AI for All: 10 Lakh Citizens to Get Free AI Training via CSCs in India’s Villages
- Chinmay
- July 17, 2025
- Artificial Intelligence, India, News
- AI for rural development, AI training India, Ashwini Vaishnaw AI, CSC AI initiative, CSC MeitY, Digital India AI, free AI education, rural AI empowerment, village entrepreneurs AI, VLE success stories, women in tech India
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In a bold move to take Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the grassroots, the Government of India will provide free AI training to 10 lakh citizens across the country. This initiative will be powered by Common Service Centres (CSCs) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), with a strong focus on empowering Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs).
According to IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, CSCs have already reached 90% of India’s villages, making them the perfect medium to democratize next-gen technology. “When the world questioned how a tea seller or a vegetable vendor could use digital payments, today that dream has come true—UPI payments have surpassed Visa transactions,” he noted, emphasizing India’s rising digital confidence.
The goal is not just to teach AI—but to embed it in the daily lives of rural citizens through VLEs who serve as tech enablers in their communities. Stories like that of Manjulata from Odisha and Rose Angelina from Meghalaya highlight how women in remote regions are transforming villages into digital hubs.
“Amid the scenic hills of East West Khasi Hills, VLE Rose Angelina is leading a digital revolution from her small center in Mairang,” said the Minister.
Alongside AI training, VLEs are also being encouraged to offer IRCTC services and integrate with Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS), unlocking new opportunities in digital governance, agriculture, and citizen services. From just 83,000 CSCs in 2014, India now has nearly 5.5 lakh centers, including over 74,000 women-led VLEs—a silent but powerful revolution in the making.
As Minister Jitin Prasada said, “We are now in the era of Artificial Intelligence. It’s time to use these technologies not just for convenience—but for empowerment at the last mile.”
This initiative marks a shift in how India views AI—not as a luxury for urban elite, but as a necessity for inclusive development.
