junior and supporting levels in the central government entities.

CBC has undertaken the capacity building plans for the ministries of Defence, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Expenditure, Finance, Social Justice, Civil Aviation, Ports and Shipping, and Labour.

One of the major competency gaps identified among these job roles was the lack of digital productivity application skills needed while working on Microsoft Office tools like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint presentation, at a professional level, the statement said.

"Therefore, training programmes under the partnership will be enabled for the officials to upgrade their digital productivity skills, so that they can fulfil their roles effectively in various ministries," the statement said.

Meanwhile, India is all set to roll out the long-awaited high-speed 5G services in about a month, Minister of State for Telecom Devusinh Chauhan said.

"In about a month, 5G mobile services will roll out in the country, which will have multiplier effects on the development of all sectors. A 6G Technology Innovations Group, has also been set up, which is working towards the development of indigenous 6G stack," Chauhan said.

He said that the government is promoting, the indigenously designed, developed and manufactured advanced telecom technology, and as a result, India today has a strong home-grown 5G mobile communications ecosystem.