Karmactive Team
India has rolled out an ambitious program to equip school students with artificial intelligence skills, aiming to build the world’s largest AI-aware school population.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) recently launched the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) program, designed for students in classes 6 through 12 across the country.
“This is the future we are building—bold, tech-savvy, and ready to lead,” stated Minister Jayant Chaudhary during the 10-year celebrations of the Skill India Mission at BharatSkillNxt 2025. The program aims to fulfill this vision through structured learning modules and comprehensive teacher training.
What SOAR Offers
The SOAR program features four carefully designed modules:
- AI to be Aware: A 15-hour module helping students discover AI concepts and real-life applications
- AI to Acquire: Another 15-hour module introducing coding labs with open-source AI tools
- AI to Aspire: A 15-hour component covering ethics, safety, and career mapping
- AI for Educators: A substantial 45-hour module equipping teachers with necessary pedagogy, content curation, and assessment design skills
These modules create a progressive learning path that builds awareness, practical skills, and ethical understanding while ensuring educators can effectively guide students.
Implementation Details
The government has set a goal of completing the rollout of SOAR within six months, aligning with the broader PMKVY 4.0 (Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana) initiative. Under PMKVY 4.0, ₹1,538.29 crore has been released for FY 2024-25 implementation, as confirmed by Minister Jayant Chaudhary in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
Several premier institutes are participating in the training pipeline:
- IIT Patna will train 1,440 students in roles including EV Service Technician, AR/VR Engineer, and Elderly Caretaker
- NIT Agartala will provide training for 370 students in fields such as Automotive IoT Tech, Bamboo Artisan, and AI-Data Scientist
- Additional participating institutes include IIIT Una, IIT Hyderabad, and RRU Gandhinagar
The program builds on existing momentum in the skill development ecosystem. Under PMKVY 4.0, job roles in Artificial Intelligence, Electric Vehicle, Robotics, 5G, and Data Analytics have been introduced to enhance employability in future-ready sectors.
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Digital Infrastructure
Supporting SOAR’s implementation is KaushalVerse, NCVET’s (National Council for Vocational Education and Training) new Digital Enterprise Portal. This platform streamlines nationwide affiliation, assessment, and award processes.
NCVET has begun efforts to onboard state education boards to the portal, with a recent National Workshop on Onboarding State/UT Education Boards as Dual Category Awarding Bodies seeing 24 states initiate the recognition process, and six states—Goa, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, and Nagaland—already completing their applications.
International Collaboration
An India-France Memorandum of Understanding supports the program with joint curriculum design, Centres of Excellence, and cross-country apprenticeship pathways. This international dimension adds global perspective to the initiative.
Financing Innovation
The Skill Impact Bond (SIB), described as the world’s largest outcomes-based skilling bond, provides financial backing. The SIB has mobilized US $14.4 million and links financing directly to placement results, ensuring accountability in training outcomes.
What This Means for Students
For school students across India, SOAR provides structured entry into AI learning. The program creates a pathway from basic awareness to practical skills and career planning, potentially opening doors to future-ready job roles.
Parents and educators can expect students to receive a total of 45 hours of AI-focused learning (three 15-hour modules), delivered through their schools with support from trained teachers who will complete their own 45-hour specialized module.
Program Facts
- Target audience: Students in classes 6-12
- Module duration: Three 15-hour modules for students (45 hours total), one 45-hour module for teachers
- Implementation timeline: Six-month rollout goal
- Funding: Supported under PMKVY 4.0 allocation of ₹1,538.29 crore for FY 2024-25
- Digital platform: KaushalVerse portal for streamlined implementation
- Financial mechanism: Skill Impact Bond mobilizing US $14.4 million
The SOAR program integrates with existing initiatives under the Skill India Mission, which recently marked its 10-year milestone.
