MSDE, Microsoft to equip women in future-ready AI skills

New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and tech giant Microsoft on Tuesday joined hands to launch 'AI Careers for Women' -- a pioneering skilling initiative aimed at empowering women in higher education institutions to pursue careers in artificial intelligence (AI).

The collaboration seeks to bridge the gender gap in emerging tech by equipping women with industry-aligned AI skills, enabling them to participate meaningfully in the digital economy and become active contributors to India’s innovation-led growth.

“Our partnership with Microsoft underlines the Ministry’s commitment to expanding opportunities for women in emerging tech fields like AI. By embedding this program within credit-linked university curricula and aligning it with the National Education Policy (NEP), we’re reimagining 21st-century learning — making it flexible, interdisciplinary, and deeply rooted in industry needs,” said Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

Empowering young women with in-demand digital skills will not only transform individual careers but also accelerate the nation’s journey toward a more equitable and innovation-driven economy, Chaudhary added.

As part of this collaboration, Microsoft will provide 240-hours training curriculum under AI skilling and Innovation framework for women, aligned to the industry standards, and developed in consultation with the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET).

The training will be delivered in a hub and spoke model in partnership with the state government departments for higher education, across a network of 30 Centre of Excellence - Hubs and 150 educational institutions – spokes in Tier-II and Tier-III towns across six states.

“We believe that equitable access to AI skills is crucial for inclusive economic growth. Through this collaboration, we’re strengthening capacity building across institutions in Tier-II and Tier-III towns, ultimately enabling more women to thrive in an AI-powered economy and shape the workforce of tomorrow,” said Aparna Gupta, Global Delivery Center Leader Microsoft India.

The programme complements classroom learning in higher education by establishing 30 centres of excellence at women institutions that act as hub centres and further support 150 spoke centres in Tier-II and Tier-III towns, offering in-depth AI training with hands-on exposure to AI tools and real-world applications, helping 20,000 learners to gain industry-relevant skills and project-based experience.

The initiative aims to enhance women workforce participation in digital economy and aligns with the government’s mission of creating equitable access to future-ready skills.

--IANS

na/