The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, today conferred SOAR (Skilling for AI Readiness) certificates upon learners, including students and Members of Parliament, and announced the ‘#SkillTheNation Challenge’ at a special ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, reaffirming India’s commitment to building a digitally skilled, future-ready and inclusive nation. A group of 17 select students from PM SHRI Schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, along with 15 Members of Parliament from across the country, received the AI course certificates on the occasion.

This momentum will meaningfully build into the upcoming IndiaAI Summit, where India’s vision, readiness and collective resolve to shape the global AI future will be powerfully articulated.

The President also virtually inaugurated the IGNOU Regional Centre at Rairangpur in Odisha. The Centre will significantly improve access to quality higher education and learner support, particularly benefiting rural, tribal, women and working learners. It will serve as a key hub for northern Odisha, supporting admissions, counselling, learner services and examinations, while also strengthening employability through skill-oriented programmes and training support.

Placing Artificial Intelligence at the centre of India’s growth journey, the President Smt. Droupadi Murmu, said that Artificial Intelligence is emerging as a growth driver for the Indian economy. In the coming decade, AI will play a significant role in the country's GDP, employment and overall productivity. Skills such as data science, AI engineering and data analytics will play a crucial role in developing the country's AI talent pool. She stated that the government, in collaboration with various institutions, industry partners, and academia, is ensuring that India not only adopts technology but also shapes a responsible future through it. She urged all work together with commitment to build a developed India. She said that we should contribute to making India a knowledge superpower in line with the National Education Policy and to building a tech-driven, inclusive, and prosperous India.

“I am equally delighted that today we are also strengthening the foundations of knowledge and opportunity through the inauguration of the IGNOU Regional Centre and the Skill Centre in Rairangpur, Mayurbhanj, Odisha. These institutions will take quality education, skill training and future-ready learning closer to people, especially in aspirational regions, ensuring that no learner is left behind in this era of technological transformation,” she added.

The President announced the ‘#SkillTheNation Challenge’, calling upon citizens and leaders alike to embrace future-ready learning.  Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship & Minister of State for Education personally enrolled in the AI learning module under the SOAR, completing the course as a symbol of commitment to lifelong learning. As part of the challenge, he has now nominated individuals to take up the challenge, creating a cascading chain of participation that inspires policymakers, educators, professionals and youth across the country to strengthen India’s AI awareness, capability and confidence.

As part of the agenda MSDE conducted a special session on AI at Rashtrapati Bhavan, as a brief interactive learning module in collaboration with Google.

The event was graced by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, Government of India and Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship  & Minister of State for Education, Government of India alongside Senior officers including the Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, MSDE, Sh. Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, MoE, Sh. Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, MoE,  Smt. Sonal Mishra, Additional Secretary, MSDE, and Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Kumar Gaba, Executive Member, NCVET and Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Professor Uma Kanjilal were also present.

Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, said: “Our new generation needs to be AI-powered now. India has already demonstrated its strength in the digital space through innovations like UPI and transformative public digital infrastructure. The next leap is ensuring that both our young students and our educators embrace ‘AI for All’, so that learning, teaching and governance all benefit from the power of Artificial Intelligence. I am personally committed to this mission, I will also be undertaking the AI certification, because leaders must learn and lead by example. My heartfelt congratulations on the inauguration of the new IGNOU Regional Centre in Mayurbhanj Odisha. It will play a crucial role in expanding access to education, building future-ready skills and empowering every learner to participate in an AI-driven India.”

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Jayant Chaudhary said, “On the very first day of the year at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the highest office of our nation, we had the privilege of reaffirming India’s commitment to building an AI-ready society in the gracious presence of President Smt. Droupadi Murmu ji. Her guidance reinforces that curiosity, preparedness and lifelong learning lie at the heart of India’s national vision. Artificial Intelligence is no longer distant; it is already transforming how we learn, work and solve problems. Leading global assessments, including Stanford University’s AI Index, place India among the world’s most vibrant AI ecosystems—reflecting our technological capability, confidence and determination to lead responsibly. SOAR, is a free course offering AI for All, that was launched in July 2025 by our Ministry and was set out to demystify AI and make it accessible across regions and backgrounds, and its rapid adoption with 1.59 lakh enrolments over the last six months, reflects India’s growing appetite for future-ready learning. I stand here not just as a Minister, but as a learner myself, having completed the AI course and encouraging others to do the same. The #SkillTheNation Challenge is about turning skilling from a government programme into a people-led movement—ensuring that AI expands opportunity, strengthens inclusion, builds trust, promotes ethical adoption, and prepares every Indian not merely to adapt to the future, but to confidently shape it.”

 

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