From files to algorithms, experts discuss digital governance at summit

What does the future look like when governance, technology and careers collide? At The Hindu and SRM Institute of Science and Technology Future Career Conversations Series held on Thursday, the answers were both exciting and intriguing.

Moderated by Kunal Shankar, Deputy Business Editor at The Hindu, the session brought together voices from governance, law and technology to unpack a rapidly shifting landscape.

“We’ve come to a stage where all our land records are digitised,” said Atulya Misra, State Information Commissioner, Tamil Nadu, pointing to the scale at which digitalisation has already taken root. But the real test, he suggested, lies ahead, especially in systems such as the judiciary, burdened with nearly six crore pending cases.

Artificial intelligence, he noted, could begin to change that equation. “Where we once processed 6,000 out of 30,000 files, today we are able to process 29,000,” he said, describing a shift that is less about replacement and more about augmentation. AI may assist in delivering preliminary judgments, with human intervention stepping in where it matters most.

Pursuit of instant governance

“Is it possible for you to imagine a situation where no one visits a government office,” asked Santhosh Babu, Principal Secretary and MD, KITFRA, Kerala government.

For him, the promise of generative AI is simple, “The idea is to free time for people.” Yet, he pointed out a contradiction, that while governments prescribe systems for efficiency, they often fail to follow them internally.

In an age defined by immediacy, he argued, governance must evolve to match the expectations of a generation that lives “by the minute, by the second.” Seamless services, like something as routine as generating a marriage certificate, are no longer just aspirational, but they are expected instantaneously.

The cost of scale

Delving into the concerns around data privacy and the cost of losing citizen data, Dr. Babu called India “very underinvested” in privacy protections, and stressed the need for stronger systems, even as digital governance expands.

Highlighting the legal aspect, P. Sree Sudha, Dean, SRM School of Law, spoke about how global frameworks, particularly in Europe, empower citizens to question how their data is used. India, too, is moving in that direction, with data localisation norms and cybersecurity regulations beginning to take shape. The implication for students, she noted, is clear: the future will demand not just domain knowledge, but adaptability.

For Murali Sundaram, senior technology consultant, head – Special Interest Group for AI, IIT Madras Research Park, the takeaway for the young was direct. “You and you alone can do it for yourself,” he said. With technology entering a phase of abundance, the real differentiator will be the ability to solve problems. If the session made one thing clear, it is this: the future is not waiting, it is already here, faster, smarter, and asking harder questions than ever before.

Published – April 02, 2026 10:57 pm IST