The government has launched a landmark Cyber Security Innovation Challenge (CSIC) 1.0 for students and researchers to work upon real-world cyber challenges, positioning the field as a viable career path and strengthens India’s homegrown cyber resilience.
National Initiative to Build Skilled Cyber Workforce
The initiative, launched under the Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) project of MeitY, aims to building not only skilled professionals and positioning cyber security as a viable career path, but also catalysing homegrown, product-oriented solutions. S. Krishnan, IT Secretary, emphasised the need for a two-pronged national cyber security strategy expanding awareness of emerging threats while strengthening technological capabilities.
Whole-of-Nation’ Approach Needed, Says IT Secretary
He highlighted that CSIC 1.0 addresses both imperatives. Krishnan said that cyber security demands a 'whole-of-nation' approach, echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a 'whole-of-government' strategy. Acknowledging the collaborative presence of MeitY, CERT-In, NSCS, AICTE, C-DAC, DSCI, and leaders from academia and industry, he stressed the importance of nurturing winning ideas beyond the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage, creating pathways for them to evolve into scalable solutions through collaboration with startups and industry partners.
Five-Stage Innovation Structure Explained
Vinayak Godse, CEO, Data Security Council of India, provided an engaging walkthrough of CSIC 1.0's five-stage structure and extensive problem statements, developed through months of intense deliberation between DSCI, C-DAC, and the ISEA team. He highlighted that this first-of-its-kind initiative enables students and researchers to innovate and develop entrepreneurial mindsets from the early stages. Professor V Kamakoti, Director IIT Madras, mentioned that the innovation challenge under ISEA Project highlights our enhanced understanding of core challenges and positions us to craft transformative solutions.
ERT-In Stresses Shift to Proactive Security
The 10 domain specific problem statements highlight areas which are aligned to the cyber security needs of the nation and require fresh, innovative thinking. Dr Sanjay Bahl, Director General, CERT-In, highlighted ISEA's critical role in fostering innovation that shifts the paradigm from reactive defense to proactive security. He noted that the Innovation Challenge creates a vital platform uniting R&D, academia, and industry, with solutions from academic institutions envisioned to reach the market as deployable products.
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