PM announces free online coaching, AI training for 10 million youth

The initiatives aim to widen access to quality exam preparation, reduce dependence on costly private coaching and equip a larger young workforce with technology skills needed for India’s AI-driven economic growth.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced plans to provide free online coaching for competitive examinations, aimed at easing the financial pressure faced by poor and middle-class families. He also said the government would train 10 million young people in artificial intelligence (AI) over the next year as part of its broader effort to prepare India’s youth for an increasingly technology-driven economy.

Speaking from the Red Fort on Independence Day, Modi said the proposed coaching initiative would combine India’s digital public infrastructure with the expertise of teachers and educators. The objective, he said, is to create a nationwide network that enables students to prepare for competitive examinations without having to depend heavily on expensive private coaching centres.

Digital platform to expand access to coaching

Modi said the growing coaching culture had created considerable financial pressure on families, with parents often feeling compelled to enrol their children in coaching institutes to remain competitive.

“The competition surrounding coaching classes has become a huge burden for middle-class families. Every parent feels that if they do not send their children to a coaching centre, they are somehow falling behind or do not belong to a respectable family. Keeping the concerns of poor and middle-class families in mind, we want to help save them the thousands of crores of rupees which they spend on coaching,” he said.

He added that students should be able to remain close to their families while pursuing their academic ambitions without adding to household expenses. The proposed network will bring together existing digital resources and qualified educators to deliver free online preparation support.

The announcement comes amid continuing concerns over examination systems and the growing dependence on private coaching. Student-led protests in July had brought issues surrounding competitive examinations and coaching practices into sharper focus.

India already has an example of such a digital learning model through SATHEE (Self-Assessment Test and Help for Entrance Exams), developed by IIT Kanpur in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education. The platform offers free preparation material and guidance for examinations including JEE, NEET, CUET, ICAR, SSC and IBPS. More than 21 lakh learners had registered on SATHEE as of August 3.

Focus shifts to AI skills

Alongside the coaching initiative, Modi announced a target of training 10 million youth in AI skills during the coming year. He positioned young Indians as a key force behind the country's ambition to become a developed economy and a global technology leader.

“We have resolved that in the coming one year, we will work to provide AI skill training to 10 million youth, so that the youth of our nation possess the capability to lead the world in the domain of AI as well,” he said.

The announcement builds on existing government efforts to expand AI literacy. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) programme in July 2025, covering AI fundamentals, generative AI, programming, ethics, cybersecurity and career opportunities for students in Classes 6 to 12 and educators.

By March 2026, around 2.3 lakh learners had enrolled in SOAR, with nearly 29,800 completing certification. The latest announcement signals a significant expansion of the government's AI-skilling ambition, with the focus shifting from foundational awareness towards preparing a much larger youth population for an AI-led economy.