IndiaAI Hosts Human Capital Working Group Meet Ahead of AI Summit 2026

A second panel moderated by Mr. Subhodeep Jash (The Asia Group) examined how AI is reshaping learning ecosystems.

 

The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), the IndiaAI Mission, the Government of Assam, and IIT Guwahati convened a two-day Human Capital Working Group Meeting (5–6 January 2026), bringing together senior policymakers, academic leaders, industry experts and practitioners to accelerate national deliberations on education reform, workforce transition and inclusive, human-centric AI adoption.

Chaired by Prof. T. G. Sitharam, the meeting serves as a key thematic precursor to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 (15–20 February, New Delhi) and will directly inform national policy outcomes.

Human Capital at the Core of India’s AI Ambitions

Opening addresses by Shri Syedain Abbasi (IAS), Shri K. S. Gopinath Narayan (IAAS), Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Prof. T. G. Sitharam, and Ms. Shikha Dahiya (IndiaAI, MeitY) underscored that India’s AI transition must be people-first, rooted in lifelong learning, institutional readiness and inclusive capability-building across regions and sectors.

Speakers stressed:

• The move from fragmented skilling to lifelong learning ecosystems

• Prioritising human augmentation over automation

• Building sovereign compute capacity and indigenous datasets/models

• Ensuring AI adoption that uplifts all sections of society, particularly the Global South

• Strengthening AI literacy and micro-skilling to prevent widening inequalities

Keynote: Democratizing Competency in the Age of AI

In a keynote address, Prof. Gautam Barua, Former Director, IIT Guwahati, traced the shift from traditional education systems built around individual experts to large-scale human augmentation enabled by domain-specific AI tools. He emphasised:

• Sector-aligned sovereign AI systems

• Raising baseline human capability

• Social protection for workers displaced by automation

Panel: Gender-Responsive Strategies for AI Transition

A panel moderated by Ms. Arpitha Desai (The Asia Group) explored the gendered impacts of AI.Discussion themes included:

• Automation of entry-level roles

• Wage and opportunity gaps

• Data and algorithmic bias

• Limited access to AI skilling for women

• Need for explainable AI and inclusive design frameworks

Panellists included Ms. Tulika Pandey (MeitY), Mr. Sanjay Kukreja (eClerx), Ms. Urmi Tat (Salesforce), Dr. Tanu M. Goyal (ICRIER), Prof. Dhruba Kumar Bhattacharyya (Tezpur University), and Prof. Ratnajit Bhattacharjee (IIT Guwahati).

Panel: Redefining Education for the Cognitive Age

A second panel moderated by Mr. Subhodeep Jash (The Asia Group) examined how AI is reshaping learning ecosystems. Key insights:

• Shift from rote-learning to cognitive, process-driven pedagogy

• AI to personalise learning while easing administrative burdens

• Importance of community-tested, human-centric AI tools

• Closer alignment between academia and evolving industry needs

• Adaptability, critical thinking, collaboration, and digital fluency as core 21st-century capabilities

Panellists included leaders from ConveGenius, Rocket Learning, Kyndryl, NIT Durgapur, and IIT Guwahati.

IndiaAI Mission and Road to the Impact Summit

Ms. Shikha Dahiya presented an overview of the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026, noting its focus on:

• Democratising AI resources

• Responsible and inclusive deployment

• Enabling indigenous AI models

• Amplifying Global South leadership

She highlighted that key recommendations from Guwahati will feed directly into national and global deliberations at the Summit.

Building a Human-Centric AI Future for Viksit Bharat 2047

The session concluded with a vote of thanks from Shri Ashwani Kumar (IAS), who praised IIT Guwahati’s role in bridging policy, research and real-world impact.

Day 2 will feature further deliberations on:

• Workforce transition

• Education reform

• Lifelong learning systems

• Gender-responsive AI strategies

The Guwahati convening reinforces India’s commitment to building inclusive, human-centric AI ecosystems under the IndiaAI Mission and aligning regional insights with the national vision for Viksit Bharat 2047.