Question map
Consider the following : 1. Aarogya Setu 2. CoWIN 3. DigiLocker 4. DIKSHA Which of the above are built on top of open-source digital platforms ?
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 4 (1, 2, 3 and 4) because all four listed applications are integral components of India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and are built using open-source software stacks.
- Aarogya Setu: The government released its source code on GitHub in 2020, making it an open-source contact-tracing app to ensure transparency and security.
- CoWIN: Built as a scalable digital platform for vaccination, the Indian government has offered CoWIN as a "digital public good" to the world, based on open-source principles.
- DigiLocker: This platform utilizes open-source technologies and provides APIs to create a paperless ecosystem for document verification.
- DIKSHA: The Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing is built on Sunbird, which is an open-source digital infrastructure designed for learning and solutions.
Since all these platforms leverage open-source frameworks to promote interoperability, scalability, and transparency, Option 4 is the most comprehensive and accurate choice.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis question tests the 'Philosophy of Architecture' rather than just the utility of the apps. While standard books mention the 'Open Source' policy for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) generally, they rarely list the tech stack for each specific app. The key was to recognize all four as pillars of 'India Stack' or 'Digital Public Goods', which by definition mandate open standards.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Is India's Aarogya Setu app built on top of an open-source digital platform?
- Statement 2: Is India's CoWIN vaccination platform built on top of an open-source digital platform?
- Statement 3: Is India's DigiLocker digital document locker built on top of an open-source digital platform?
- Statement 4: Is India's DIKSHA national digital infrastructure for education built on top of an open-source digital platform?
States a government policy pattern: new digital public infrastructure for agriculture will be built as open source, open standard and interoperable public good.
A student could infer that similar central policies or preferences for open-source/open-standards might apply to other recent government digital public goods (like health apps) and then check whether Aarogya Setu follows that pattern.
Mentions the National Digital Health Blueprint/National Digital Health Mission as the governmental digital health implementation framework.
One could check whether Aarogya Setu was developed under or aligned with this national digital health framework and whether that framework mandates open-source platforms.
Describes a broader government emphasis on building Digital Public Infrastructure (JAM Trinity etc.) as a repeatable model for public digital goods.
A student could use this pattern — that the government builds centralized digital public infrastructure — to investigate if Aarogya Setu was released as part of such infrastructure and whether those infrastructures are open-source.
Gives an example of a government 'portal' (Stand-up India) described as a digital platform built to support public programmes.
Use this example to reason that many government services are implemented as platforms/portals and then check whether the health-sector equivalent (Aarogya Setu) followed the same build-model and its licensing/open-source status.
Describes multiple government-led digital platforms for skilling and workforce mapping (PRIME, ASEEM) illustrating a pattern of creating sectoral digital platforms.
Compare these platform examples to Aarogya Setu to see if the health platform was similarly structured and whether those platforms were open-source or proprietary.
States that digital public infrastructure for agriculture will be built as open source, open standard and interoperable public good — indicating a government policy/precedent favoring open-source DPIs.
A student could infer the government’s stated preference for open-source DPIs and check whether CoWIN, as a national DPI for vaccination, follows the same policy (e.g., by looking for public code repositories or policy documents).
Mentions implementation of a National Digital Health Blueprint/National Digital Health Mission, showing that the government plans structured, centralized digital health platforms.
Using basic knowledge that CoWIN is a national health IT service, a student could compare CoWIN’s architecture to the Blueprint’s open/standards guidance to see if it aligns with open-source principles.
Describes the Stand-up India portal as a government digital platform built to support services — an example that Indian government often uses dedicated digital portals for national schemes.
A student can use this pattern (government uses portals) to expect documentation/implementation details for CoWIN and then search for whether that portal’s code or design is open-source.
Describes ASEEM and Future Skills PRIME as government digital/AI-based platforms, reinforcing that multiple government services are implemented as online platforms.
A student could treat these as examples to look for common deployment practices (open APIs, open standards, or open-source releases) and then inspect CoWIN for similar traits.
Notes SWAYAM and other government MOOC portals as free online government platforms, illustrating government use of large-scale digital public services.
Given SWAYAM is a national DPI-style service, a student might look for public licensing, repositories, or policy links for SWAYAM and analogously for CoWIN to infer openness.
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Identifies DigiLocker explicitly as one of the 'digital public goods' / 'digital repositories'.
A student could combine this with policy statements about how digital public goods should be implemented (see snippet 4) to infer likely platform design choices.
States a general rule that 'digital public infrastructure' will be built as open source, open standard and interoperable public goods.
A student could apply this rule to other items classified as digital public goods (like DigiLocker) to suspect they are/should be on open‑source platforms and then seek confirmation.
Describes the Digital India programme's broad aim to create digital governance and electronic empowerment through connected government platforms.
Using the programme's emphasis on unified digital governance, a student might expect government digital services (including DigiLocker) to follow prevailing DPI design principles such as openness and interoperability.
Mentions 'one nation, one digital platform' (DIKSHA) as an example of unified national digital platforms for public services.
This pattern of centralized/unified public platforms suggests a policy preference for common standards and possibly open implementations, which a student could check against DigiLocker's classification.
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States DIKSHA is the 'one nation, one digital platform' for school education, showing DIKSHA is a government national digital platform for education.
A student could use this to focus verification on government digital platforms (like DIKSHA) and then check whether such named national platforms adopt open‑source approaches.
Says digital public infrastructure for agriculture will be built as open source, open standard and interoperable public good, giving a government policy pattern for DPI design.
