CAG signs MoUs with IIT Madras for improving audit skill sets, sustainable audit

CAG of India signs MoUs with IIT Madras for data security, AI research, and environmental audit collaboration.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India on Monday (February 24, 2025) signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) on areas ranging from data security and governance to Artificial Intelligence-driven capacity building and research in environment audit, and the environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework.

IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti delivered a speech as part of the Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar lecture series at the CAG’s office, and spoke about how the institution and the CAG could collaborate on sharing digital technology to enhance audit work.

In his address, CAG Sanjay K. Murthy said that, soon, everything would be on digital trail and, therefore, there was a need for capacity building to ensure job effectiveness and efficiency. Among the MoUs lined up in this regard was the first with IIT Madras, in which critical fields, including cyber security and the need to update manuals and protocol systems, had been covered. It is also aimed at developing a guidance on how to audit entities increasingly having digital data.

“In the next five years, we need to ensure that I have a set of protocols. I do all this ground work that it becomes automatic when I reach out to an institution to do an audit, what is this being asked for? What do they need to prepare themselves for and how do we build a capacity to audit those entities remotely. This is one big expectation that we have from this MoU...,” the CAG said.

He said the other part of the engagement was on sustainable audit. “IIT Madras has a fantastic sustainable IIT school functioning in that premises. There is lot of work going on and we are talking about SDGs. I think we need to build our capacities to deliver good, meaningful audit for those entities,” Mr. Murthy said.

The MoU’s objective is to establish a strategic collaboration between the CAG and IIT Madras for fostering innovation, enhancing data analysis capabilities, and contribute to technology-driven governance practices. “The key focus areas are data governance and security; big data and digital infrastructure readiness; academic and research collaboration; advanced auditing practices; sustainability and governance; and joint research and development initiatives,” said the CAG.

The second MoU was signed between IIT Madras and the International Centre for Environment Audit and Sustainable Development (iCED), Jaipur. It seeks to collaborate on capacity building and research in environmental audit and ESG. “This partnership will leverage Artificial Intelligence, machine learning and other technological advancements for improving the effectiveness of these areas of auditing,” the MoU stated.