Andhra Pradesh plans AI skills for 50 lakh students, 8 credits in degree courses
By TUF News Desk · Published 9 November 2026 · 4 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
Andhra Pradesh wants 50 lakh of its students and young people to learn AI skills. The state Education Department has drawn up an action plan to deliver that training, ETV Bharat reported on November 7. The figure is the state’s share of the Centre’s national goal of building one crore AI-skilled people across India.
Ten lakh of those learners are in higher education. They will be reached through universities and SWAYAM Plus, the Ministry of Education’s industry-linked skilling platform. The rest of the target covers school and vocational streams: 14 lakh students of Classes 8 to 10, 6.5 lakh Intermediate students, 3.5 lakh polytechnic and ITI students, and 16 lakh unemployed youth, MSME professionals and others.
What changes in degree courses
For university students, the change is already partly in place. AI is already part of degree and engineering syllabi in the state, with eight credits allotted at degree level. The plan goes further by adding subject-specific AI content to programmes such as healthcare, commerce, law and ITI trades, instead of a single standalone AI paper.
Delivery will run through SWAYAM Plus and technology partners, and AI courses students complete will be formally credited on their mark sheets. The Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education is also working on an overhaul of postgraduate programmes across 28 state universities.
Teachers will be trained first
The department is starting with teachers rather than students. Teachers and college faculty will be trained before the programme reaches classrooms. The Higher Education Department has already advised faculty in higher-education institutions to complete online AI certificate courses on SWAYAM Plus and those offered by private providers.
AI from Class 6
At school level, students will first learn basic AI concepts, and the Class 6 syllabus is to be revised soon to add AI lessons. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said in early October that AI would be taught from Class 6 from the next academic year. IIT Hyderabad, which had already prepared an AI curriculum for engineering colleges, will be asked to draft a high-school syllabus.
The Amaravati campus behind the plan
The skills plan sits alongside a bigger state push. Andhra Pradesh is setting up India’s first dedicated Quantum and AI university campus in Amaravati, run by the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology with Rs 730.7 crore over five years. Academic and skill-development activities are starting from a temporary facility at Acharya Nagarjuna University in Guntur. NIELIT plans to partner with institutions including IIT Tirupati, Andhra University and JNTU on curriculum design, joint research and technology development.
What students should watch
Two things will decide whether the plan reaches students. One is classroom infrastructure. National data cited by Elets shows one in three Indian schools still has no working computer, a gap the state will have to close as AI moves into textbooks. The other is timing. The department has published an action plan with learner targets, but no completion dates for each stream have been announced yet. Students weighing their options can start with our guide on choosing the right university in India.
Frequently asked questions
How many students will the Andhra Pradesh AI skills plan cover?
50 lakh learners in total, including 10 lakh higher-education students who will be reached through universities and SWAYAM Plus.
Will AI courses count towards my degree?
Yes. AI already carries eight credits in degree programmes in Andhra Pradesh, and AI courses students complete will be formally credited on their mark sheets.
When will AI be taught in Andhra Pradesh schools?
AI lessons will enter the Class 6 syllabus, which is to be revised soon. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said teaching will begin from the next academic year.
Who will teach AI under the plan?
Teachers and college faculty will be trained first. The Higher Education Department has advised faculty to complete online AI certificate courses on SWAYAM Plus and private platforms.
Frequently asked questions
How many students will the Andhra Pradesh AI skills plan cover?
50 lakh learners in total, including 10 lakh higher-education students who will be reached through universities and SWAYAM Plus.
Will AI courses count towards my degree?
Yes. AI already carries eight credits in degree programmes in Andhra Pradesh, and AI courses students complete will be formally credited on their mark sheets.
When will AI be taught in Andhra Pradesh schools?
AI lessons will enter the Class 6 syllabus, which is to be revised soon. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said teaching will begin from the next academic year.
Who will teach AI under the plan?
Teachers and college faculty will be trained first. The Higher Education Department has advised faculty to complete online AI certificate courses on SWAYAM Plus and private platforms.
Sources: ETV Bharat, Elets digitalLEARNING, The Week