I've been trying to create an account on Microsoft 365 developer program but for the country selection, India option in not available. So the verification process could not be completed as country code of India cannot be used.
I'm also trying to get the access to Microsoft developer program but due to non-availability of India I'm unable to do it. Why does all the restrictions happen for Indians or South Asian countries only? India is probably one of the premier markets for Microsoft & many of its competitors. If we people do not get to learn the skills or understand what new changes have come up, then it is difficult to keep up with the requirements of the market. Can this be taken into consideration on a priority basis to resolve the issue for allowing Indians if Microsoft still does consider the importance of India.
We're sorry to hear that you are having issues joining the developer program.
We recently had some service issues and many countries were temporarily blocked from joining. This issue has resolved and India should be available again.
While you can still join the developer program, access to the free Microsoft 365 E5 subscription is currently paused worldwide for the short-term while we adjust the qualifications for that benefit.
What kind of qualifications adjustment are you trying to make?
The whole idea of MS Developer program/platform is to play around & understand the things even though it may be specific tools a person is looking to learn & implement or might be make some new changes in existing environment. For this why there is a qualifications criteria.
MS platforms earlier used to be a much more easier for learning in various aspects for anyone to LEARN & put into practice or even correct things but in last few years it is becoming more & more difficult especially if you a professional starting to learn new things within MS.
I agree with you completely that the requirements are increasing and that it is becoming more difficult to qualify for the program. The changing risk landscape and increasing security challenges require us to align to our larger corporate initiatives that address cyberthreats. Unfortunately, this makes it more difficult for everyone. To learn more, you can read about some of those factors here: Announcing Microsoft Secure Future Initiative to advance security engineering | Microsoft Security B...
We are piloting a new verification process now and hope to roll it out in the next two-three weeks on the site or sooner. After joining the program, this new process allows customers to request a tenant, go through a validation process, and then receive an invitation. We'll announce this on the blog.
What if someone is out of work & unemployed like me who wants to learn something new with the help of such a great program to get back an opportunity to land a job after Learning some new skill which are constantly getting added & requin the market?
Will you consider people like us for joining the developer program as a testing learner for getting new job opportunities in the market?
I'm glad that you asked that question. Microsoft is committed to providing high-quality learning resources to help provide equitable, accessible training globally.
I encourage you to join the developer program even if you don't currently qualify for the free Microsoft 365 subscription because you still get access to the tools, documentation, training, experts, and community events that you need to build great solutions for Microsoft 365 products and technologies. You'll also stay apprised of new offerings on the horizon.
We are a tool for learning but not the only tool to help grow your skills. Microsoft launched a program during the global COVID pandemic called "Level up learning" to help provide people in your situation. Have you checked this out? Training for Developers | Microsoft Learn. There are also some enticing areas to explore here: Microsoft Learn: Build skills that open doors in your career. In many of these courses, you get access to a dev environment to do the work.
As a former educator, what I really appreciate about this approach is that they are highlighting a variety of types of training - both learning by doing, completing challenges that demonstrate your skills, and providing a place for community engagement. You can follow specific tracks and have opportunities to prove your learning. There are self-paced options as well as instructor-led. While the instructor-led trainings are normally for a fee, the self-paced ones are usually free. They offer free virtual training events globally, ways to connect with startups, and many more options. This is a great blog to check out for details: Microsoft Learn Blog - Microsoft Community Hub
The recent grad in my house who is currently looking for work, is leveraging Microsoft Learn to take classes and then get course certificates for completion or skill mastery that they add to their LinkedIn profile as a way to help translate their degree into skills that are understandable to the job market.
