New Delhi, February 27, 2026: The AI Careers for Women (AICW) initiative, launched in April 2025 by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in partnership with Microsoft, has announced a multi-stakeholder alliance to advance gender inclusion in India’s artificial intelligence workforce.
The alliance brings together Microsoft, SAP and LinkedIn to build structured and industry-aligned AI career pathways for women. The formal activation of the collaboration marks the next phase of the programme, which aims to address the gender gap in the technology sector.
AICW operates through a hub-and-spoke model across eight states — Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Odisha — connecting higher education institutions with industry-linked training and employment pathways.
The programme is structured around two key components: skilling and certification, and the AI LinkedIn Fellowship.
The skilling initiative, supported by Microsoft and SAP, offers a 240-hour instructor-led curriculum at hub colleges and 180 hours at spoke colleges, alongside self-paced digital learning, hands-on labs and capstone projects. Participants receive industry-recognised certifications and access to internship and employment opportunities. In its first year, AICW aims to establish 25 AI Centres of Excellence and upskill around 10,000 women students.
The LinkedIn Fellowship is a three-month programme designed for non-STEM women students and faculty. Supported by Microsoft and LinkedIn, with IISc Bengaluru as academic partner, the fellowship provides mentorship, peer learning and leadership development. The programme received over 2,000 applications and onboarded 180 fellows nationwide.
Nagesh Singh, Chairman of Edunet Foundation, which manages programme implementation, said, “Our implementation stitches together curriculum delivery, mentorship logistics, and industry connectivity into a single, structured journey and helps our learners to transition from being a student to becoming a skilled professional.”
The initiative also collaborates with state agencies including Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC), Uttar Pradesh Development System Corporation (UPDESCO), Department of Technical Education Karnataka, Gujarat Knowledge Society (GKS) and WeHub Telangana to support implementation.
The AICW initiative aligns with the national objective of strengthening India’s AI ecosystem by expanding women’s participation in technology and higher education.
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