Telangana has announced a free AI and cloud computing training programme for one lakh students across the state, with access to industry-oriented courses, hands-on cloud learning and certification support under an initiative being implemented by the Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK) with Amazon Web Services (AWS).
The Telangana AI and Cloud Skilling Initiative was announced by Minister for IT and Industries D. Sridhar Babu on Monday after TASK and AWS signed an agreement at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat. The programme will cover students from 643 TASK-affiliated colleges and will be implemented without financial burden on the state government, educational institutions or participating students, according to the announcement.
Students will receive training in Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, data engineering, machine learning and generative AI. The programme will provide access to the AWS Cloud Console, enabling participants to undertake practical learning alongside their digital coursework. The focus on hands-on access places the initiative within the broader shift from classroom-based technology education towards skills that can be demonstrated through projects and industry-linked training.
The programme is not limited to engineering and science students. Specialised learning tracks will also be offered to students pursuing non-STEM courses, including Arts and Commerce. This expands the intended beneficiary base beyond conventional technology programmes and recognises that AI and cloud tools are increasingly relevant across different areas of study and employment.
Students enrolled in the initiative will receive one year of free access to more than 900 digital courses through AWS Skill Builder. They will also be provided discount vouchers for global certification examinations. The announcement did not specify the number of students to be enrolled from each college, the selection process, the course completion targets or the schedule for the phased rollout.
The initiative will include industry-connect sessions with technology experts and hackathons, giving students opportunities to work on practical exercises and interact with professionals. These components are intended to supplement online learning with exposure to industry expectations and project-based problem-solving.
TASK will also organise special job fairs for eligible students who successfully complete the training programme, Sridhar Babu said. The announcement did not provide details on the employers expected to participate, the number of job opportunities, or how eligibility for the job fairs will be assessed.
Faculty members from participating colleges will be trained in AI and cloud technologies as part of the programme. This creates an institutional layer to the initiative, with colleges expected to build teaching capacity alongside student participation. However, the announcement did not state how many faculty members will be trained or how the new skills will be integrated into existing curricula.
The agreement between TASK and AWS establishes the implementation partnership. The next operational milestones will be the enrolment of students and faculty, the release of access to AWS Skill Builder and Cloud Console resources, and the scheduling of industry sessions, hackathons and job fairs.
