NEW DELHI: Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday announced that a Centre for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in manufacturing will be established at IIT Bombay in partnership with Columbia University. An MoU has been signed between the two institutions to facilitate the initiative.
The Minister also announced institutional collaborations between IIM Jammu and AIT Bangkok, the launch of an AI programme at IIM Lucknow, and a ‘Teaching with AI’ programme at IIM Ranchi.
Pradhan inaugurated the two-day Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave at Bharat Mandapam, where he also opened the Bodhan AI Centre of Excellence, aimed at integrating AI across India’s education ecosystem.
“India’s AI will be inclusive by design, interoperable by architecture, and sovereign by capability,” he said. Emphasising the role of AI in education, he urged stakeholders to develop scalable, responsible, ethical, and India-centric AI models to transform education and advance the vision of Viksit Bharat.
He expressed confidence that the conclave would enhance India’s AI capacity, strengthen its global leadership in AI, build a Digital Public Infrastructure for education, and ensure AI reaches all.
Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar called for creating S.A.F.E. AI – Secure, Accountable, Fair, and Empowering – to ensure technology drives inclusive progress in India.
Two technical sessions were held on school education and classroom solutions, and on teacher capacity building and systemic reform. “These sessions brought together leading organisations and startups to present scalable AI solutions aimed at improving classroom learning, teacher support systems, foundational learning interventions, and governance frameworks,” a release stated.
An exhibition showcasing AI-driven innovations in school education, higher education, and skilling was also inaugurated, providing a platform for interaction between policymakers and innovators.