India Launches Mega AI Skilling Drive to Train 10 Lakh Youth
India has launched an AI skilling programme with the aim to train 10 lakh youth within a year. Announced by the Union Minister for IT and Information and Broadcasting Ashwani Vaishnaw at Rajasthan’s regional AI summit, the programme highlights the government’s attempt to prepare Indian youths for the upcoming AI-driven economy and to strengthen the country’s workforce.
Union Minister for IT and Information and Broadcasting Ashwani Vaishnaw on Tuesday has launched a mega artificial intelligence (AI) skilling drive to provide AI knowledge and training to 10 lakh youth and small entrepreneurs across the country within one year. The announcement was made by Ashwini Vaishnaw at the Rajasthan AI Impact Summit held in Jaipur, which he attended virtually. The summit brought together experts from different backgrounds including policymakers, industry leaders, technology experts, startups and academic institutions. They were a part of the discussion regarding India’s growing role in the global AI ecosystem. In the summit, addressing the gathering Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “The aim is to equip young people with AI skills so they can learn to apply AI in their lives, especially in small businesses, to increase productivity and reap the benefits,” The summit also focused on AI applications in governance, industry, education and public services.
During the summit, the minister highlighted that the AI skilling programme will focus on providing practical and usable knowledge rather than only theoretical learning. The programme is expected to leverage existing digital platforms, skill development institutions and partnerships with technology companies. Ashwani Vaishnaw has also linked the AI programme initiative to the government’s IndiaAI Mission. The announcement has been made ahead of the Global AI Impact Summit in India next month, an event, which was previously held in the UK, South Korea, and France. Vaishnaw added that regional AI summits which are being held in every state of India are a part of the preparations of the Global AI Summit. Several such summits were already held in Meghalaya and Odisha, and yesterday at Jaipur in Rajasthan.
According to the experts, the mega AI skilling programme can drive significant impacts in the coming years if implemented effectively. Training 10 lakh youth in AI is expected to improve employability while supporting startups and helping small businesses to adopt new technologies. It can also reduce the skills gap in emerging job sectors. In the long run, this initiative is believed to strengthen India’s position as a global talent hub while promoting growth.
