Imagine a world, where a layperson with at least a high school education can earn a minimum of 1 lakh Nepali rupees. Staying at home, close by with their family, not only are families intact but the country is also advancing technologically. Imagine Nepal as a country that attracts and fosters technology-based businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups all across the globe. Imagine large tech companies recruiting Nepali tech employees in drives. Imagine Nepal’s home-grown applications taking over App Stores and Play Stores across the globe.

That imagination is not far from reality. That imagination can become Nepal’s future in the next ten years. For that, we need to upgrade our entire tech ecosystem, from investments in education, and digital infrastructure to laying down necessary legal frameworks.

   Education: How well is our education system contributing to students’ employability? Investment in education should focus on skills and employability of students post-graduation. Generating human resources deft at technological skills through informal education and trainings by organizing bootcamps will be prioritized. Graduates of such bootcamps will be guided through hiring processes across various tech jobs.

   Legal frameworks: What kind of taxation laws are necessary to encourage people to engage in tech companies? What kind of tax incentives for investors, grants for startups, and government-backed loans or guarantees are crucial? What kind of policies on data centers, data storage, cybersecurity, digital signature, cloud, etc should be created?

As part of our larger goal of introducing a bill catering to the information technology sector, we completed our first IT Bill Hackathon on March 18, 2023.

What is a Bill Hackathon?

BillHackathon is an innovative event that aims to democratize the process of law-making in Nepal and give the general public a voice in this critical process. Democracy requires equal participation from all citizens, yet all too often the general public is left out of the law-making process. Bill Hackathon is conceptualized so the general public is involved in the law-drafting process and they are aware of the laws’ ramifications.

In this event, we brought stakeholders of the IT industry to engage in an open and productive discourse about the Information Technology Bill, 2075.

Learnings and Reflections of the first IT Bill Hackathon:

1. Here is the link to a google form where you can send us your problems in the IT sector. Please use your research facilities and try to give us as detailed information as you can. Besides, if you could refer to the relevant laws, that would be very helpful.
   Link: https://forms.gle/4bP84chyrBFLpzJs9
2. Here you will also find a document on all the amendment proposals we received on Saturday: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-DXig8Y8GL8C8tc2CQw81MTehjYJ_YMOLphTRE-hW24/edit?usp=sharing
3. Please utilize your individual consulting lawyers to list all the acts and cabinet decisions that touch your industry, so we can advocate for required changes in those as well. Link to submit: https://forms.gle/Me4NJRyAootC44M16
4. International benchmark on IT policies across the world, such as India, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Korea, etc. As Anish ji shared, perhaps each of you can take on researching one country. That way, we will have sufficient information to understand how other countries are tackling this complex and evolving sector. Link to submit: https://forms.gle/HF2tCv88zfXe9dQK9

We have started laying down the foundations for the IT bill in Nepal. Come get in touch with us and support us with your resources and skills!