Latest news with #MeitY
India Today
3 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
India's AI workforce demand to cross 1 million mark by 2026
India is witnessing an enormous boom in Artificial Intelligence (AI) education, with the government introducing fresh plans to prepare the country with sufficient skilled personnel in the sector to meet growing demand. The government has estimated that the country can need up to 1 million AI professionals next year, as informed by a new report from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), entitled 'India's AI Revolution: A Roadmap to Viksit Bharat'.advertisementIt has been endeavouring to promote AI learning at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels. Under the IndiaAI Future Skills initiative, AI has also become part of mainstream education with fellowships to full-time students undertaking PhD in AI in India's top 50 NIRF-ranked make AI accessible, the Centre is also setting up Data and AI Labs in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns. A model lab has already been set up at NIELIT Delhi. The labs will offer students in small towns hands-on experience in emerging All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has also seen growth in BTech seats for 2024–25. Sanctioned seats have grown to 14.9 lakh, a rise of 16% over four years. The rise mainly comes from increases of over 50% for seats in popular areas such as Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, and per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, higher education institutions are reframing curricula to include cutting-edge areas of study like AI, 5G, and semiconductor design. This will improve graduates' employability and close the gap between work and another attempt to make AI learning popular, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has launched five free online courses in AI on its SWAYAM Plus platform. These courses are open to undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as working the backing of the government as well as the academia, India is rapidly building an AI-ready talent pool to drive the next wave of technological Watch
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Demand for AI professionals to touch 1 million by next year: MeitY report
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in its recent report titled 'India's AI Revolution: A Roadmap to Viksit Bharat' highlighted how the government has been expanding the AI education in the country, resulting in increasing demand for AI professionals that is expected to touch 1 million by next year. As mentioned in the report, under the IndiaAI Future Skills initiative, the government is expanding AI education across undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programs, providing various fellowships to full-time PhD scholars researching AI in the top 50 NIRF-ranked institutes. Additionally, to enhance accessibility, data and AI Labs are being established in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, with a model IndiaAI Data Lab already set up at NIELIT Delhi. Not only this, the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has revealed a significant increase in approved BTech seats for the 2024-25 academic year, with numbers rising to 14.9 lakh. This marks a nearly 16 per cent growth over four years. Free AI courses from Google, Harvard, and IBM to future-proof your career The surge is largely attributed to an over 50 per cent rise in seats for in-demand fields such as Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML), Data Science, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, and Blockchain, reflecting strong industry demand for skilled professionals in these areas. 'The government is addressing this challenge by revamping university curricula to include AI, 5G, and semiconductor design, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. This ensures that graduates acquire job-ready skills, reducing the transition time between education and employment,' reads the report. Meanwhile, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has launched five new online courses in Artificial Intelligence (AI) on its SWAYAM Plus platform. These courses will be offered free of cost and are designed to make AI education accessible to learners from all academic backgrounds. Interested candidates at the undergraduate, postgraduate or working professionals can register on the SWAYAM Plus platform and apply for the AI courses being offered by the IIT Madras.
Entrepreneur
2 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
10 Indian AI Startups Selected for Global Accelerator Programme in Paris
The initiative aims to provide Indian startups with global exposure, access to international markets, and opportunities for cross-border collaboration You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Ten Indian AI startups have been selected to participate in a global acceleration programme in Paris as part of the IndiaAI Startups Global Initiative, an international effort led by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in partnership with Station F and HEC Paris. The initiative aims to provide Indian startups with global exposure, access to international markets, and opportunities for cross-border collaboration. The selected startups, which span diverse domains such as privacy engineering, conversational AI, earth observation, edtech, cybersecurity, and deeptech image editing, were chosen through a rigorous multi-stage process. They will participate in a four-month programme at Station F, the world's largest startup campus. The accelerator includes a one-month virtual onboarding module followed by a three-month in-person residency in Paris. During this period, the startups will engage with European investors, mentors, and innovation networks through programming developed by HEC Paris, one of Europe's leading business schools. Speaking on the announcement, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the strategic significance of the initiative, calling it a milestone in India's "innovation diplomacy". He noted that the move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's participation in the AI Action Summit in February 2024, signalling India's intent to shape global AI standards. "India's AI ecosystem is now on the cusp of a global breakthrough. Through initiatives like this, we are enabling our most promising startups to tap into international markets, form global alliances, and create scalable, impactful solutions," he said. The selected startups include, PrivaSapien Technologies, Staqu Technologies, SatSure Analytics, Storyvord, VolarAlta, Smartail, Secure Blink, and Voicing AI. "The IndiaAI Startups Global Initiative is more than an acceleration program, it is a bridge between India's talent and the world's innovation hubs," said Meity secretary S Krishnan. "These 10 startups exemplify the strength, diversity, and global potential of Indian AI. We are proud to support their next leap as global AI leaders." MeitY Additional Secretary and CEO of the IndiaAI Mission, Abhishek Singh, said the programme is designed as a bridge between Indian talent and international innovation hubs, reflecting India's growing strength and ambition in AI. This initiative is aligned with the broader IndiaAI Mission launched in March 2024, which aims to foster responsible and inclusive AI development across seven strategic pillars including compute infrastructure, innovation, skills development, and startup financing.
