New Delhi, May 30 (IANS): The Data Security Council of India (DSCI), a not-for-profit industry body on data protection, in partnership with the IT infrastructure services provider Kyndryl on Thursday launched a cybersecurity training programme -- Cyber Sainik, which will train 25,000 students in three years across India.

The programme, designed to protect students from cyber threats such as cyberbullying and online exploitation, will train students through grades 6 to 12 to report issues and offer them skills, tools and techniques to prevent bad actors on digital, online and social media channels.

The programme will also educate them on the best ways to protect their personal information.

"With the launch of Cyber Sainik, we will be tapping into the student community as well to make our efforts more holistic; and we would like to thank Kyndryl for joining hands in this noble initiative," Vinayak Godse, CEO, DSCI, said in a statement.

Upon course completion, the students will receive a joint certification from Kyndryl and DSCI.

"Kyndryl is committed to upskilling India’s tech talent, especially in cybersecurity, by working with local support groups to ensure the digital safety of vulnerable sections of our society," said Lingraju Sawkar, President, Kyndryl India.

As per government data, cybersecurity incidents in the country are growing faster than the global average, with 1.3 million cybersecurity incidents annually between 2020 and 2022.