CAG, IIT Madras Launch Certification Programme To Build Digital Audit Skills

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and IIT Madras on Thursday launched a foundation-level Certification on Audit of Digital Systems (CADS), aimed at strengthening the skills needed to audit increasingly complex digital government and enterprise systems.

Launched through SWAYAM Plus, the programme seeks to address the growing demand for professionals capable of auditing digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence, cloud platforms and data-driven services.

Speaking at the launch event at the IIT Madras campus, CAG K Sanjay Murthy said the ability to audit digital systems was essential to fulfilling the constitutional mandate of the institution and supporting good governance.

“As government becomes increasingly digital, our audit must be capable of giving assurances on the robustness of the systems,” Murthy said. He added that the certification would eventually become a mandatory requirement for officers auditing digital systems.

Murthy also presented course completion certificates to the first batch of CAG officials who completed a nine-month programme at IIT Madras covering Data Analytics, AI, Machine Learning and Cybersecurity.

IIT Madras Director Prof V Kamakoti said the initiative was aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, particularly its focus on inclusive, skill-based education and addressing industry skill gaps to improve governance.

The curriculum has been jointly developed by experts from the CAG, IIT Madras and IITM Pravartak. It is aligned with the NEP and National Credit Framework (NCrF), allowing learners to earn academic credits.

The four-month, fully online programme is open to undergraduate students and degree holders across India. While classes are conducted online, assessments will be held through in-person, proctored Computer-Based Tests.

The course covers public audit and five key domains Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Information Systems, Digital Public Platforms & Privacy, and AI.

The certification is planned as the first stage of a three-tier pathway, with proficient- and expert-level programmes to be introduced later. The initiative is also expected to expand its enrolment to participants from other countries.