Parliament Question: Skilling initiatives for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *204 ANSWERED ON 11.03.2026 SKILLING INITIATIVES FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES *204. SHRI RAJINDER GUPTA: Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state: (a) the number of candidates trained in Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductor manufacturing, robotics and other advanced digital skills in last three years, skill-wise and year-wise; (b) the certification and placement outcomes of such training programmes, including placement percentages and sector-wise employment; (c) the details of industry partnerships and collaborations entered into for the design and delivery of future-skills training; (d) the State-wise/UT-wise distribution of training centres offering such programmes; and (e) the roadmap proposed by Government for scaling up future-skills training, including measures to ensure quality, industry relevance and equitable regional access? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (e) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *204 ANSWERED ON 11.03.2026 REGARDING ‘SKILLING INITIATIVES FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES’ (a) & (b): Under the Government of India’s Skill India Mission (SIM) , the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill, re-skill and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development centres under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready and equipped with industry relevant skills. The details of the candidates trained and certified in the new-age /future-skills job roles under various schemes of MSDE during the last three years is given at Annexure-I. Amongst the schemes of MSDE, placements were tracked under the Short-Term Training component of PMKVY in the first three versions (PMVY1.0, PMKVY 2.0 and PMKVY 3.0) implemented from 2015- 16 to 2021-22. Under PMKVY 4.0, the focus is on empowering our trained candidates to choose their varied career path and they are suitably oriented for the same. Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) provides wide range of courses for skill training and facilitates access to jobs and apprenticeship opportunities for the trained candidates are available on SIDH portal. Further, Kaushal Melas and PM National Apprenticeship Melas (PMNAMs) have been organized to facilitate the placements opportunities to the certified candidates. Under JSS, Livelihood Cell has been set up to orient the candidates for entrepreneurship and livelihood promotion. (c): To ensure active engagement, participation and partnership with industries for the design and delivery of future-skills training, MSDE has inter-alia taken the following steps: ▪ National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) has been set up as an overarching regulator establishing regulations and standards to ensure quality in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) space. NCVET recognises the industry bodies as the Awarding Bodies (Abs) and/or Assessment Agencies (AAs). ▪ The Awarding Bodies are expected to develop the qualifications as per the industry demand and map them with the identified occupations as per the National Classification of Occupations, 2015 and obtain industry validations. NCVET has approved 9026 qualifications as per the industry requirements, out of which 2599 qualifications are valid and active, and 6427 qualifications are archived. ▪ Directorate General of Training (DGT) is implementing Flexi MoU Scheme and Dual System of Training (DST) in collaboration with industries to provide training to ITI students in real industrial environment. ▪ DGT has signed MoU with IT Tech companies like IBM, CISCO, Microsoft, AWS, Autodesk etc. to ensure industry linkages for the institutes at the state and regional levels. These partnerships facilitate the provision of technical and professional skills training in modern technologies. ▪ Under PMKVY, the new age/future skills job-roles have been specially aligned with Industry 4.0 requirements in areas like AI/ML, Robotics, Mechatronics, Drone Technology, etc. for upcoming market demand and industry requirements. ▪ DGT has introduced new age /future skills courses under CTS to provide training in emerging areas such as 5G Network Technician, Artificial Intelligence Programming assistant, Cyber Security Assistant, Drone Technician etc. ▪ Two (02) Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) have been established at Ahmedabad and Mumbai, in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, with an aim to align industry-ready workforce to emerging economic opportunities.