IIT Madras Pravartak launches free online courses for school students and teachers

In an effort to equip school students and teachers with skills needed for a rapidly changing technological landscape, IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation partnered with BodhBridge Education to offer free online training programmes covering emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, career counselling and classroom management.

The programmes, open to students from classes VII to XII, teachers and educators, will run in monthly batches between November 2026 and January 2027. Registrations are open, and participants can enrol through the online platform.

For school students, the courses will focus on artificial intelligence fundamentals, electric vehicles and future mobility, entrepreneurship, design thinking and innovation. The initiative aims to bridge the gap between classroom education and practical applications, while exposing young learners to emerging technologies and innovation-led career opportunities.

The programmes for teachers and educational institutions will include certification training in career counselling, leadership development for educators, and classroom management and student engagement. The courses are intended to help teachers strengthen their ability to guide students through changing career choices and adopt more effective teaching practices.

Each programme will combine live online sessions, case studies and hands-on activities, emphasising the development of problem-solving, creativity, communication and innovation skills.

The training will be delivered by experts drawn from the IIT Madras alumni network, startup ecosystem, and industry. While the online training is free, participants will have the option of obtaining certification from IIT Madras Pravartak.

More than 45,000 teachers have benefited from the foundation’s free training programmes so far, according to the organisation. “These programmes serve as a stepping stone from classroom education to the needs of industry, building essential skills in AI, financial literacy and entrepreneurship,” says Dhanalakshmi Sampath, manager, Digital Skills Academy, IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation.

The initiative, according to Dhanalakshmi, would provide students, teachers and institutions with practical tools to create a stronger, forward-looking learning environment.

BodhBridge Education, run by IIT Madras alumni, operates as a learning platform for teachers, students and parents.

Interested participants can register at https://bodhbridge.iitmpravartak.org.in/