Lok Sabha Question No. 2566 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-09
Subject: SOAR (Skilling for AI Readiness) Programme
Ministry: SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Asked by: Shri P C Mohan, Shri Bidyut Baran Mahato, Dr. Nishikant Dubey, Smt. Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Smt. Kamlesh Jangde, Shri Kota Srinivasa Poojary, Shri Krishna Prasad Tenneti, Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Shri Yogender Chandolia, Shri Dilip Saikia, Shri P P Chaudhary, Shri Lumbaram Choudhary, Smt. Sanjna Jatav, Shri Satish Kumar Gautam, Shri Dineshbhai Makwana, Shri Manoj Tiwari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2566

ANSWERED ON -09.03.2026

## SOAR (SKILLING FOR AI READINESS) PROGRAMME

2566.    SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:

SHRI LUMBARAM CHOUDHARY:

SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:

SHRI KOTA SRINIVASA POOJARY:

SHRI P C MOHAN:

SHRI P P CHAUDHARY:

SMT. MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH:

SHRI VISHWESHWAR HEGDE KAGERI:

SHRI YOGENDER CHANDOLIA:

SMT. KAMLESH JANGDE:

SHRI DINESHBHAI MAKWANA:

SHRI KRISHNA PRASAD TENNETI:

SHRI SATISH KUMAR GAUTAM:

SMT. SANJNA JATAV:

DR. NISHIKANT DUBEY:

Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of implementation status of the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) programme,  including  the  number  of  students  and  educators  trained  in  Artificial intelligence  (AI)  literacy  along  with  vocational  training  centers  across  the  country, State/UT-wise, especially in Karnataka, Bangalore, Rajasthan, particularly in Pali Lok Sabha Constituency;
- (b) the  details  of  the  National  Skills  Qualifications  Framework  (NSQF)-aligned micro-credentials framework developed, including its integration with National Council of  Educational  Research  and  Training  (NCERT),  Central  Board  of  Secondary Education (CBSE), National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), under the National Credit Framework  and  partnerships with the industry leaders for curriculum development;
- (c) whether the Government has assessed the impact of the programme on urbanrural digital inclusion outcomes and student career interest in AI sectors and emerging technology sectors and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the roadmap of the Government to expand SOAR coverage beyond the initial youth trained to include diploma and degree-level AI programmes along with advanced skilling centers in technology hub such as Bangalore?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

- (a) 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.

(b) 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 NSQFaligned 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 microcredentials under SOAR is given at Annexure-III.

(c) 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.

(d)  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  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (A)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2566 ANSWERED ON 09.03.2026.

Annexure-I

| Data as of 23rd Februa ry 2026 States/   | SOAR - AI to be Aware   | SOAR - AI to be Aware   | SOAR - AI to Aspire   | SOAR - AI to Aspire   | SOAR - AI to Acquire   | SOAR - AI to Acquire   | SOAR - AI for Educators   | SOAR - AI for Educators   |
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
| Data as of 23rd Februa ry 2026 States/   | Enroll ed               | Certifi ed              | Enroll ed2            | Certifi ed3           | Enroll ed4             | Certifi ed5            | Enrolle d6                | Certifie d7               |
| UT 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 I slands             | 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 NC T 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                                    | 11681 3                 | 15643                   | 43736                 | 5885                  | 29725                  | 4065                   | 40627                     | 4178                      |

Annexure-II

| State     | District        | Course name             |   Enrolled |   Certified |
|-----------|-----------------|-------------------------|------------|-------------|
| KARNATAKA | Bengaluru       | SOAR - AI for Educators |        128 |          16 |
| KARNATAKA | Bengaluru       | SOAR - AI to Acquire    |         96 |          15 |
| KARNATAKA | Bengaluru       | SOAR - AI to Aspire     |        152 |          39 |
| KARNATAKA | Bengaluru       | SOAR - AI to be Aware   |        284 |          31 |
| KARNATAKA | Bengaluru Rural | SOAR - AI for Educators |         15 |           2 |
| KARNATAKA | Bengaluru Rural | SOAR - AI to Acquire    |         14 |           1 |
| KARNATAKA | Bengaluru Rural | SOAR - AI to Aspire     |         19 |           4 |
| KARNATAKA | Bengaluru Rural | SOAR - AI to be Aware   |         64 |           3 |
| RAJASTHAN | PALI            | SOAR - AI for Educators |         57 |           6 |
| RAJASTHAN | PALI            | SOAR - AI to Acquire    |         22 |           5 |
| RAJASTHAN | PALI            | SOAR - AI to Aspire     |         37 |           4 |
| RAJASTHAN | PALI            | SOAR - AI to be Aware   |        108 |          12 |
| RAJASTHAN | JODHPUR         | SOAR - AI for Educators |        112 |          10 |
| RAJASTHAN | JODHPUR         | SOAR - AI to Acquire    |         62 |           8 |
| RAJASTHAN | JODHPUR         | SOAR - AI to Aspire     |         85 |           6 |
| RAJASTHAN | JODHPUR         | SOAR - AI to be Aware   |        215 |          19 |

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (B)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2566 ANSWERED ON 09.03.2026.

## Annexure-III

|   S.NoName of Awarding Body | S.NoName 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 |

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