VIJAYAWADA: Driven by a State-wide push toward emerging technologies, Andhra Pradesh has emerged as the national leader in certified talent for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data Analytics (BDA) under the Union Government’s FutureSkills PRIME initiative.
According to data tabled by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in the Lok Sabha on August 12, Andhra Pradesh tops all states in candidates completing certification, with 1,08,895 individuals certified out of 1,53,783 enrolled over the last three years.
The figures underscore the scale of the state’s technology-skilling effort under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s focus on building a future-ready workforce.
While Tamil Nadu logged higher total enrolments at 1,61,190 candidates, Andhra Pradesh surged ahead in final completions, outperforming major IT hubs including Maharashtra with 45,277 certified, Telangana with 45,250 certified, and Karnataka with 34,790 certified.
The AI and Big Data metrics form part of a larger FutureSkills PRIME footprint across the state. Total enrolments in Andhra Pradesh across all emerging technology modules—including IoT, Cyber Security, Blockchain, and AR/VR—have crossed 4.34 lakh, with AI and Big Data accounting for more than 2.13 lakh candidates.
The national program, implemented jointly by MeitY and NASSCOM, has recorded over 34 lakh registrations and 13 lakh-plus certifications nationwide, with 86 per cent of participants coming from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
In Andhra Pradesh, institutional support is anchored by the NIELIT Tirupati Centre, which develops specialised curricula and industry-aligned training, supported by 22 Digital Literacy Course (DLC) Facilitation Centres and two accredited skill centres.
The skilling push provides concrete backing for the state’s broader economic ambitions, particularly as IT Minister Nara Lokesh actively drives engagements to secure high-value investments in emerging sectors.
With Visakhapatnam being positioned as a technology and AI hub and Amaravati planned as a digital-first capital, establishing a 1-lakh-plus certified talent pool offers the state a distinct competitive edge in attracting global technology firms and R&D centres.