The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is all set to partner with Meta for the launch of an AI Assistant for the Skill India Mission and also to establish five Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR).
The partnership will witness the development of an innovative AI-driven chatbot powered by Meta’s open-source Llama model, which will enhance the learner experience on the Skill India Digital (SID) portal. The accessibility of Meta’s open-source AI models to India’s AI ecosystem will result in a collaborative e-governance framework for adoption of impactful AI solutions with potential for catalysing large-scale socio-economic transformation in line with India’s AI Mission.
The five CoEs at the National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Chennai and Kanpur will offer learners and instructors the latest VR technology to learn and improve existing skills in a safe, immersive, and engaging environment.
The collaboration for the AI assistant will help streamline information access, improve learning outcomes, and provide students with seamless support through an intuitive digital interface. The 5 CoEs will also provide realistic simulations, improve engagement and increase accessibility to skill-development training.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary believes this is a step towards the mission of the Ministry, which is to “empower India’s youth with the skills they need to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. By integrating technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality and mixed reality into the Skill India ecosystem, we are democratising access to cutting-edge technologies enabling personalized learning pathways for the youth of the country.”
Shivnath Thukral, vice president and head of public policy, Meta India, reiterated Meta’s “commitment to leveraging frontier technologies such as AI, VR and MR to create meaningful impact for the economic development of India.”
According to Thukral, “These partnerships with the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MDSE) are a testament to our commitment to bridging the gap between technology and education. Through the integration of advanced technologies like Open-Source Llama we aim to empower not just the students, but also educators and entrepreneurs, equipping them with the tools they need to thrive in today’s digital-first world.”
The Skill India Digital Portal is being accessed by millions of students for courses aimed at improving their employability. With the launch of the AI chatbot, MSDE and Meta are closer to revolutionising how students interact with course content and prepare for the future.
Sarvam AI, the technical partner for the AI-assistant project, will be responsible for the development and deployment of the chatbot, which will be piloted over a six-month period. It will be integrated into the SID Portal and will offer 24/7 assistance to users, enabling quick discovery of course information, interactive Q&A for course content, and access to lecture summaries and relevant videos for revision.
Not only will the chatbot be available over WhatsApp, but it will support English, Hindi, and Hinglish, along with voice capabilities, increasing accessibility to a wide use base across India. Additionally, users can search for specific course topics, find skilling centres, explore job listings based on location and interest, and receive tailored feedback for continuous improvement. The chatbot will also provide valuable analytics to the MSDE to further optimise the platform.
Skillveri is the technical partner for establishing the CoEs. It will provide cutting-edge VR and MR resources, curriculum, and trained professionals to equip learners and instructors with the latest technology, enabling immersive and interactive learning experiences.
