DoT launches Sanchar Mitra scheme nationwide to empower youth as 'Digital Ambassadors'

Time of India

4 days ago

New Delhi: The
Department of Telecommunications
(DoT), Ministry of Communications on Friday, launched the
Sanchar Mitra Scheme
nationwide, aiming to harness the potential of student volunteers as "
Digital Ambassadors
" to promote
telecom awareness
and
digital literacy
.
Assam LSA, the DoT's field office, hosted the first outreach session under the expanded scheme at BSNL Bhawan, Guwahati, bringing together representatives from premier engineering institutions, including IIT, IIIT, and NIT. The interactive session focused on onboarding institutions and students into the initiative, designed to bridge the gap between citizens and the telecom ecosystem.
The event was chaired by Sunita Chandra, Advisor, Office of DG Telecom, who emphasised the importance of youth in connecting telecom services with public welfare.
"The aim of the system was to build a bridge between DoT initiatives, telecom services, and various citizen-centric efforts. It's about ensuring that our users, customers, and the public function better. We also wanted to harness the energy and services of young students from universities and colleges," she said.
Suresh Puri, Additional Director General, Assam LSA, highlighted the three core pillars of the scheme, Connect, Educate, Innovate, underlining the need for secure, responsible, and inclusive telecom use.
Hemendra Kumar Sharma, Deputy Director General (Media), elaborated on the role of telecom in shaping India's transition from a consumer to a global provider of cutting-edge technologies.
Launched by Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, the revamped Sanchar Mitra Scheme has evolved from a pilot into a scalable national movement. Volunteers will be trained to spread awareness on digital safety, cyber fraud prevention, EMF radiation, and responsible mobile usage. They will also gain exposure to emerging telecom technologies like 5G, 6G, AI, and cybersecurity.
Students selected as Sanchar Mitras will undergo structured training by experts from the National Communications Academy-Technology (NCA-T) and DoT's Media Wing. Top performers will be rewarded with internships, national project participation, and opportunities at platforms such as India Mobile Congress.
This youth-centric initiative underscores India's commitment to building a digitally empowered society, aligning with the country's leadership in Democracy, Demography, digitisation, and Delivery.