Odisha Higher Education Department Launches Flagship "AI Course for All" Program
KEONJHAR: In a major push to equip youth across rural and industrial districts with future-ready digital competencies, the Odisha Department of Higher Education has officially launched the flagship "AI Course for All" initiative, unveiling the program alongside a series of strategic Memoranda of Understanding signed with NASSCOM, IBM–CSRBOX, the Naandi Foundation, and Odisha Knowledge Corporation Limited (OKCL), with the state-wide skilling drive targeting over 1.25 lakh undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as faculty members across state universities and degree colleges. A major focus of the rollout includes higher educational institutions situated in aspirational and remote districts, including Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, and Sundargarh, where students across Arts, Science, and Commerce streams in colleges across Keonjhar Sadar, Champua, and sub-divisional hubs will receive structured, online-based training encompassing Artificial Intelligence fundamentals including machine learning concepts, data literacy, and responsible AI usage, alongside Enterprise Design Thinking and digital tools with problem-solving methodologies tailored for modern industry needs, as well as project-based learning designed to bridge classroom degree studies with workplace requirements.
To ensure seamless execution, the initiative incorporates specialized orientation modules for educators, with over 10 hours of dedicated AI coursework integrated into faculty development tracks to help teachers guide project portfolios and leverage AI tools for academic research and classroom instruction, while state authorities have also introduced the Academic Performance Assessment Portal and the Question Bank Portal to monitor learning outcomes across degree colleges state-wide. Speaking on the launch, state officials emphasized that bringing structured AI literacy to regional and rural institutions will broaden career readiness and entrepreneurship pathways for students in Odisha's interior belts, ensuring that youth from even the most remote corners of the state are not left behind in the rapidly evolving digital economy.
Report: Amal K Mathew