Microsoft on February 20 announced the launch of Microsoft Elevate for Educators in India, a landmark initiative designed to skill two million teachers and reach 200,000 schools and educational institutions by 2030, as part of Microsoft’s broader commitment to equip 20 million people in India with AI skills. India is the first country in Asia to launch the program.
As global conversations around AI increasingly focus on productivity and growth, the next chapter of AI adoption will be written in classrooms—where skills are built, judgment is shaped, and technology is learned responsibly. This shift is especially consequential in India, home to over 200 million students and nearly 10 million educators, making it the world’s largest classroom.
Speaking on this announcement, Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, Microsoft, said, “As AI becomes part of everyday learning, we want to ensure it strengthens education, preserves human judgment, and earns the trust of educators and learners. By taking AI at this scale across India, we want it to open new opportunities and deliver meaningful outcomes for teachers and students.”
The announcement took place at CM Shri School, Pandara Road, New Delhi, with the program set to be scaled across all 75 CM Shri schools in the Capital.
Microsoft Elevate for Educators is designed to embed AI literacy, computational thinking, and responsible technology use into everyday teaching and learning—supporting India’s ambition to become an AI first nation while ensuring that AI adoption remains trusted, inclusive, and human centered.
“Skilling is the cornerstone of India’s AI transformation. As intelligence becomes widely available, the real differentiator will be how confidently and responsibly people can use it—and that starts with educators. With Microsoft Elevate for Educators, we are investing in teachers as the architects of India’s AI first future, enabling AI to reach people at population scale by embedding AI literacy and computational thinking into everyday learning,” said Puneet Chandok, President, Microsoft India and South Asia.
The program will be delivered in partnership with Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), the Directorate General of Training (DGT), and state education and skilling departments—expanding equitable AI opportunities for eight million students across school, vocational, and higher education systems.
Beginning this academic year, AI and Computational Thinking will be embedded into school curriculum from Grade 3 onwards under the country’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Elevate for Educators takes a system level approach to support this transition, working in long-term partnership with national and state institutions to turn policy intent into classroom practice at scale. level approach to support this transition, working in long-term partnership with national and state institutions to turn policy intent into classroom practice at scale.‑level approach to support this transition, working in long‑term partnership with national and state institutions to turn policy intent into classroom practice at scale.
A framework built on Credentials, Community and Capacity
At the core of Elevate for Educators is a structured framework focused on three pillars:
- Credentials:Microsoft will introduce new educator credentials aligned to national frameworks and the AI Literacy Framework, designed for educators across schools, polytechnics, vocational institutions, and higher education, in partnership with institutions of national importance.
- Community:The initiative will bring together a community of two million educators, enabling peer learning, collaboration, and professional recognition across disciplines, institutions, and regions, supported by a progressive achievement model.
- Capacity:Working with government partners, Microsoft will help build AI Ambassadors, Educator Academies, AI Productivity Labs, and Centers of Excellence across 25,000 institutions, supporting hands on training and institutional readiness before AI tools are introduced into classrooms. The initiative aligns with national digital education platforms including DIKSHA and the Skill India Digital Hub. The initiative aligns with national digital education platforms including, on training and institutional readiness before AI tools are introduced into classrooms.
Microsoft Elevate for Educators is part of a decade-long partnership with India’s education ecosystem—one that recognizes educators as stewards of trust, judgment, and opportunity. As AI reshapes how knowledge is created and shared, investing in teachers remains the most durable path to ensuring that India’s AI first future is also human first.
