MeitY Report : India to Require 1 Million AI Professionals by 2026

Current Context: On June 1, 2025, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) released its report, "India's AI Revolution: A Roadmap to Viksit Bharat," estimating that India will need 1 million AI professionals by 2026.

Key Highlights:

• AI Workforce Demand: Driven by India's push to become a global AI hub, with AI education expanding under NEP 2020.
• Education Initiatives: AI integrated into undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programs, with fellowships for students in India’s top 50 NIRF-ranked institutions.
• Infrastructure Expansion: Data and AI Labs being set up in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities to provide hands-on experience.
• Industry Growth: India's AI sector is projected to reach $28.8 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 45%.

Question:

Q.1 As per MeitY’s report "India’s AI Revolution: A Roadmap to Viksit Bharat," how many AI professionals will India need by 2026?
a) 1 million
b) 750,000
c) 500,000
d) 2 million

Answer: a) The report explicitly states that India will need 1 million AI professionals by 2026 to meet the growing demand driven by its push to become a global AI hub.