CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government is set to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) as new trades in 50 government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the state to equip students with skills needed for job opportunities.
The initiative, announced in the Revised Budget for 2026-27, will be implemented in phases over five years with an allocation of `10 crore, officials said. Each year, 10 government ITIs will introduce the new trades.
According to official sources, the government expects the initiative to benefit around 24,000 students over the five years. Officials said AI and ML are increasingly being used across sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, banking, and education. The new trades are expected to help ITI students gain exposure to these emerging technologies. Further, they underlined that the directorate of employment and training, under the labour and skill development department, is drafting the curriculum and working on the infrastructure and other requirements for introducing the trades. The department is also expected to collaborate with industries to ensure that the training is aligned with the market needs. Besides, the department is taking steps to identify 10 ITIs to introduce the modules in the current academic year. The initiative is part of the government’s efforts to modernise vocational education.