The Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) programme including the 04 courses (AI to be Aware, AI to Aspire, AI to Acquire, AI for educators) in phase 1 has been implemented as a national initiative to build foundational awareness and readiness in Artificial Intelligence across learners, educators and citizens. The programme is delivered through online, self-paced courses hosted on the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH), ensuring nationwide accessibility. The State/UT-wise training data has been kept at Annexure-I. The Data pertaining to Bengaluru, Bengaluru Rural, Pali and Jodhpur Districts are kept at Anneuxre-II. The programme is being implemented through NCVET-recognised Awarding Bodies, and does not require physical vocational training centres as it follows a fully digital delivery model.

Under Phase I of SOAR, four courses were approved, out of which three were structured as NSQF-aligned micro-credentials under the National Credit Framework. In Phase II, the initiative was expanded significantly with the approval of 50 NSQF-aligned AI and AI-application courses across multiple sectors. Out of these, 35 courses have been designed as micro-credentials with defined credit values, notional hours, and clear progression pathways.

The framework has been developed in alignment with the National Credit Framework and implemented through NCVET-recognised Awarding Bodies. Industry partnerships have played a central role in curriculum development, including collaborations with CII, NASSCOM, Microsoft, Max Healthcare, Sector Skill Councils across Beauty & Wellness, Life Sciences, Tourism, Agriculture, Retail, Furniture & Fittings, Handicrafts, and others. Courses such as Foundational Course – Applied Machine Learning and AI (HP), Introduction to Vibe Coding, AI Foundation for Digital Health, AI for Women, AI for Manufacturing, AI Basics for Furniture Makers, and Yuva AI for All represent structured, credit-enabled micro-learning modules aligned to NSQF levels 2 to 5.5.

This expansion marks the transition of SOAR from foundational AI literacy to a comprehensive, sector-integrated, NSQF-aligned micro-credential ecosystem supporting AI for jobs, productivity, and inclusive growth. The details of the 35 micro-credentials under SOAR is given at Annexure-III.

The Government has undertaken efforts to promote inclusive digital learning and AI awareness across both urban and rural areas. The design of SOAR as an fully online and self-paced learning initiative ensures accessibility across geographies, including underserved and remote regions.

Further, the expansion of SOAR includes focus on inclusivity, including courses for the unorganised sector, women, and persons with disability, thereby contributing to bridging the digital divide and enabling wider participation in AI-driven opportunities.

The roadmap for SOAR includes progressive expansion from foundational AI literacy to application-oriented and advanced learning pathways. The programme is being scaled to include sector-specific AI courses aligned with jobs, productivity and emerging industry requirements. Additionally, alignment with the National Credit Framework (NCrF) enables integration of SOAR courses with formal education pathways, including higher education and degree-level programmes, thereby supporting vertical mobility and lifelong learning in Artificial Intelligence and related domains.

Annexure-I

Data as of 23rd February 2026	SOAR - AI to be Aware		SOAR – AI  to Aspire		SOAR - AI to Acquire		SOAR - AI for Educators
States/ UT	Enrolled	Certified	Enrolled2	Certified3	Enrolled4	Certified5	Enrolled6	Certified7
Andhra Pradesh	8551	1258	4409	571	2693	408	3041	274
Arunachal Pradesh	114	30	44	10	56	25	20	4
Assam	3766	986	1456	380	1148	326	1017	110
Bihar	7243	602	2525	209	1692	121	2346	165
Chhattisgarh	2357	409	648	78	530	58	536	48
Goa	119	14	42	10	24	4	49	3
Gujarat	3414	343	1241	124	835	67	1329	131
Haryana	3338	440	1144	129	863	100	1171	140
Himachal Pradesh	1187	210	367	47	256	26	394	32
Jharkhand	2163	170	772	51	483	35	773	71
Karnataka	5364	1013	2543	457	1542	218	1539	162
Kerala	2487	543	936	162	747	143	795	80
Madhya Pradesh	6058	674	2099	227	1433	137	2055	142
Maharashtra	16466	1292	4674	525	2970	275	6861	663
Manipur	543	201	316	157	246	155	172	35
Meghalaya	241	48	65	10	45	6	114	20
Mizoram	35	4	10	1	4	1	14	2
Nagaland	55	2	13	0	28	15	27	5
Odisha	3588	250	1260	133	943	106	1041	85
Punjab	2078	277	663	130	458	100	709	80
Rajasthan	5156	646	1954	241	1428	199	1854	174
Sikkim	63	5	18	0	8	0	20	2
Tamil Nadu	4890	754	2374	280	1507	178	2070	267
Telangana	4198	977	1709	208	1036	148	1295	127
Tripura	660	244	328	193	250	138	139	12
Uttarakhand	1423	188	550	56	368	58	448	39
Uttar Pradesh	19993	2556	7366	977	5095	644	6233	538
West Bengal	4781	585	1901	215	1498	182	1817	206
Andaman and Nicobar Islands	83	9	30	5	24	10	34	8
Chandigarh	103	13	44	12	27	3	28	0
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu	1280	310	460	88	192	32	899	399
The Government of NCT of Delhi(Delhi)	3198	329	1200	122	849	88	1137	93
Jammu & Kashmir	1654	238	502	56	406	52	570	47
Ladakh	28	4	6	3	3	0	6	0
Lakshadweep	9	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
Puducherry	127	19	65	18	38	7	74	14
Total	116813	15643	43736	5885	29725	4065	40627	4178

