Microsoft Launches AI Skilling Programme for 2 Million Indian Teachers by 2030

In a landmark push to future-proof India’s classrooms, Microsoft has unveiled an ambitious AI skilling programme aimed at transforming how millions of educators teach and students learn. With India poised to become an AI-first nation, the tech giant is placing teachers at the heart of this transition, seeking not just technological adoption, but trusted, human-centred integration.

What is Microsoft Elevate for Educators and why is India first in Asia?

Microsoft has launched Microsoft Elevate for Educators in India, an initiative designed to skill two million teachers and reach 200,000 schools and educational institutions by 2030. The programme is part of Microsoft’s broader commitment to equip 20 million people in India with AI skills. Notably, India is the first country in Asia to roll out the initiative.

As global conversations around AI increasingly centre on productivity and growth, Microsoft believes the next chapter of AI adoption will be written in classrooms, where skills are built, judgment is shaped, and technology is learned responsibly.

This shift carries enormous weight in India, home to over 200 million students and nearly 10 million educators, making it the world’s largest classroom.

Speaking on the announcement, Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, Microsoft, said, "As AI becomes part of everyday learning, we want to ensure it strengthens education, preserves human judgment, and earns the trust of educators and learners. By taking AI at this scale across India, we want it to open new opportunities and deliver meaningful outcomes for teachers and students."

The announcement was made at CM Shri School, Pandara Road, New Delhi, with the programme set to expand across all 75 CM Shri schools in the national capital.

How will AI and computational thinking reshape classrooms under NEP 2020?

Microsoft Elevate for Educators is designed to embed AI literacy, computational thinking, and responsible technology use into everyday teaching and learning. The aim is to support India’s ambition of becoming an AI-first nation while ensuring adoption remains trusted, inclusive, and human-centred.

Beginning this academic year, AI and Computational Thinking will be embedded into the school curriculum from Grade 3 onwards under the National Education Policy 2020. Elevate for Educators adopts a system-level approach to support this transition, working in long-term partnership with national and state institutions to turn policy intent into classroom practice at scale.

"Skilling is the cornerstone of India's AI transformation. As intelligence becomes widely available, the real differentiator will be how confidently and responsibly people can use it--and that starts with educators. With Microsoft Elevate for Educators, we are investing in teachers as the architects of India's AI first future, enabling AI to reach people at population scale by embedding AI literacy and computational thinking into everyday learning," said Puneet Chandok, President, Microsoft India and South Asia.

Who are the key partners and what scale of impact is expected?

The programme will be delivered in partnership with the Central Board of Secondary Education, National Council of Educational Research and Training, All India Council for Technical Education, National Council for Vocational Education and Training, Directorate General of Training, and various state education and skilling departments.

Through these collaborations, Microsoft aims to expand equitable AI opportunities to eight million students across school, vocational, and higher education systems.

Elevate for Educators forms part of a decade-long partnership with India’s education ecosystem, recognising teachers as stewards of trust, judgment, and opportunity. As AI reshapes how knowledge is created and shared, Microsoft’s strategy underscores a central belief: investing in educators remains the most durable path to ensuring that India’s AI-first future is also human-first.

(With inputs from ANI)