3 min readNew DelhiAug 28, 2026 01:13 PM IST
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have launched the Certification on Audit of Digital Systems (CADS), a new programme aimed at building skills in auditing digital government and enterprise systems. The Foundation-level certification was launched on August 27 through SWAYAM Plus.
The four-month programme will be delivered fully online and is open to anyone holding or pursuing an undergraduate degree in India. The course is designed to provide learners with specialised skills to assess digital systems and support transparency, accountability and governance as governments and organisations increasingly rely on digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud platforms and data-driven services.
The CADS curriculum covers six core areas. Public Audit forms the foundation of the programme, followed by specialised domains covering Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Information Systems, Digital Public Platforms and Privacy, and Artificial Intelligence. Together, these areas are intended to provide learners with an understanding of the different aspects involved in auditing modern digital systems.
The programme combines online learning with practical case studies, self-assessment modules and audit scenarios based on industry requirements. Learners will be assessed through proctored computer-based tests (CBTs), which will be conducted in person. The programme is hosted on the IITM Pravartak Learning Management System through SWAYAM Plus.
The curriculum has been jointly developed by domain experts from CAG, IIT Madras and IITM Pravartak. It is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and National Credit Framework (NCrF), and provides recognised academic credits along with professional training in digital systems auditing.
CADS is also planned as a three-tier certification pathway. After the Foundation level, learners will be able to progress to Proficient and Expert-level certifications. The pathway is intended to take learners from basic digital audit competencies to the ability to handle complex, multi-domain digital audit engagements.
The programme is designed as a geography-neutral certification, with the long-term plan to extend it to participants outside India as well. It is aimed at developing professionals who can work with emerging technologies and understand the audit challenges associated with increasingly digital public and private sector systems.
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The launch was held at the IIT Madras campus on August 27, with CAG officials, IIT Madras faculty and other stakeholders in attendance. CAG Comptroller and Auditor General K. Sanjay Murthy and IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti were among those present.
The collaboration between CAG and IIT Madras brings together the former’s experience in public-sector auditing with the institute’s academic and technical expertise. The certification is intended to build a wider pool of professionals with skills in areas such as cybersecurity, AI, information systems and digital platforms, which are increasingly relevant to the audit of technology-driven services.
At the launch, CAG also distributed course completion certificates to officials who had participated in an IIT Madras certification course on Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity. A learning showcase featured audit applications and use cases developed by CAG officials, demonstrating how digital skills can be applied to public-sector auditing.