8.6 lakh candidates enrolled in ‘IndiaAI Future Skills’ initiative: IT Minister

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): About 8.6 lakh candidates have enrolled in IndiaAI ‘Future Skills’ initiative of the government, developed in collaboration with industry partners to provide training aligned with the latest requirements, Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, said on Wednesday.

In his reply to a Parliament question on the number of people who have got enrolled in the ‘Future Skills’ initiative, the minister highlighted the government’s focus on decentralising technological facilities especially by empowering tier 2 and 3 cities.

“AI Data Labs are being established in cities like Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Shimla, Aurangabad, Patna, Buxar, and Muzaffarpur,” the minister informed.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fostering an ecosystem where startups, AI labs, 5G labs and semiconductor training facilities are made accessible by ensuring that technological development is not concentrated in a few areas but spread across the country

The Union Minister also emphasised the potential of AI to positively impact various sectors, including agriculture, education, healthcare, logistics, and finance, and reaffirmed India’s commitment to global leadership in responsible AI development.

“AI’s most significant applications will be in sectors that directly influence the lives of people. Agriculture, education, healthcare, logistics, and the financial sector stand to benefit immensely from AI solutions tailored to the needs of the country,” Vaishnaw noted.

The ‘India Future Skills’ pillar aims to enhance India’s AI workforce readiness by mitigating barriers to entry in AI programmes and advancing the AI talent pipeline.

It will increase AI courses in undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programmes. Further, it aims to foster inclusive access to AI education by establishing Data and AI Labs in tier 2 and 3 cities across India to impart foundational level courses.

Under the ‘IndiaAI FutureSkills’, IndiaAI fellowship is offered to B.Tech and M.Tech students of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) recognised engineering institutions.

MeitY has also initiated a programme titled “FutureSkills PRIME”, jointly with National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), aimed at re-skilling/up-skilling of candidates in new and emerging technologies.