India's AI Talent Pool To More Than Double To 12.5 Lakh By 2027: Govt

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Jan 30 (KNN) India's artificial intelligence (AI) talent pool is projected to more than double to over 12.5 lakh professionals by 2027, growing at a 15 percent compound annual growth rate, according to a NASSCOM report cited by the government in Parliament.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje said India currently has 6-6.5 lakh AI professionals, with AI expected to generate new jobs across areas such as data science, data curation and analytics.

Skilling and Training Push

The minister said 8.65 lakh candidates have so far enrolled or been trained in various technology courses, including 3.20 lakh candidates in AI and Big Data Analytics.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has launched the National AI Portal, a comprehensive repository of AI initiatives, research, startups, policies and thought leadership, along with webinars on ethical AI and emerging industry trends.

Under MeitY's FutureSkills PRIME programme, aimed at reskilling and upskilling IT professionals in 10 emerging technologies including AI, over 18.56 lakh candidates have signed up, with more than 3.37 lakh completing their courses so far.

Support Through National Schemes

The government is also implementing the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), including short-term training with embedded on-the-job training and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), to equip youth with industry-relevant and new-age skills.

Under MeitY's Centres of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence, implemented in partnership with NASSCOM, startups are being supported to develop AI-based tools for the manufacturing sector, several of which have already been used by companies.

AI Exposure for Students

The YUVAi (Youth for Unnati and Vikas with AI) programme, implemented by the National e-Governance Division under MeitY, is enabling students from Classes 8 to 12 to acquire AI and social skills.

The programme covers eight thematic areas, including agriculture, health, education, environment, transport, rural development, smart cities, and justice.
Employment Facilitation and Incentives

The National Career Service (NCS) Portal, run by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, continues to provide job listings, career counselling, skill training information and employment services through a single digital platform.

To further boost employment, the government has launched the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana under the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme, with an outlay of Rs 99,446 crore, targeting the creation of over 3.5 crore jobs in two years, with a special focus on manufacturing.

Role of Higher Education

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has introduced outcome-based curricula, mandatory internships and industry–academia mobility guidelines to improve employability.

It has partnered with companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Adobe, CISCO, Salesforce, CDAC and others to integrate industry-relevant skill courses into technical and higher education programmes.

(KNN Bureau)

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