The Ministry of Education provided a comprehensive update on initiatives implemented under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to strengthen higher education for emerging technologies. The All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has revised its Model Curricula by integrating Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Machine Learning, Cyber Security, Robotics, and Quantum Computing across technical disciplines, with 2,100 AICTE-approved institutions offering courses in AI and emerging areas with an approved intake of over 2.80 lakh students during 2025-26.
The National Credit Framework (NCrF) enables integration of skill education into academia, allowing accumulation of up to 50% of total required credits through skill-based courses. The University Grants Commission has issued guidelines for sustainable university-industry linkages, while AICTE's Approval Process Handbook 2024-25 to 2026-27 mandates Institute-Industry Cells, Innovation Councils, and compulsory internships as essential requirements for approval.
The Ministry implements the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) which includes the AI Apprenticeship Programme developing expertise in Data Science, Machine Learning, Application Development, and Prompt Engineering for graduates, diploma holders, and AEDP students, benefiting over 75,000 apprentices to date.
Under the National Mission on Education through ICT (NMEICT), the SWAYAM platform offers free courses from premier institutions, including over 140 AI-related courses with more than 50 lakh enrollments. The e-Yantra Project under NMEICT has provided robotics-based tools and training to over 70,000 learners. The SWAYAM Plus platform, launched in collaboration with industry partners, offers over 500 employability-focused courses from 80 industry partners across 15 sectors including Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Semiconductor Manufacturing, and Advanced Manufacturing, with over 6 lakh learner enrollments.
The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology's FutureSkills PRIME programme has registered more than 34 lakh candidates for upskilling in emerging technologies, including 9.58 lakh candidates specifically in Artificial Intelligence/Big Data Analytics technology areas, with courses developed in consultation with industry to align with employment needs.