 

Annexure-II

 

 

Annexure-III

S.No	Name of Awarding Body	Name of Qualification/NOS Name	NSQF level	Notional Hours Total	Credits
1	CII	Foundational Course - Applied Machine Learning and AI (HP)	4	30	1
2	NASSCOM	Introduction to Vibe Coding	4	15	0.5
3	Max Healthcare	AI Foundation for Digital Health	3	15	0.5
4	Max Healthcare	Applied Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare Systems	5.5	30	1
5	Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council	AI-Based Skin Analysis	3	3	0.1
6	Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council	AI Virtual Beauty Try-On	2.5	3	0.1
7	Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council	AI Personalized Beauty Product Recommendation	3	3	0.1
8	Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council	AI-Based Scalp Analysis	3	3	0.1
9	Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council	AI Virtual Haircut and Beard Try-On	2.5	3	0.1
10	Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council	AI-Based Semi-Permanent Makeup	3.5	3	0.1
11	Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council	AI-Supported Laser Services	3.5	3	0.1
12	Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council	AI-Enabled Yoga Practice	3.5	3	0.1
13	Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council	AI for Wellness Assessment	3.5	3	0.1
14	Microsoft	AI for Women	4	30	1
15	Microsoft	AI for Healthcare	4	30	1
16	Microsoft	AI for Manufacturing	4	30	1
17	Microsoft	AI for Logistics	4	30	1
18	Microsoft	AI for Construction	4	30	1
19	Microsoft	AI for Fashion	4	30	1
20	Microsoft	AI for Automobiles	4	30	1
21	Microsoft	AI for Electronics	4	30	1
22	Microsoft	Unlocking AI for Everyone	2	0.75	0.02
23	Jindal Steel Ltd.	Gen AI Readiness Program	4	30	1
24	Life Sciences SSC	AI in Pharma: Transforming Life Sciences Through Technology	5	4.5	0.15
25	Furniture & Fitting SSC	AI Basics for Furniture Makers	3	7.5	0.25
26	Tourism SSC	Smart Field Facilitator: AI Vision & Live Interpretation for Walk Tours & Nature Guides	4	3	0.1
27	Tourism SSC	AI-Smart Waste Controller: Operating Food-Waste AI in Commercial Kitchens	4	6	0.2
28	Handicraft SSC	AI for Heritage Craft Storytelling and Documentation	3	4.5	0.15
29	Handicraft SSC	AI as Cultural Translator for Global Markets	3	4.5	0.15
30	NIELIT	Yuva AI for ALL	2	4.5	0.15
31	Agriculture SSC	Satellite Data Analysis for Crop Managment	4.5	37.5	1.25
32	RetaiL SSC	Fundamental of AI in Retail	4	30	1
33	NASSCOM	Technology and Business Fundamentals	4	30	1
34	NASSCOM	Basic Gen AI Literacy/GenAI 101	3	7.5	0.25
35	SDN- Wadhwani Foundation	Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI)	3.5	7.5	0.25

 

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Shri Jayant Chaudhary in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

 

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SH

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