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Draft data rules introduce potential for data localisation requirements: trade associations to IT ministry
The draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) rules introduce the potential for new data localisation needs that are inconsistent with the DPDP Act's supportive approach for data flows, trade bodies told the IT ministry in a letter last week. The draft rules were published on January 3. The final rules are yet to be notified. The Information Technology Industry Council, one of the signatories to the letter, counts Big Tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and OpenAI as its members.'We urge the government to narrow and align these rules to bring them into alignment with the original intent of the DPDP Act,' the letter's nine signatories said. The other signatories are US India Business Council, Software and Information Industry Association, ACT | The App Association, Asia Internet Coalition, Asia Video Industry Association, Coalition of Services Industries, Computer and Communications Industry Association, and K-Internet. The industry bodies were referring to Rules 12 and 14 of the draft DPDP rules. 'This could be achieved by setting out a clear process, including timelines and safeguards, as well as adequate consultations and timelines for implementing any potential localisation requirements, and determining when and how such data localisation determinations will be made,' the associations said in their letter to The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), a copy of which was seen by ET. 'We would also urge the government to view any potential restrictions on data free flows from a future "bilateral digital trade "agreement perspective,' the signatories said. The associations also want that Rules 3-15, 21 and 22 shouldn't take effect until or after two years from the date of notification. Rule 22, as currently drafted, provides the potential for an excessively broad scope of government access to private sector data without making clear that this will follow a robust, proportionate, and transparent process with proper avenues of redress and review, they said. Giving further clarity on this process, including by referencing globally-recognised Trusted Government Access principles, would be an effective way to provide clarity and reassurance on this point, they added. The associations supported the Global Cross Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) forum and similar regimes that facilitate the free flow of data across borders, promote interoperability between privacy regimes, and encourage responsible data use and strong privacy protections, they said. Also, personal data breach reporting requires clear, risk-based reporting thresholds to ensure reporting timelines and processes do not end up compromising the efficiency of risk mitigation measures, the associations wrote in their letter dated May 21. They have also asked the MeitY to 'strongly consider' adding back language proposed in previous drafts of the DPDP Act to give critical exclusion for data pertaining to credit reporting to facilitate financial transparency and fraud prevention while supporting financial inclusion. Credit bureaus such as TransUnion CIBIL, Experian, Equifax, and CRIF High Mark are approved by the Reserve Bank of India for operating in the country.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Draft data rules introduce potential for data localisation requirements: trade associations to IT ministry
Live Events The draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) rules introduce the potential for new data localisation needs that are inconsistent with the DPDP Act's supportive approach for data flows , trade bodies told the IT ministry in a letter last draft rules were published on January 3. The final rules are yet to be Information Technology Industry Council, one of the signatories to the letter, counts Big Tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and OpenAI as its members.'We urge the government to narrow and align these rules to bring them into alignment with the original intent of the DPDP Act,' the letter's nine signatories said. The other signatories are US India Business Council, Software and Information Industry Association, ACT | The App Association, Asia Internet Coalition, Asia Video Industry Association, Coalition of Services Industries, Computer and Communications Industry Association, and industry bodies were referring to Rules 12 and 14 of the draft DPDP rules.'This could be achieved by setting out a clear process, including timelines and safeguards, as well as adequate consultations and timelines for implementing any potential localisation requirements, and determining when and how such data localisation determinations will be made,' the associations said in their letter to The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), a copy of which was seen by ET.'We would also urge the government to view any potential restrictions on data free flows from a future "bilateral digital trade "agreement perspective,' the signatories associations also want that Rules 3-15, 21 and 22 shouldn't take effect until or after two years from the date of 22, as currently drafted, provides the potential for an excessively broad scope of government access to private sector data without making clear that this will follow a robust, proportionate, and transparent process with proper avenues of redress and review, they further clarity on this process, including by referencing globally-recognised Trusted Government Access principles, would be an effective way to provide clarity and reassurance on this point, they associations supported the Global Cross Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) forum and similar regimes that facilitate the free flow of data across borders, promote interoperability between privacy regimes, and encourage responsible data use and strong privacy protections, they personal data breach reporting requires clear, risk-based reporting thresholds to ensure reporting timelines and processes do not end up compromising the efficiency of risk mitigation measures, the associations wrote in their letter dated May have also asked the MeitY to 'strongly consider' adding back language proposed in previous drafts of the DPDP Act to give critical exclusion for data pertaining to credit reporting to facilitate financial transparency and fraud prevention while supporting financial bureaus such as TransUnion CIBIL, Experian, Equifax, and CRIF High Mark are approved by the Reserve Bank of India for operating in the country.
