2.62 Million Register on FutureSkills PRIME; 13 Responsible AI Projects Cleared under IndiaAI Mission
The government has announced significant advancements in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India, with over 26.2 lakh candidates registering on the FutureSkills PRIME platform, aimed at cultivating AI-ready talent. In conjunction with this, 13 projects have been selected under the ‘Safe & Trusted AI’ pillar of the IndiaAI Mission.
Focus on Responsible AI
Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Jitin Prasada, outlined the measures being taken to ensure that AI systems in India are human-centric, safe, inclusive, and accountable. The selected projects focus on key areas such as:
- Bias mitigation
- Machine unlearning
- Privacy-preserving architectures
- Algorithm auditing tools
- Deepfake detection
- Risk-assessment protocols
The government’s initiative aims to bolster responsible AI adoption across the nation.
India AI Governance Guidelines
The India AI Governance Guidelines propose a national framework anchored on seven principles, including:
- Trust
- Fairness and equity
- Accountability
- Safety and resilience
This framework advocates for a risk-based governance model tailored for high-risk AI use cases. Additionally, it suggests the establishment of institutional bodies such as:
- An AI Governance Group
- A Technology and Policy Expert Committee
- An AI Safety Institute
- AI Kosh for Indigenous Models and Data Governance
Foundation Models and Data Governance
The IndiaAI Mission’s Foundation Models pillar is dedicated to developing indigenous large language and multimodal models that reflect India’s linguistic and socio-economic diversity. AI Kosh has been introduced to facilitate controlled access to India-based datasets, enhancing privacy protection and promoting responsible data usage.
The government also referenced the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 as the legal framework governing personal data usage in AI systems.
Workforce Readiness Initiatives
In terms of workforce readiness:
- 500 PhD fellows
- 5,000 postgraduates
- 8,000 undergraduates
These individuals are being supported in the AI domain, with over 290 fellowships awarded under the IndiaAI FutureSkills initiative.
Moreover, 27 IndiaAI Data and AI Labs have been established in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, and 543 ITIs and polytechnics across states and Union Territories have been approved for additional AI labs.
Under the FutureSkills PRIME program, a joint initiative of MeitY and NASSCOM, a total of 26.2 lakh candidates have registered, with 16.65 lakh candidates enrolled or trained in emerging technology courses such as AI, big data analytics, IoT, and cybersecurity.
Conclusion
The IndiaAI Governance Guidelines recommend proportionate safeguards for high-risk AI systems, including mechanisms to address algorithmic bias, misinformation, deepfakes, and unintended societal harm. Through these initiatives, the government aims to create a robust, responsible, and inclusive AI ecosystem in India.
