In a major push for education and skill development, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Education with a total outlay of ₹500 crore. This initiative builds on the three AI centres set up in 2023 for agriculture, healthcare, and sustainable cities.
Sitharaman also revealed plans for five National Centres of Excellence for Skilling, designed to equip youth with industry-relevant expertise. “These centres will be set up with global partnerships to support Make for India, Make for the World manufacturing,” Sitharaman stated. The initiative will cover curriculum design, training of trainers, a skill certification framework, and regular assessments.
To strengthen higher education, the government is investing in the expansion of IIT infrastructure. Over the past decade, student intake at IITs has doubled from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh. Additional facilities will be developed at five IITs established post-2014, creating space for 6,500 more students. Hostel and other infrastructure capacity at IIT Patna will also be expanded.
In a move to promote Indian languages in education, the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme was announced. “This initiative will provide digital Indian language books for schools and higher education, helping students understand their subjects better in their own language,” Sitharaman said.
The government also reaffirmed its commitment to expanding medical education, with an additional 10,000 undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats to be added next year. Over the past decade, medical seats have increased by 130% to 1.1 lakh, with plans to add 75,000 more in the next five years. Additionally, cancer centres will be set up in all district hospitals.
These initiatives reflect the government’s continued focus on education, skilling, and healthcare, ensuring India remains at the forefront of global innovation and workforce development.
