Who Can Apply

To be eligible for the NextCSO2022 award, all applicants should meet the following criteria:
1. Be a resident of India at the time of application.
2. Not be a past NextCSO award winner (However, past winners of NEXT100 and ITNEXT Technology Awards can apply for the NextCSO award).
3. Have a minimum of 7 (seven) years of full-time work experience.
4. Experience in information and data security, risk management, compliance, governance and related areas will be advantageous, but not essential.
5. Be currently employed in a company or organization (cannot be self-employed).
6. Fill in the application form completely, including the declaration.
7. Not submit multiple applications/entries for the NextCSO award.
8. Provide valid documentation and proof to support the personal information and work experience details, as and when requested by CSOForum for verification.
9. Agree to allow CSOForum and/or its duly authorized representatives, verify application data directly and independently at any stage of the program, including with referees and work supervisor(s).
10. Grant CSOForum the right to authorize the downloading and printing of application information and related communications, or any portion thereof, for evaluation purposes.
11. Undertake to obtain the necessary permissions and releases from his/her employer to participate in the NextCSO selection process, and award ceremony.
NOTE: Employees, officers, directors, agents, representatives, family members of 9.9 Group Pvt Ltd, its subsidiaries, affiliates, program partners, advertising and promotional agencies are not eligible to apply for, and receive the NextCSO awards.

Why Appy

By applying for the NextCSO award (which is free of cost), you get the following benefits:
1. Free analysis report of your personality traits and leadership styles from one of the world's leading evaluation companies, Central Test of France.
2. Exclusive invitations to attend a variety of training workshops and programs on leading-edge developments in information security.
3. Opportunities to interact with India’s leading CSOs and information security thought leaders.
4. Be recognized in the commemorative book that is circulated among hundreds of top organizations in India, if you qualify for the NextCSO award.
5. As a NextCSO award winner, receive personalized advice, guidance and mentoring from top CSOs.

How To Apply

To apply for the NextCSO award, you need to register on this site. There is NO application fee for registering or participating in the NextCSO awards process. Registration will enable you to track the progress of your NextCSO application, download white papers and case studies, and get other useful information.
1. To start your NextCSO application, click on "Application" link at the top of this page.
2. You will be redirected to the Registration Page. Fill in all the information, and press Submit.
3. You are now registered on this site. You will receive an email with your registration details (login-id and password).
4. Log in, to start your application. Use your login-id and password (sent to your email inbox at the time of registration). You will reach the “My NextCSO Dashboard” page.
5. Go to “Application Form” link and click on it to start.
6. Fill in as much detail as possible to help the jury arrive at a positive determination of your application. You can save a partially filled-in form, and return to it at a later time.
7. To resume your partially filled application, sign-in using your login id and password. You will reach the “My NextCSO Dashboard” page. Click on the “Application Form” link to resume.
8. Use the “My NextCSO Dashboard” page to track the status of your application, take the psychometric tests, and know the status of your interview.