PIB Summary - 20th June 2025 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

From grocery payments to smart classrooms, resilient internet is the foundation of resilient India as we complete 20 years: NIXI

National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) at 20: Backbone of Digital India

• NIXI Overview: Established on June 19, 2003, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), NIXI has been pivotal in shaping India's digital landscape.
• 20-Year Celebration: In 2025, NIXI celebrated two decades of operation, marking this achievement with "NIXI Day."
• Internet Exchange Points: NIXI operates 77 Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) nationwide, facilitating local routing of internet traffic.

Key Roles and Contributions

• Faster, Safer & Localised Internet:
  • Domestic Traffic: Keeping internet traffic within India reduces latency and increases speed while enhancing data security and resilience.
  • Cyber-Sovereignty: By reducing reliance on foreign servers, NIXI strengthens India’s cyber-sovereignty.
• Silent Enabler of Everyday Digital Life:
  • Essential Services: NIXI facilitates crucial services such as UPI payments, e-commerce, telemedicine, smart classrooms, and online governance.
  • COVID-19 Support: During the pandemic, NIXI played a vital role in ensuring the continuity of healthcare, education, and e-governance services.
• Strengthening Rural India:
  • Global Market Access: NIXI enables small businesses in rural areas to access global markets.
  • E-Governance: The organization assists in penetrating e-governance services in remote areas, promoting inclusion and transparency.

Digital Infrastructure and Resilience

• Trustworthy Infrastructure: NIXI provides disaster-resilient and stable networks essential during cyberattacks, cable failures, or natural disasters, ensuring national digital continuity.
• IPv6 Transition:NIXI’s IRINN division is leading the migration to IPv6, which is vital for:
  • Integration of smart devices and the Internet of Things (IoT)
  • Expanding the addressable internet space
  • Developing a future-ready internet architecture
• Linguistic and Digital Inclusion:
  • Domain Names: NIXI offers domain names in Indian languages (.भारत), promoting vernacular adoption and digital inclusion.
  • Support for Small ISPs: NIXI assists small Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to expand their reach in underserved regions.

Vision for the Future

• Resilient Internet Vision: NIXI envisions an internet that is locally routed, globally credible, and future-ready.
• NIXI’s Future Roadmap:
  • AI-powered traffic routing for efficiency
  • Establishing disaster-resilient IXPs in underserved areas
  • Collaborating with global governance bodies
  • Promoting vernacular domain names to enhance grassroots digital participation

Quote: “A resilient internet is the foundation of a resilient India.” – Dr. Devesh Tyagi, CEO, NIXI 

ECI marks several firsts in Bye-polls: Mobile Deposit Facility; Upgraded VTR sharing process; 100% Webcasting of Polling Stations

 Context 

Bye-elections were held on June 19, 2025, in five Assembly Constituencies across Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab, and West Bengal, involving a total of 1,354 polling stations. The Election Commission of India (ECI) introduced several innovative reforms for the first time during this process.

Key Firsts Introduced by ECI

Mobile Deposit Facility at Polling Stations

• This initiative was introduced to help voters deposit their mobile phones before entering the polling booth, ensuring compliance with polling guidelines that prohibit mobile use inside stations.
• The facility was particularly beneficial for women, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities (PwD) voters.
• The mobile deposit was implemented using pigeonhole boxes or jute bags at the entrance of polling stations, with volunteers assisting voters, reflecting a voter-friendly reform.

Upgraded Voter Turnout Reporting (VTR) System

• The earlier VTR system relied on manual data relay by Sector Officers, leading to delayed updates often until 10–11 PM.
• The new system allows Presiding Officers to update VTR directly via the ECINET App every two hours, providing real-time updates at the constituency level.
• Final turnout data is now entered before leaving the polling station, and the offline functionality ensures operability in areas with poor network access.
• This upgrade results in faster and more transparent dissemination of voter turnout trends.

100% Webcasting of Polling Process

• All polling stations, except one, were covered by live surveillance through webcasting, enabling real-time monitoring at the levels of Returning Officers (RO), District Election Officers (DEO), and Chief Electoral Officers (CEO).
• This initiative ensures the integrity of the election process, discouraging malpractices and reflecting the use of technology for free and fair elections.

Individual Mock Poll Training

• All Presiding Officers received individualized mock poll training, enhancing professionalism and efficiency in polling duties.

Special Summary Revision (SSR) of Electoral Rolls

• For the first time in 20 years, a Special Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls was conducted before the bye-polls, ensuring updated and accurate voter rolls, which improves electoral credibility.

Significance

•  The pilot reforms introduced by the ECI during the bye-elections are expected to be scaled up for upcoming major elections, such as the Bihar Assembly Elections. 
•  These reforms highlight the ECI's focus on technological innovation, voter convenience, data transparency, and electoral integrity.