State to train 1k girls in AI & emerging technologies every year

Diana Sahu / Jun 06, 2026, 23:26 IST

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State to train 1k girls in AI & emerging technologies every year

Bhubaneswar: Aiming at preparing women students for careers in the technology sector, the higher education department has launched a programme to train 1,000 girls in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies. On Saturday, the department signed an MoU with Edunet Foundation for this.Under the partnership, women students will receive training in AI, data science, machine learning, cyber security, Python programming and data analytics. The skill development programme, supported jointly by Edunet Foundation and Microsoft, will comprise 240 hours of coursework and practical training.The programme will also feature a special module titled ‘Career Opportunities for Women in Artificial Intelligence’ to help students understand the growing employment prospects in the field. Participants will be given opportunities to work on capstone projects involving modern technologies, besides receiving internship and placement support.Upon successful completion of the programme, students will receive certificates from Edunet Foundation and Microsoft. Higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj said the initiative is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises skill development and exposure to modern technologies. He said the programme has been designed to empower women students with industry-relevant skills and improve their employability in emerging sectors. The MoU was signed in the presence of higher education commissioner-cum-secretary Aravind Agrawal and Edunet Foundation director Ashish Arora.

About the AuthorDiana Sahu

Diana Sahu is an Assistant Editor with the Times of India. With a professional career spanning nearly two decades, she has been writing extensively on education, livelihood, child rights, gender, heritage & culture, tourism and disability rights. She is also known for her data-driven investigative reports and compelling human interest stories. Her in-depth story on 'Women in Higher Education' had won her the Best Feature Award at the Laadli Media Awards and a Laadli National Fellowship on 'Gender and Disability'. She had also received WNCB Fellowship on Child Rights. Apart from her core reporting interests, she loves documenting the many aspects of Odisha's culture and heritage. She tweets at @DiannaSahu.

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