Atos collaborates with NASSCOM Foundation to launch NDLM Centres

Atos and NASSCOM Foundation have jointly announced the launch of National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) centres dedicated to training and imparting digital literacy at Vadodara (Gujarat). The NDLM centres will conduct skill development programmes in the area of Information Technology for the aspiring persons interested to undertake IT literacy programmes.

Atos, in collaboration with NASSCOM Foundation, will endeavour to leverage the IT training as envisaged under the NDLM Scheme with the objectives of appreciation of Digital Literacy – that aims to make a person IT literate, so that he/she can operate digital devices like mobile phones, tablets among other electronic devices and send and receive emails and search the internet for information, among other things.

Atos in India will facilitate the training infrastructure and the trainers at these NDLM centres with the help of NASSCOM nominated NGOs at its respective location centres. These centres together will provide training on all digital devices, specifically computers and mobile phones. Once trained, the beneficiaries will be able to send emails, connect on social media, buy from e-commerce websites, and will even know how to use internet to avail various government services such as registering for Aadhaar Cards, Ration Cards, PAN Cards, and such other internet-enabled services.

Surendrasinh Gohil, SVP & Head Global Delivery Centres for Infrastructure & Data Management Division, said, “As a leading international digital services company, we are pleased to announce our association with the NASSCOM Foundation in accomplishing the larger goal of Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (DISHA) or also known as NDLM Scheme. The mission is both aspiring and ambitious in its scale to train the non-IT literate citizens to become IT literate. A sound foundation starts with a modest beginning. This is quite an enabling initiative across India. We are confident that this initiative will help a part of the society, otherwise it wouldn’t have been able to access the opportunities offered by the Digital economy in India. We are happy to partner with the NASSCOM Foundation and Deepak Foundation in this initiative and look forward to make this community service a success for Vadodara citizens.”

Shrikant Sinha, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation, said, “We believe that digital literacy is one of the most potent tools for the empowerment of the underserved communities in today's digital and cashless economy. Working in partnership with Atos, NASSCOM Foundation is proud to announce the launch of four new centres across India, taking the total Atos Centre count to eight. Being digitally literate would help the citizens access services as Vadodara leaps forward in its journey towards becoming a smart city.”

The National Digital Literacy Mission is a far-sighted, dynamic and integrated platform of digital literacy awareness, education and capacity creation programme that will help rural and the under-served communities to fully participate in the global digital economy. NASSCOM Foundation is the industry partner to the Government of India to accomplish the first phase goal for NDLM or “DISHA” by making 52.5 lakh individuals in India digitally literate in the next four years.