Panaji: State govt on Thursday launched Goa Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy 2026, which includes introducing AI fundamentals for Classes VI–XII from the academic year 2027-28 and setting up AI labs in up to 50 govt schools in phases. The policy targets 50,000 AI-certified professionals by 2030, including at least 25% women, 30% youth under 30 and 15% from tier-2 and tier-3 talukas.Chief minister Pramod Sawant and IT minister Rohan Khaunte launched the policy on Thursday. Sawant said colleges and higher secondary institutions should be converted into AI labs to expand student access. Khaunte said hosting Goa AI Tech Conclave 2026 would position Goa as a hub for ethical, responsible and inclusive AI.The policy aims to build an AI talent pipeline from school education to workforce readiness, mobilise financial support and incentives to boost AI adoption, and create governance and infrastructure for citizen-first, transparent and scalable AI use. In schools, AI fundamentals for Classes VI–XII will be aligned with National Curriculum Framework 2023 and depend on curriculum approvals, teacher readiness and annual review, with age-appropriate modules on responsible AI and media literacy. AI labs will be introduced in up to 50 govt schools, starting with 20 rural schools and later expanding to 30 urban or semi-urban schools, designed to complement existing Atal Tinkering Labs and IndiaAI Future Skills infrastructure. A three-level AI certification framework—foundational, practitioner and specialist—will define skill requirements at each stage.“Training 500 teachers in AI methods through IIT Goa, National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) and the State Institute of Education, and an AI Coach Network of 100 experts drawn from this pool,” the policy said.The policy also promotes student-led innovation through hackathons, challenges, AI labs and partnerships with educational institutions, linked to incubation and funding support under Goa Startup Policy and other govt schemes, as per guidelines.Beyond education, the policy commits to expanding access to AI skilling for students, graduates, govt officials, professionals, MSMEs and citizens, with an inclusion focus across language, location, gender, age, income and ability. It also seeks to preserve Goa’s linguistic and cultural heritage through AI-enabled multilingual tools, including Konkani large and small language models in collaboration with BHASHINI.
