Parliament Question: Generative AI Skill Programme

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4979 ANSWERED ON – 23.03.2026 GENERATIVE AI SKILL PROGRAMME

4979. SHRI K E PRAKASH:

Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to

state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that, despite India having one of the world’s largest workforces and declaring an ambition to emerge as a global Artificial Intelligence (AI) leader, most of the current initiatives of the Government continue to be limited to fragmented, smaller-scale collaborations, primarily targeting ITI students or specific demographic groups, such as women instead of launching a comprehensive national programme aimed at equipping the general working population with foundational skills in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI and if so, the reasons therefor; and

(b) the details of the concrete, unified and measurable target set by the Government for the number of existing, non-technical workers to be provided with basic, job-enabling AI and Generative AI skills during the next twelve months along with the modalities for achieving the same? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a) 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.

(b) 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.

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