Report Urges Government to Adopt Open Source Software

Rapid summary

• A report by professors from National Law School of India University (NLSIU) recommends stronger institutional support for Free open Source Software (FOSS) in India.
• Suggestions include enforcing existing policies promoting FOSS procurement, introducing grants for contributors, and mandating its use in Details and Communications Technology (ICT) education.
• FOSS is widely used across industries, with proprietary software mainly employed for specific functions like email services and internal applications.
• The study calls for revisions to procurement guidelines to make FOSS adoption mandatory accept in cases where no alternatives are available.
• E-governance systems have a framework supporting open source adoption since 2015; however, usage favors proprietary platforms due to concerns over accountability during cyber incidents.
• Authors recommend government funding for academic institutions contributing to key FOSS projects, citing examples like BSD Unix and PostgreSQL database developed at universities.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The report highlights critical areas where Free Open Source Software (FOSS) can deliver cost-effective solutions without compromising efficiency. Despite a decade-old framework advocating open-source adoption in e-governance systems, hesitation persists due to accountability concerns during cybersecurity incidents-a valid yet solvable issue if robust mechanisms are implemented.Promoting FOSS through updated policies and mandated use appears economically prudent as reliance on proprietary models often means recurring licensing costs.

Encouraging contributions through grants fosters intellectual freedom while simultaneously advancing technological innovation. Integrating FOSS-based ICT education would also nurture future programmers familiar with affordable tech ecosystems aligned with self-reliance goals. As India’s digital infrastructure expands rapidly, adopting such recommendations could reduce dependency on external vendors while supporting local talent progress.Read more: Original Article Link