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[[Image:Logo of NRCFOSS.JPG|thumb|right|Logo of NRCFOSS]]
'''National Resource Centre for Free/Open Source Software''' ('''NRCFOSS''') is an organisation created and financed in [[India]] by the Department of Information Technology, [[Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (India)|Ministry of Communication and Information Technology]], [[Government of India]] in April 2005.<ref>[http://mit.gov.in/default.aspx?id=706 Department of Information Technology, Free/ Open Source Software (FOSS) Initiative] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090129151319/http://mit.gov.in/default.aspx?id=706 |date=2009-01-29 }} (Retrieved on 30 October 2008).</ref>

It is jointly administered by the Chennai Division of [[Centre for Development of Advanced Computing]] (C-DAC) and the [[Anna University K B Chandrashekar Research Centre|AU-KBC Research Centre]] of [[Anna University]].

Some state governments, for example [[Kerala]], already have programmes to popularize [[FOSS]] among the masses especially among the students. The founding of NRCFOSS is the first initiative by the Government of India in the direction of making efforts for increasing the acceptance of [[FOSS]] at a national level. NRCFOSS is designed to give a boost to the efforts to popularize [[FOSS]] products among lay computer users of India.<ref>"Digital Review of Asia-Pacific 2007-2008", CRDI, [http://www.idrc.ca/fr/ev-127122-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html] (Retrieved on 28 October 2008).</ref>

==Objectives==

NRCFOSS is mandated to work in areas related to Free/Open Source Software basically with the following objectives:<ref>Anna University documents on NRCFOSS [http://www.au-kbc.org/nrcf/about.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080703220133/http://www.au-kbc.org/nrcf/about.htm |date=2008-07-03 }}, [http://www.au-kbc.org/nrcf/index.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081109032818/http://www.au-kbc.org/nrcf/index.htm |date=2008-11-09 }} (Retrieved on 28 Oct 08)</ref>
* [[Human resources|Human resource]] development by
**training engineering teachers in the formal sector
**giving support to educational agencies in the nonformal sector.
* [[Technology development|Development of technology]], tools and solutions by
**making available certified tools to industry and users
**creating a [[information repository|repository]] of [[information]] on [[resources]].
* [[Internationalization and localization|Localisation]] for Indian languages by
**enhancing the presence and visibility of Indian Languages on the web
**coordinating with various local language communities.
* Policy formulation and global networking by
**providing support to the Government and other agencies in policy and program formulation
**joining global networks, especially with similarly placed nations, and participating in international events.
* [[Entrepreneurship]] development by
**creating appropriate [[business models]].

==Initial achievements ==

NRCFOSS has caused the introduction of elective papers in FOSS in the syllabi and curriculum of Anna University.<ref>[http://www.gnulinux.in/files/Download162/Presentations/NCOSS(Ahmedabad_2007)/CNKrishnan_NRCFOSS_CII_FOSS.pdf NRCFOSS: Presentation by C N Krishnan]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (Retrieved on 30 October 2008).</ref>
The syllabi is applicable to around 250 engineering colleges affiliated to Anna University. It has prepared the entire course material for these elective papers and made it available for free download.<ref>"[http://www.nrcfoss.org.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=91 Introduction to Linux: Installation and Programming]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}", Edited by Dr.N.B.Venkateswarlu, NRCFOSS Series, BS Publications, Hyderabad. {{ISBN|81-7800-113-6}}.</ref><ref>"[http://www.iosn.net/south-asia/countries/india/news/south-asians-for-regional-co-operation/view South Asians for regional co-operation]", International Open Source Network (Retrieved on 28 October 2008)</ref>

NRCFOSS has organized a series of workshops and seminars in different parts of India to popularize the idea of FOSS. It developed the FOSS Lab Server as an archive of various resources that are essential for the students taking FOSS courses.<ref>[http://www.nrcfoss.org.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=124&Itemid=110 FOSS Lab Server]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (Retrieved on 28 October 2008).</ref>

It contains source code, documentation and mailing list archives. NRCFOSS developed [[Bharat Operating System Solutions]] a Linux distribution made specifically for the Indian environment.

The latest version of this Free/Open Source Software, BOSS GNU/Linux v10.0, was released on 18 March 2024.<ref>https://bosslinux.in/bosssecurity</ref> This software supports eighteen Indian languages out of a total of twenty-two [[Languages of India|constitutionally recognized languages]] in India at the desktop level.<ref>[http://www.cdac.in/index.aspx?id=prs_rl179 ”C-DAC launches BOSS Linux version 3.0”], C-DAC Press release dated 4 September 08 (Retrieved on 28 Oct 08)</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20211218181139/http://nrcfoss.org.in/}}
* [http://www.bosslinux.in/ Bharat Operating System Solutions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110308062426/http://bosslinux.in/ |date=2011-03-08 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nrcfoss}}
[[Category:Information technology organisations based in India]]
[[Category:Free and open-source software organizations]]
[[Category:Non-profit organisations based in India]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 2005]]
[[Category:Information technology in India]]

National Resource Centre for Free/Open Source Software - Revision history

Raunak Shankhwar: done