The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) has launched its Internet Governance Internship and Capacity Building Scheme. S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Chairman of NIXI, unveiled the program.
The initiative aims to raise awareness and develop expertise in internet governance among Indian citizens. It hopes to equip participants with the knowledge to effectively engage in global Internet governance processes with organizations such as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Internet Society (ISOC), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). The program seeks to nurture domestic talent capable of addressing emerging internet governance issues and contributing to their resolutions.
Nurturing domestic internet governance talent
Krishnan emphasized the importance of the scheme, stating: “We need people from different fields who can dedicate time to internet governance and represent the real concerns of our society.
We aim to inspire young minds to learn, grow, and use their knowledge to positively impact their organizations and communities, helping the internet develop fairly and inclusively.”
The program offers bi-annual internships divided into six-month and three-month tracks. Each intern will be mentored by subject matter experts from international organizations such as ICANN, APNIC, or APTLD, as well as high-ranked retired government officials and faculty advisors from recognized institutions. The interns will receive a stipend of Rs 20,000 per month and support for conducting mandatory outreach programs.
Krishnan added, “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. The scheme is set to shape the next generation of tech policy leaders & Internet Governance experts.
NIXI, established on June 19, 2003, is a not-for-profit organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India.
It aims to increase Internet penetration and adoption in India by facilitating various infrastructure aspects, enabling a manageable and usable Internet ecosystem for the masses.
