FutureSkills PRIME : Over 13 lakh candidates certified in emerging technologies

More than 34 lakh candidates have registered on the FutureSkills PRIME portal, with over 13 lakh candidates completing courses and receiving certifications in emerging technologies, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said.

The information was provided by Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Lok Sabha on August 12.

FutureSkills PRIME is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) aimed at skilling, reskilling and upskilling candidates in emerging technologies and strengthening India’s digital talent pool.

The programme offers industry-aligned courses in areas including Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Internet of Things, Cyber Security, Blockchain and Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality.

The portal currently hosts more than 500 industry-aligned courses, with global original equipment manufacturers also participating in the FutureSkills PRIME ecosystem.

Of the more than 34 lakh registered candidates, over 23 lakh have enrolled in or been trained through various courses, while more than 13 lakh have completed courses and been certified.

Women account for 41 per cent of the candidates, while more than 86 per cent of participants are from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, indicating the programme’s reach beyond major urban technology centres.

The FutureSkills PRIME model allows courses to be continuously updated in consultation with industry to keep pace with changing technology and employment requirements. Courses can be accessed online, allowing candidates to pursue certifications based on their aptitude and career aspirations.

The programme is part of the government’s broader digital skilling efforts under the Digital India Programme, launched in July 2015. The government has also been working with industry, academia and research institutions to expand digital literacy, employability and skills in emerging technologies.

Training government officials and trainers

Twenty-two C-DAC and NIELIT centres have been designated as Lead and Co-Lead Resource Centres for 10 emerging technologies.

These centres are responsible for training government officials and conducting technology-focused bootcamps.

So far, the Resource Centres have trained more than 32,700 government officials, 2,367 trainers and 40,400 candidates through over 420 bootcamps.

Focus on North Eastern and Himalayan regions

The government has also highlighted the reach of FutureSkills PRIME in the North Eastern and Himalayan regions, including Sikkim.

More than 33,000 candidates from these regions have been enrolled or trained through the FutureSkills PRIME portal, with over 16,000 completing courses and receiving certification.

This includes more than 700 candidates enrolled or trained in Sikkim.

Through NIELIT centres, more than 4,000 government officials and over 5,400 candidates have also been trained through bootcamps in these regions. The figures include more than 500 government officials and over 800 candidates from Sikkim.

SSC-NASSCOM has also signed Memoranda of Understanding with 17 State Governments and more than 2,000 academic institutions and universities for adoption of FutureSkills PRIME courses into academic curricula under the National Credit Framework.

IndiaAI Mission expands AI skilling

The government’s digital skilling efforts also include the IndiaAI Mission, under which IndiaAI Data and AI Labs are being established to create AI-ready talent.

The labs focus on hands-on training in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and related emerging technologies, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

So far, 27 IndiaAI Data and AI Labs have been established through NIELIT centres. These include 10 institutions in the North Eastern region and five in the Himalayan region.

NIELIT expands technology training network

The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) is also implementing education, skilling and digital competency programmes in areas such as drone operation, data analytics and cyber security.

NIELIT has 56 own centres and more than 9,000 partner institutes across the country, enabling training to reach rural and underserved areas.

Of its 56 centres, 22 are located in the North Eastern region, including the Gangtok centre in Sikkim.

Through its network, NIELIT has trained more than 31 lakh candidates under various programmes during the last three years, including courses in emerging technologies.

This includes more than 3.05 lakh candidates from the North Eastern region, of whom over 20,000 are from Sikkim.