New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) In a significant step towards further strengthening India’s cyber defence capabilities, CERT-In and Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani Group have collaborated to launch Professional Development Programmes in Cybersecurity for professionals across government, public sector and industry.

An 8-week programme in cybersecurity has been designed for working professionals from government, PSUs and industry, which will be delivered by BITS Pilani through its Centre for Research Excellence in National Security (CRENS) at the Hyderabad Campus, along with its technology partner Rapifuzz, under the guidance and mentorship of CERT-In, India’s national agency for cyber incident response.

The collaboration aims to address the growing demand for structured, high-impact capacity building in cybersecurity an area of increasing importance amid evolving digital threats and cyber security challenges.

“India’s cyber resilience finds its true strength not only in using and developing indigenous cutting-edge technology, but also in developing a vibrant, highly skilled talent pool poised to meet the evolving challenges of the digital and quantum era,” said Dr. Sanjay Bahl, Director General, CERT-In.

CERT-In’s collaboration with BITS-Pilani marks yet another pivotal stride in this journey an endeavour designed to equip professionals with cutting-edge cybersecurity expertise, while fostering a dynamic synergy between evolving industry demands with academic excellence, he mentioned.

The programme will begin on July 19, and is open to professionals across domains, including those without prior coding experience, according to IT Ministry.

Upon successful completion, participants will receive a Professional Development Certificate in Cybersecurity, co-branded by CERT-In and BITS Pilani underscoring both academic rigour and national institutional recognition.

In an era of escalating cyber threats worldwide, CERT-In plays a pivotal role in safeguarding India’s digital infrastructure. Designated as the national agency for cyber incident response under Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000, from incident prevention and real-time threat mitigation to enhancing cyber resilience through Security Quality Management Services, CERT-In is at the core of India’s cyber defence strategy.

“At BITS Pilani, we view cybersecurity not only as a technological challenge, but as a national priority. This program reflects the strength of our academia-industry-government triad, and we are proud to offer it under CERT-In’s guidance,” said Professor V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani.

—IANS

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