**Executive Summary**
Under the "IndiaAI FutureSkills" pillar of the IndiaAI Mission, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship is expanding nationwide AI literacy through the establishment of 570 Data and AI Labs. Announced on March 23, 2026, the initiative utilizes the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) framework and the Skill India Digital Hub to deliver standardized, NSQF-aligned training. The program aims to integrate Generative AI and foundational AI skills across diverse sectors, targeting school students, the broader workforce, and non-technical workers.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Strategic Initiatives and Platforms**
* **IndiaAI FutureSkills:** A core pillar focused on expanding capacity building and AI literacy across various societal segments.
* **Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH):** Hosts over 120 AI-related digital courses, including 11 programs specifically dedicated to Generative AI.
* **YUVA AI for All:** A foundational initiative introduced to promote AI awareness among a wide spectrum of learners.
**Educational Framework and Infrastructure**
* **SOAR Programme:** A nationally standardized, inclusive program aligned with the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) to provide structured learning pathways.
* **Lab Establishment:** 570 Data and AI Labs established across India, comprising 27 labs at NIELIT centers and 543 labs within ITIs and Polytechnics in all States/UTs.
* **Tier 2 & Tier 3 Focus:** Infrastructure is strategically placed in smaller cities to ensure standardized and accessible training in emerging technologies.
**Curriculum and Sectoral Integration**
* **Course Offerings:** Specialized training in Data Annotation using Python, Data Curation using Python, and Data Science.
* **"AI to be Aware":** A 15-hour, NSQF Level-2 foundational course covering Generative AI tools, applications, and responsible usage.
* **Sector-Specific Applications:** AI training tailored for healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, retail, and creative industries to enhance real-world productivity.
* **Implementation:** Executed through NCVET-recognized Awarding Bodies with active industry participation to ensure curriculum relevance.
**Impact Analysis**
**School Students (Classes VI–XII) and Educators**
**Impact**
They gain access to foundational AI awareness and structured learning pathways through an inclusive national framework.
**Action Required**
Participate in SOAR initiatives and foundational modules delivered via the Skill India Digital Hub.
**Broader Workforce and Non-Technical Workers**
**Impact**
They are provided with accessible, short-duration, credit-aligned digital courses to acquire AI-enabled skills and practical tool knowledge.
**Action Required**
Onboard through digital platforms to complete short-term courses like "AI to be Aware" for productivity enhancement.
**Training Institutions (NIELIT, ITIs, and Polytechnics)**
**Impact**
These institutions are transformed into hubs for technical training, receiving specialized infrastructure for hands-on learning and practical experimentation.
**Action Required**
Deliver standardized AI curricula and manage established labs to provide applied AI skilling.
**Industry, Academia, and State Governments**
**Impact**
These stakeholders are integrated into a holistic national ecosystem rather than working in isolation, ensuring scalable skilling interventions.
**Action Required**
Collaborate on curriculum design, participate in Awarding Bodies, and support the scaling of inclusive skilling initiatives.
Key Entities Referenced
IndiaAI Mission: The national initiative focused on expanding AI literacy, capacity building, and establishing a phased infrastructure of Data and AI Labs across India.
Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR): A nationally standardised programme aligned with the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) that provides structured AI learning pathways for students, educators, and the workforce.
IndiaAI FutureSkills: A core pillar of the IndiaAI Mission dedicated to expanding AI awareness through initiatives like 'YUVA AI for All' and the establishment of specialised training labs.
Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH): The central digital platform used to deliver over 120 AI-related courses, including specific training on Generative AI and emerging technologies.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE): The primary ministry responsible for implementing AI skilling interventions and moving towards a holistic national ecosystem for skill development.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
GENERATIVE AI SKILL PROGRAMME
Posted On: 23 MAR 2026 4:45PM by PIB Delhi
Under the IndiaAI Mission, the “IndiaAI FutureSkills” pillar focuses on expanding AI literacy and
capacity building across diverse segments of society. Initiatives such as the “YUVA AI for All” programme
have been introduced to promote AI awareness and foundational literacy among a wide spectrum of
learners. In addition, IndiaAI Data and AI Labs are being established across National Institute of
Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) centres, ITIs, and Polytechnics in tier 2 & tier 3 cities,
to deliver standardised, accessible training in AI and emerging technologies, in courses like Fundamentals
of Data Annotation using Python, Fundamentals of Data Curation using Python.
Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH), platform is also running a wide range of AI and Generative AI digital
courses. A total of over 120 AI-related digital courses are currently available on the platform, out of which
11 courses are specifically focused on Generative AI.
Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) has been designed as an inclusive, nationally standardised programme
aligned with the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) and delivered through the Skill India
Digital Hub (SIDH), aimed at enhancing nationwide accessibility. The initiative seeks to move beyond
fragmented approaches by providing structured learning pathways beginning with foundational AI
awareness for school students (Classes VI–XII) and educators, and expanding towards AI-enabled skills
for the broader workforce. The programme has evolved to include sector-specific AI applications across
domains such as healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, retail, and creative industries, thereby
integrating AI into real-world job roles and productivity enhancement. The initiative is implemented
through NCVET-recognised Awarding Bodies with industry participation, supporting standardisation,
scalability and relevance across sectors.
Further, the Government is engaging with industry, academia, and State Governments to ensure scalable
and inclusive skilling interventions, with a view to moving towards a more holistic national ecosystem
rather than isolated efforts.
The IndiaAI Mission adopts a phased and scalable approach towards AI skilling, with a focus on building
foundational capabilities across sectors. These include the establishment of 570 Data and AI Labs across
the country, including 27 labs in collaboration with the NIELIT for training in data and AI foundational
courses, and 543 labs in ITIs/Polytechnics across all States/UTs to deliver foundational and sectoral AI
courses tailored to India’s diverse development needs. These courses in AI and related domains are being
designed in alignment with industry requirements, and the labs are being equipped with appropriate
infrastructure to enable hands-on learning and practical experimentation, thereby supporting the
strengthening of applied AI skilling across the country.
Additionally, standardised AI curricula are being developed to cater to varying skill levels. Foundational
programmes such as “YUVA AI for All”, along with courses in Data Annotation, Data Curation, and Data
Science, are being rolled out to promote AI awareness and build core competencies.The implementation approach involves partnerships with training institutions, digital platforms, and
industry stakeholders, with a focus on measurable outcomes in terms of learners trained, courses delivered,
and overall capacity building.
In addition, the SOAR framework has been expanded to enable large-scale onboarding of learners,
including non-technical workers, through accessible, short-duration, credit-aligned digital courses. The
foundational course “AI to be Aware” (15 hours, NSQF Level-2) under SOAR includes introductory
modules on Generative AI, equipping learners with practical understanding of emerging tools,
applications, and responsible usage in real-world contexts.
This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development
and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Shri Jayant Chaudhary in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
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