Govt to establish National CoE for skilling; emphasizes AI readiness

new delhi: the ministry of skill development & entrepreneurship (msde) hosted a breakout session on “national centres of excellence for skilling,” as announced in the union budget 2025-26. the session brought together key stakeholders, including state officials, industry leaders, and global experts, to discuss implementation strategies.moderated by msde secretary shri atul kumar tiwari and convened by economic adviser ms. archana mayaram, the panel featured representatives from odisha, karnataka, gujarat, the world bank, singapore education consulting group, tata indian institute of skills, and leading corporate entities. shri tiwari stressed the need for industry collaboration and global expertise to enhance skilling initiatives.the session was part of the follow-up to the post-budget webinar on “investing in people,” led by the department of higher education and msde on march 5. addressing the event, prime minister narendra modi underscored that investment in people rests on three pillars—education, skill, and healthcare. he highlighted key government initiatives, including skilling over 3 crore youth since 2014, upgrading 1,000 itis, and establishing five global centres of excellence.minister shri jayant chaudhary reaffirmed the government's commitment to equipping youth with digital skills. he announced the skilling for ai readiness (soar) program, integrating ai training into vocational education from class 6, aligning with nep 2020. the initiative aims to position india as an ai powerhouse through industry-aligned courses and global partnerships.as women's day approaches, the government reiterated its commitment to enhancing opportunities for women in education, skilling, and entrepreneurship.