Strengthening Higher Education for Emerging Technologies

The Ministry of Education, in line with NEP 2020, has upgraded higher‑education curricula by revising AICTE’s model curricula to include AI, Data Science, Machine Learning, Cyber Security, Robotics, Quantum Computing and other emerging technologies. In 2025‑26, over 2,100 AICTE‑approved institutions offered AI‑related courses with an intake of more than 2.80 lakh students. The National Credit Framework allows up to 50 % of credits to be earned through skill‑based courses. New UGC guidelines promote industry‑university linkages, mandatory internships and apprenticeship‑embedded degree programmes. The AI Apprenticeship Programme under NATS has benefitted over 75,000 apprentices. SWAYAM and SWAYAM Plus platforms together have delivered over 140 AI courses to more than 5 million learners, while e‑Yantra has trained over 70,000 students. The FutureSkills PRIME portal has registered over 34 lakh candidates, including 9.58 lakh in AI/BDA streams.