**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2331, answered on December 15, 2025, regarding the establishment and progress of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Artificial Intelligence (AI). It details the current status of the three CoEs announced in the Union Budget 2023-24 and a new CoE announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, their locations, and initiatives. No specific action items or deadlines are mentioned for any party.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Establishment of AI CoEs:**
* The Government of India established three CoEs in AI following the Union Budget 2023-24, focusing on healthcare, sustainable cities, and agriculture.
* These CoEs are led by IISc Bangalore, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Ropar, respectively.
* The total budget outlay for these three AI-CoEs is 990 crores.
* A new Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Education was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 with a total outlay of Rs. 500 Cr and has been established at IIT Madras.
* **Structure and Collaboration:**
* Each AI-CoE is a consortium of leading academic and research institutions along with industry partners and startups.
* AI-CoEs represent a collaborative effort between the lead institute and other academic institutions such as AIIMS Delhi and Patna, IITs at Delhi, Madras, Bombay, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Gandhinagar and Tirupati; NITs at Calicut, Meghalaya, and Hamirpur; IIIT Hyderabad; etc.
* **Strategic Initiatives:**
* The AI-CoE for Sustainable Cities has initiated clean-air monitoring in Delhi and AI-based traffic and flood prediction for Surat.
* A Digital Nagar Palika governance platform is being piloted in Kanpur.
* The AI-CoE for Healthcare has initiated projects to develop AI tools for detecting chronic diseases.
* The AI-CoE for Agriculture has deployed Automatic Weather Stations.
**Impact Analysis**
**AI CoEs**
* **Impact:** These AI CoEs are undertaking strategic initiatives aligned with their sectoral focus and will foster innovation and research
* **Action Required:** No action required, the document serves to inform.
**Academic and Research Institutions (including IISc Bangalore, IIT Kanpur, IIT Ropar, IIT Madras, AIIMS Delhi and Patna, IITs at Delhi, Madras, Bombay, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Gandhinagar and Tirupati; NITs at Calicut, Meghalaya, and Hamirpur; IIIT Hyderabad)**
* **Impact:** The CoEs are being hosted and led by these institutions. They are working to deliver the specific goals of the CoEs.
* **Action Required:** No action required, the document serves to inform.
**State Governments (including Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu)**
* **Impact:** They were requested to send proposals for new CoEs, additional funding, or industry-academia Collaborations.
* **Action Required:** No action required, the document serves to inform.
Key Entities Referenced
Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Artificial Intelligence (AI): A key initiative focusing on developing and promoting AI across sectors like healthcare, sustainable cities, and agriculture.
Union Budget 2023-24: The budget where the establishment of the initial AI Centres of Excellence was announced.
Union Budget 2025-26: The budget where a new Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Education was announced.
Ministry of Education: The primary ministry overseeing the establishment and operation of the Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence.
IIT Madras: The location for a new Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Education.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2331
ANSWERED ON- 15/12/2025
Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence
2331. Dr. Byreddy Shabari:
Shri G Lakshminarayana:
Dr. Kalanidhi Veeraswamy:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the current status of establishment of the three Centres of Excellence (CoE) in
Artificial Intelligence (AI), including details of host institutions, locations, funds
sanctioned and timelines for operationalization;
(b) the number and details of research projects, pilots or innovations sanctioned or
approved so far under each CoE along with the objectives of each project;
(c) the details of any pilot projects or AI solutions being implemented in the field
through these CoEs, including location of implementation, funding provided and
current status of each pilot;
(d) whether any proposals for new CoEs, additional funding, or industry-academia
Collaborations have been received from State Governments, including Andhra
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, if so, the details thereof;
(e) the objectives, funding structure and expected outcomes of these Centres of
Excellence, especially in promoting AI research, innovation, startup incubation and
skill development;
(f) whether the Government has assessed the need to establish AI Centres of
Excellence in educationally and economically backward districts to ensure inclusive
technological growth and the steps taken in this regard; and
(g) the measures proposed by the Government to ensure that these AI Centres of
Excellence contribute to employment generation, curriculum modernization and
capacity-building in States like Tamil Nadu?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)
(a) to (g): The Government of India has established three Centres of Excellence
(CoEs) in Artificial Intelligence (AI) as part of the vision to "Make AI in India and Make
AI work for India" in the areas of healthcare, sustainable cities and agriculture following
the announcement in the Union Budget 2023-24. These AI-CoEs are being led by IIScBangalore, IIT Kanpur and IIT Ropar respectively. The total budget outlay for the three
AI-CoEs is 990 crores.
To further this Vision, in the Union Budget 2025-26, a new Centre of Excellence
(CoE) in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Education was announced with a total outlay of
Rs. 500 Cr which has been established at IIT Madras.
Each AI-CoE is a consortium of leading academic, research institutions along
with industry partners and startups etc. AI-CoEs represent a collaborative effort
between the lead institute and other academic institutions such as AIIMS Delhi and
Patna, IITs at Delhi, Madras, Bombay, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Gandhinagar and
Tirupati; NITs at Calicut, Meghalaya, and Hamirpur; IIIT Hyderabad; etc.
These CoEs have undertaken strategic initiatives aligned with their sectoral
focus. The AI-CoE for Sustainable Cities has initiated clean-air monitoring in Delhi and
AI-based traffic and flood prediction for Surat. Further, a Digital Nagar Palika
governance platform has been piloted in Kanpur to streamline municipal services and
to integrate citizen feedback, service requests, and urban management into one
system. Under the AI-CoE for Healthcare, projects have been initiated to develop AI
tools on the detection of various chronic diseases like oral and breast cancer, retinal
disease and diabetes. The AI-CoE for Agriculture has deployed Automatic Weather
Stations.
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