New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary on Wednesday chaired a strategic meeting on Skilling for Artificial Intelligence with a focus on integrating it into the national skilling roadmap to support the 'Viksit Bharat' vision.
The consultation aimed to align policy vision, industry requirements, and skilling implementation to build a future-ready workforce capable of supporting India's ambitions in an AI-driven global economy, an official statement said.
The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) reviewed the IndiaAI Mission's FutureSkills pillar and key MSDE initiatives, including SOAR -- Skilling for AI Readiness, the DGT-Microsoft collaboration, AI Careers for Women (TechSaksham 2.0), and AI training under PMKVY 4.0, while also strengthening inter-ministerial coordination between MSDE and MeitY (the Ministry of Electronics and IT).
We are strengthening industry co-ownership in skilling, promoting flexible learning pathways, and ensuring that our training systems remain responsive to real-world demand, said the minister.
A key focus of the consultation was the scale and urgency of the AI talent challenge, viewed in the context of MSDE's expanding portfolio of digital and technology-focused skilling initiatives.
Discussions underscored the importance of continuous upskilling and reskilling across the workforce, complementing the ministry's ongoing efforts to equip learners and workers with relevant, applied AI competencies.
"Building AI capabilities at scale requires deep collaboration between government, industry, academia, and training institutions. Through consultations like these, we are strengthening industry co-ownership in skilling, promoting flexible learning pathways, and ensuring that our training systems remain responsive to real-world demand. By embedding AI skills across education, vocational training, and the workforce, we are laying the foundation for a Viksit Bharat in an AI-enabled global economy," said the minister.
Greater industry co-ownership in curriculum design and delivery, modular and stackable learning pathways, and real-world training through apprenticeships and live projects were identified as areas where the consultation would further strengthen existing efforts.