New Delhi: The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has announced a collaboration with Meta to launch two key initiatives aimed at enhancing skill development in India. The partnership includes the development of an AI assistant to support the Skill India Mission and the establishment of five Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Chennai, and Kanpur. The AI assistant, powered by Meta’s open-source Llama model, will be integrated into the Skill India Digital (SID) Portal to streamline access to information, enhance learning outcomes, and offer students seamless, personalised support through an intuitive digital interface.

The introduction of these CoEs will provide learners and instructors with access to advanced VR and MR technologies, creating an immersive and engaging environment for skill development. This innovative approach will help students improve their skills in a safe and interactive manner, making skill training more accessible and engaging.

The AI-powered chatbot, which will be available on the SID Portal and accessible via WhatsApp, will provide round-the-clock assistance to users in multiple languages, including English, Hindi, and Hinglish. It will help students easily discover course information, answer queries related to content, offer lecture summaries, and provide access to relevant videos for revision. Additionally, it will assist in locating skilling centres, exploring job opportunities, and offering feedback for continuous learning improvement. The chatbot's analytics will help MSDE further optimise the platform.

Sarvam AI, the technical partner for the AI assistant project, will manage the development and deployment of the chatbot, which will be piloted for six months. Meanwhile, Skillveri, the partner for establishing the CoEs, will equip learners and trainers with the necessary VR and MR tools, curriculum, and trained professionals to ensure cutting-edge skill development experiences.

This collaboration between MSDE and Meta is seen as a step forward in integrating advanced technologies into India's skill development ecosystem, supporting learners, educators, and entrepreneurs alike as they prepare for a future driven by digital technologies.

BI Bureau