SANCHAR MITRA SCHEME

SANCHAR MITRA SCHEME

• The Sanchar Mitra Scheme, launched by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), was discussed in the Lok Sabha on 10 December 2025.
• In addition, DoT rolled out the scheme nationwide, expanding it from a pilot initiative into a full-scale national programme to empower youth as digital ambassadors.

BACKGROUND

• The Sanchar Mitra Scheme was initially piloted in select institutions.
• After a positive response and visible impact, it has now been scaled up for nationwide implementation across all States and Union Territories.
• The scheme aims to harness India’s Yuva Shakti to strengthen digital literacy, telecom awareness, and cyber safety at the grassroots level.

WHAT IS THE SANCHAR MITRA SCHEME?

The Sanchar Mitra Scheme is a volunteer-based digital outreach programme of the DoT.

Under this scheme

• University and college students are nominated as Sanchar Mitras.
• These students act as digital ambassadors.
• They bridge the gap between:
  • Government telecom initiatives
  • Telecom service providers
  • Citizens

VISION & PHILOSOPHY

The scheme reflects India’s broader vision of leadership in:

• Democracy
• Demography
• Digitization
• Delivery

As described by the Union Minister for Communications, the scheme transforms youth energy into responsible digital participation.

OBJECTIVES

The main objectives are to:

• Promote digital empowerment and literacy
• Create awareness about citizen-centric telecom services
• Prevent telecom and cyber frauds
• Promote mobile security and cyber hygiene
• Address public concerns related to EMF radiation
• Encourage responsible and safe telecom usage

THREE PILLARS OF THE SCHEME

The Sanchar Mitra Scheme is built on three pillars:

1. Connect : Linking citizens with telecom services and government initiatives
2. Educate : Creating awareness about digital safety, cyber fraud prevention, and telecom rights
3. Innovate : Encouraging youth-driven solutions and awareness models.

ROLE OF SANCHAR MITRAS

Sanchar Mitras are expected to:

• Conduct awareness drives in:
  • Communities
  • Educational institutions
  • Public spaces
• Educate citizens on:
  • Digital safety
  • Cyber fraud prevention
  • Mobile security practices
  • EMF radiation awareness
• Engage with:
  • Local communities
  • NGOs
  • Grassroots institutions

They act as catalysts for informed and responsible digital behaviour.

ELIGIBILITY & PARTICIPATION

The scheme is open to students from institutions that:

• Offer courses in:
  • Telecom
  • Electronics
  • Computer science
  • Cyber security or related fields
• Are identified in consultation with local DoT field units and LSA offices

Current status:

• Implemented across all States and Union Territories
• 222 institutions are participating nationwide

IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISM

• Nodal Ministry: Department of Telecommunications
• Execution: Through LSA field offices of DoT
• Training support:
  • National Communications Academy – Technology (NCA-T)
  • DoT Media Wing

TRAINING & CAPACITY BUILDING

Sanchar Mitras receive structured training in:

• Digital safety and cyber hygiene
• Telecom fraud prevention
• EMF radiation standards and awareness
• Emerging technologies such as:
  • 5G
  • 6G
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cyber security

This training prepares students for real-world digital outreach

YOUTH EXPOSURE & OPPORTUNITIES

To encourage excellence, Sanchar Mitras are:

• Periodically assessed on:
  • Outreach impact
  • Innovation
  • Consistency

Outstanding performers may receive:

• Internship opportunities
• Participation in national telecom projects
• Exposure through India Mobile Congress
• Engagement with international bodies such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

EXAMPLE

As part of the first major outreach:

• Assam LSA partnered with 18 engineering institutions
• Institutions included IIT, IIIT, NIT, and other engineering colleges
• An interactive session was held at BSNL Bhawan, Guwahati
• Senior DoT officials briefed institutions on the scheme’s structure and goals

This shows the state-level rollout model of the scheme

STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE SCHEME

For Citizens

• Better awareness of telecom services and rights
• Reduced vulnerability to cyber and telecom frauds
• Improved digital safety

For Youth

• Leadership and community engagement
• Exposure to emerging telecom technologies
• Skill development aligned with Digital India

For India

• Strengthens digital governance
• Supports secure and inclusive digitization
• Builds a skilled telecom and research-ready workforce.

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