▪ 36 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), led by industry leaders in the respective sectors, have been set up which are mandated to identify the skill development needs of respective sectors as well as to determine skill competency standards. (d): Schemes of MSDE are demand driven and the training centres under these schemes are set up or engaged on need basis. The details of the training centres offering future skills job roles under the schemes of MSDE are at Annexure-II. Further, to enhance the overall quality and relevance of vocational training in the country, MSDE has launched Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM SETU) scheme which inter-alia aims to upgrade 1,000 Government ITIs (200 Hub ITIs and 800 Spoke ITIs) in a Hub and Spoke model, wherein upgradation includes smart classrooms, modern labs, digital content, and new courses aligned to industry needs. Also, it aims to augment capacity of five NSTIs located in Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur, and Ludhiana, including setting-up sector- specific National Centres of Excellence for skilling, with focus on advanced training of trainers with global partnership. (e): National Council for Vocational Education & Training (NCVET) has developed the National Programme on Artificial Intelligence (NPAI) Skilling Framework, which outlines the national roadmap, structure and guidelines for skilling in AI, data science and emerging technologies serves as the foundational document for developing standardized, industry-aligned courses and curricula. PMKVY has introduced specialised short-term and advanced modules focused on AI, Robotics and new age technologies. With the aim to meet industry demand, drive digital transformation, and build workforce readiness for Industry 4.0 and the green transition. Under CTS, the training in new age courses, including Artificial Intelligence, Industrial Robotics and climate-friendly technology for skilling and upskilling of youth of the country is provided through a network of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs).ANNEXURES REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a), (b) & (d) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *204 ANSWERED ON 11.03.2026 REGARDING ‘SKILLING INITIATIVES FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES’ Annexure-I (a) Details of candidates trained and certified in new-age/future skill job roles under PMKVY 4.0: Sector Name 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26* Trained Certified Trained Certified Trained Certified Aerospace and Aviation - - 150 8 45 150 Agriculture 2,695 1,539 45,078 29,807 90 786 Automotive 1,011 184 57,805 38,925 1,166 7,506 Electronics and Hardware 3,873 1,266 123,749 80,932 5,320 14,151 Furniture and Fittings 3,939 2,156 1,759 975 675 281 Gems and Jewellery 97 73 38 37 - - Green Jobs 350 - 9,293 6,123 1,160 2,466 Healthcare 826 93 34,616 10,539 4,229 19,758 Hydrocarbon - - 793 600 - 116 Information Technology - - 216 - 60 9 IT-ITeS 690 120 65,140 27,175 17,741 27,245 Life Sciences - - 8,845 4,205 828 2,441 Logistics 3,911 3,323 13,057 8,609 2,087 2,449 Media and Entertainment - - 12,470 112 1,665 5,547 Rubber 30 2 1,320 1,016 - 169 Telecom 1,860 576 57,975 35,226 5,824 9,465 Tourism & Hospitality - - 15,502 6,573 1,960 6,363 * Data as on 31.12.2025. (b) Details of candidates trained in new-age/future- skill trades under NAPS during the last three years: Sector/Course Name 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 IT/ITeS (Digital) 94,441 89,238 87,914 Artificial Intelligence (AI) - 184 838 related courses Robotics 599 1,428 1,158 (c) Details of candidates enrolled in new-age courses under CTS for last three sessions (2022-23 to 2024- 25) : Trade Name Session Session Session 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) Technician 86 159 135 Aeronautical Structure and Equipment Fitter 39 80 84 Artificial Intelligence Programming Assistant - - 381 Advance CNC Machining Technician 1568 3277 3761 Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) Programmer - - 192 Drone Pilot (Junior) - 363 188 Drone Technician - 275 270 Engineering Design Technician 28 27 819Fiber to Home Technician 8 18 - Geo Informatics Assistant 23 109 113 Industrial Robotics and Digital Manufacturing 956 3624 4548 Information Technology 562 798 662 Internet of Things Technician (Smart 97 140 198 Agriculture) Internet of Things Technician (Smart City) 86 351 370 Internet of Things Technician (Smart 127 220 284 Healthcare) Manufacturing Process Control & 72 1417 2996 Automation Mechanic Electric Vehicle 2823 4318 4934 Multimedia, Animation & Special Effects 370 446 349 Small Hydro Power Plant Technician - - 8 Smartphone Technician Cum App Tester 292 355 290 Software Testing Assistant - 74 124 Solar Technician (Electrical) 1054 2280 2734 Technician Mechatronics 342 317 404 Virtual Analysis and Designer - FEM (Finite 78 572 1056 Element Method)Annexure-II Details of the training centres that have offered training in new-age/future- skills courses under the schemes of MSDE: State PMKVY NAPS ITIs Training Centres Establishments (Govt & Pvt) Andaman And Nicobar Islands 1 5 2 Andhra Pradesh 56 143 1 Arunachal Pradesh 11 3 2 Assam 74 549 5 Bihar 150 156 22 Chandigarh 1 40 1 Chhattisgarh 32 62 5 Delhi 13 432 6 Goa - 180 3 Gujarat 46 4154 14 Haryana 92 2761 3 Himachal Pradesh 43 202 11 Jammu And Kashmir 75 63 9 Jharkhand 17 77 21 Karnataka 186 516 152 Kerala 38 523 5 Ladakh - 8 1 Lakshadweep - 1 - Madhya Pradesh 384 315 12 Maharashtra 129 1852 100 Manipur 3 4 1 Meghalaya 4 7 1 Mizoram 7 3 - Nagaland 7 1 - Odisha 45 134 34 Puducherry 7 107 1 Punjab 155 155 2 Rajasthan 503 160 13 Sikkim 3 29 - Tamil Nadu 173 475 79 Telangana 43 291 72 DD & DNH 2 33 1 Tripura 14 11 - Uttar Pradesh 668 1593 148 Uttarakhand 41 114 6 West Bengal 46 240 22 ****