Education ministry mandates Zoho office to promote Swadeshi digital tools

In a move aimed at promoting homegrown digital solutions, the Ministry of Education has directed all its officials to use the Zoho Office Suite for official document-related tasks. The decision aligns with Prime Minister Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and the broader Swadeshi movement, focusing on digital self-reliance.

According to the Ministry’s circular, adopting Zoho’s suite of productivity tools is a strategic step toward reducing dependency on foreign software.

“By embracing Zoho’s indigenous office tools, we empower India to lead with homegrown innovation, strengthen digital sovereignty, and secure our data for a self-reliant future,” the document states.

The memorandum also highlights that this shift could bolster India’s global digital standing, supporting the country’s transition “from a service economy to a product nation.”

All staff under the Ministry are now required to create, edit, and share official documents, spreadsheets, and presentations



exclusively using Zoho Office Suite, which is now seamlessly integrated with NIC mail. Officials are encouraged to familiarise themselves with Zoho’s tools and can seek assistance from the CMIS/NIC division if needed.

Zoho Office Suite, developed by Sridhar Vembu-led Zoho Corporation, offers a comprehensive platform for documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. Key tools include Zoho Writer for documents, Zoho Sheet for spreadsheets, and Zoho Show for presentations, all stored securely on Zoho WorkDrive. With cloud-based access, users can work anytime, anywhere.

The integration with NIC mail ensures that government employees can access Zoho tools without additional logins or installations, enabling secure document handling, smoother collaboration, and more efficient workflows across departments.

The directive, digitally signed by Nishant Upadhyaya, Under Secretary to the Government of India, has been circulated to senior officials, including personal secretaries to the Education Minister and Ministers of State.