Microsoft announces Elevate for Educators in India to skill 2 million teachers in AI

Microsoft

• Microsoft launches Elevate for Educators in India, first in Asia
• Plans to train 2M educators and reach 200K schools by 2030
• Supports India's NEP 2020, focusing on AI in school curricula

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Microsoft has launched Microsoft Elevate for Educators in India, marking the first rollout of the programme in Asia. The initiative aims to skill two million educators and reach 200,000 schools and institutions by 2030. It is positioned as a cornerstone of Microsoft’s wider commitment to train 20 million people in India in AI skills.

AI’s next chapter begins in classrooms

With more than 200 million students and nearly 10 million educators, India represents the world’s largest classroom. As global discussions around AI shift from experimentation to productivity and growth, Microsoft argues that the next phase of adoption will be shaped in schools.

Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President at Microsoft, said the goal is to ensure AI strengthens education rather than disrupts it. “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,” Smith said. “By taking AI at this scale across India, we want it to open new opportunities and deliver meaningful outcomes for teachers and students.”

Supporting NEP 2020 with system-level change

The initiative aligns with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, under which AI and Computational Thinking will be introduced into school curricula from Grade 3 onwards beginning this academic year. According to Puneet Chandok, President, Microsoft India and South Asia, teachers will be central to India’s AI transformation.

“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,” Chandok said.

Microsoft Elevate for Educators adopts a system-level approach, working in long-term collaboration with national and state institutions to translate policy intent into classroom implementation. The programme is being delivered in collaboration with bodies including CBSE, NCERT, AICTE, NCVET and the Directorate General of Training.

Microsoft describes Elevate for Educators as part of a decade-long partnership with India’s education ecosystem. As AI reshapes how knowledge is created and shared, the company is framing teachers as the anchor of responsible adoption.