10 Lakh Indians to Receive Free AI Training
In a major initiative to boost digital literacy, the Indian government has announced free Artificial Intelligence (AI) training for 10 lakh citizens. This announcement was made during the 10-year celebration of the Digital India initiative at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in New Delhi.
Union Minister of Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, highlighted the crucial role played by Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) across the country in spreading digital services. He praised their efforts in making digital payments a part of daily life in remote villages, citing success stories of women VLEs like Manjulata from Odisha and Rose Angelina from Meghalaya.
The Common Service Centre (CSC) e-Governance Services India Ltd., under MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and IT), has played a significant role in transforming governance and citizen services over the past decade. From just 83,000 centres in 2014, the number of CSCs has now surged to 5.5 lakh, with more than 74,000 women VLEs providing critical services in education, healthcare, agriculture, banking, and more.
Minister Vaishnaw also encouraged VLEs to begin offering IRCTC services and promised to speak with Chief Ministers for further state-level integration of CSC services. Union MoS Jitin Prasada stressed that the goal of Digital India—to empower even the remotest Indian citizen—was being fulfilled through the CSC network.
Managing Director of CSC SPV, Sanjay Rakesh, noted that people no longer need to travel to cities for basic services, as CSCs have enabled access to everything from Aadhaar updates to legal aid in villages.
As part of the celebration, top-performing VLEs were honored for their service. The AI training program is expected to open new opportunities, especially for youth and rural citizens, enhancing employment prospects and digital participation.
This forward-thinking move reflects the government’s commitment to capacity building and bridging the digital divide, making AI education accessible to all.