A student could infer a government tendency/policy to make digital public infrastructure open‑source and investigate whether that policy also applied to education DPI like DIKSHA.
Discusses 'Digital Public Infrastructure' as a government emphasis and pillar (JAM Trinity), indicating a broader policy focus on national digital infrastructures.
Use this to reason that DIKSHA, as a national education DPI, might follow the general DPI principles and so check official DPI design guidelines or announcements for open‑source commitments.
Describes Gati Shakti as a digital platform uniting ministries for integrated planning, illustrating examples where the government builds central digital platforms for cross‑departmental use.
Compare design/implementation practices of other central digital platforms (like Gati Shakti) to DIKSHA to see if open‑source approaches are typical or mandated.
Mentions a unified Skill India Digital platform to expand the digital ecosystem for skilling, another instance of government creating national digital platforms.
A student could examine whether this and similar platforms were built open‑source to infer patterns applicable to DIKSHA, then verify DIKSHA specifically.
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- [THE VERDICT]: Conceptual Application. Not found directly in static texts, but inferable from the 'India Stack' philosophy mentioned in Economic Survey chapters.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: 'Digital Public Infrastructure' (DPI) and 'Open Digital Ecosystems' (ODEs). The shift from building 'Systems' to building 'Public Goods'.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the underlying open blocks: Sunbird (powers DIKSHA), DIVOC (powers CoWIN certs), Beckn Protocol (powers ONDC), MOSIP (Identity), and OCEN (Credit).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not memorize the license of every app. Instead, learn the Government's Policy: The 'National Digital Health Mission' and 'NDEAR' (Education) explicitly mandate 'Open Source, Open Standard, Interoperable'. If it's a National Platform, the default architecture is Open.
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Public digital infrastructure for sectors (e.g., agriculture) is being specified to be open source and based on open standards.
High-yield for UPSC because policy choices about open-source versus proprietary platforms affect interoperability, citizen access, and governance of digital services; links to e-governance and debates on public goods and platform design. Mastering this helps answer questions on digital infrastructure design, data portability, and public policy trade-offs.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 15: Budget and Economic Survey > 1. Inclusive Development > p. 445
A scheme to implement a National Digital Health Blueprint through a National Digital Health Mission is being undertaken.
Important for questions on health governance and digitalization of health services; understanding this concept enables analysis of architecture for health apps, data governance, and integration of health platforms with broader digital public infrastructure.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 21: Sustainable Development and Climate Change > Part V: Government Reforms and Enablers > p. 622
The government has created multiple digital portals and platforms (e.g., Stand-up India portal, unified Skill India digital platform) and leverages digital identity and financial/mobile penetration (JAM) as digital infrastructure pillars.
Crucial for UPSC because it ties e-governance initiatives to economic inclusion and service delivery; mastering this helps answer questions on digital governance models, platform delivery of schemes, and intersections of technology with social policy.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 12: Indian Industry > STAND-UP INDIA > p. 401
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 15: Budget and Economic Survey > 6. Youth power > p. 447
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 15: Budget and Economic Survey > 15.2 Economic Survey 2022-23 > p. 450
Public digital infrastructure can be designed as open‑source, open‑standard and interoperable to serve as a public good.
High‑yield for UPSC because questions often test government approaches to digital governance, public goods and technology policy; it links to e‑governance, interoperability and startup ecosystems; enables answering comparative questions on open vs proprietary platforms and policy implications during crises.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 15: Budget and Economic Survey > 1. Inclusive Development > p. 445
A national digital health framework (NDHB/NDHM) is a government initiative for building digital health infrastructure.
Important for health‑policy and governance questions: it connects digital infrastructure to public health delivery, pandemic response and data governance; mastering it helps answer questions on digitalisation of health services, privacy, and platform integration.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 21: Sustainable Development and Climate Change > Part V: Government Reforms and Enablers > p. 622
Government schemes commonly use dedicated digital portals (e.g., Stand‑up India, DIKSHA) to deliver services and link stakeholders.
Useful across GS papers: shows how sectoral digital platforms operationalise policy, demonstrates interlinkages between technology and schemes (education, entrepreneurship, skilling); helps frame answers on scalability, targeting and tech choices for public service delivery.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 12: Indian Industry > STAND-UP INDIA > p. 401
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 21: Sustainable Development and Climate Change > Part V: Government Reforms and Enablers > p. 622
DigiLocker is the government's digital repository for citizen documents and part of the Digital India ecosystem.
High-yield: understanding DigiLocker clarifies e-governance mechanisms, digital identity/documentation, and links to initiatives such as e-KYC and UPI; this helps answer questions on digital public services and citizen-centric platforms.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 15: Budget and Economic Survey > 15.2 Economic Survey 2022-23 > p. 450
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Digital India: a Step Forward in e-Governance > p. 778
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Sunbird & MOSIP. DIKSHA is built on 'Sunbird' (an open-source building block). Many nations use 'MOSIP' (Modular Open Source Identity Platform) for their ID systems, developed by IIIT-B. Expect a question on these specific underlying platforms.
The 'Ecosystem Consistency' Heuristic. All four options are flagship pillars of the Prime Minister's 'Digital India' narrative. It is logically inconsistent for the government to build three on open-source and keep one proprietary while pitching them all as 'Global Digital Public Goods'. If they belong to the same 'India Stack' family, they likely share the same 'Open' DNA. Go with All of the Above.
GS-2 (International Relations): India uses these 'Open Source' platforms as Soft Power diplomacy (offering CoWIN/UPI to the Global South). Unlike Chinese proprietary tech, India offers 'Digital Public Goods' with no vendor lock-in.
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