New Delhi: Union Minister for Railways, Electronics and Information Technology, and Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday inaugurated the NIELIT Digital University (NDU) platform in New Delhi, marking a major step towards democratizing access to digital education in India.
The platform has been designed to offer industry-driven programmes in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Semiconductors and other frontier technologies, supported by flexible online learning modes and virtual labs.
Alongside the launch, the Minister virtually inaugurated five new NIELIT Centres in Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Balasore (Odisha), Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Daman (Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu) and Lunglei (Mizoram), expanding the reach of technical training to underserved regions.
The event also witnessed the signing of MoUs between NIELIT and Microsoft, Zscaler, CCRYN, Dixon Tech and Future Crime to strengthen industry-academia collaboration and align training programmes with real-world demands.
Speaking at the event, Vaishnaw underscored the vision of creating a digital university closely integrated with industry, on the lines of Gati Shakti University for the transport sector. He highlighted that India’s electronics manufacturing sector has already grown into a Rs 13 lakh crore industry and stressed the importance of training students to meet sector-specific requirements.
Vaishnaw further called for collaboration with 500 industry partners to ensure NIELIT courses match market needs.
MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan described the NDU launch as a milestone in India’s education landscape, noting NIELIT’s role in providing advanced technical education even in remote and challenging geographies.
He emphasised that the platform would bridge the skill-employability gap by offering balanced courses in electronics design and manufacturing, thereby supporting India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem.
The event drew participation from over 1,500 attendees, including students, MPs, MLAs, academicians and experts. Lawmakers from different regions with new NIELIT centres, including Tirupati, Muzaffarpur, Balasore, Lunglei and Daman, joined virtually, reflecting nationwide support for the initiative.
A panel discussion on “Role of AI in Digitalisation of Education” followed the inauguration, featuring experts from Intel, Infosys, Microsoft, AA2IT, Barco Electronics and academia. The discussion focused on leveraging AI to enhance skilling, align courses with industry needs and expand pathways to employability for Indian youth.
The NIELIT Digital University platform (ndu.digital) has been developed with a vision to create an inclusive, affordable and employment-oriented digital learning ecosystem. Backed by NCVET-approved and NSQF-aligned programmes, it integrates features such as credit transfers via the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC), multilingual learning, verifiable digital certificates, and AI-driven tools like career simulators and mentoring modules.
Targeting 40 lakh learners by 2030, the platform aims to support Digital India, the National Education Policy 2020 and Skill India by building a globally competitive workforce in emerging technologies.