Kerala launches free Skill Kerala tech training for 10,000 students in 70+ courses

Kerala has launched a state-funded programme to train 10,000 college and university students in emerging technologies. Called Skill Kerala, the Emerging Technology Skilling Programme was inaugurated in Thiruvananthapuram by P.K. Kunhalikutty, the state minister in charge of information technology, according to a report on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. The government will pay the full cost of training across more than 70 courses in 17 emerging technology fields. The ICT Academy of Kerala is running the programme under the state's Accelerate Kerala initiative, and it is being rolled out in higher education institutions as part of the Chief Minister's 100-day action plan.

India's technology job market is changing faster than college syllabuses. Hiring data released this month showed demand for artificial intelligence and machine learning roles rising about 20 per cent year on year in September, even as hiring for traditional IT services roles slipped. Students who leave college with only a general degree are finding that employers want proof of specific, current skills. Skill Kerala is the state's attempt to close that gap while students are still enrolled, rather than leaving them to buy expensive private courses after graduation.

Kunhalikutty made that argument directly at the launch. He said academic qualifications alone are no longer enough and that employability skills are essential, and he urged that students be prepared not only for jobs but also to build businesses and create content of their own. That message matters in Kerala, which has high levels of education but has long seen many graduates leave the state, or the country, in search of work.

The choice of the ICT Academy of Kerala is also significant. The academy is a state-backed body that already runs technology training and certification courses, so the programme starts with an existing delivery network rather than a new agency. Fully funded seats also lower the barrier for students from smaller towns and poorer families, who are least able to pay for add-on courses.

The programme fits a wider national push. In his Independence Day speech on 15 August 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a target of training one crore young people in artificial intelligence within a year. States that build their own training pipelines, as Kerala is doing, can feed into that goal while tailoring courses to local industry.

Short-term: Colleges and universities in Kerala will begin enrolling students into the free courses, and students should watch for details on the project portal and through their institutions.

Long-term: If completion rates are high and courses match what employers need, the state could build a larger pool of job-ready graduates in emerging technologies and more student-led start-ups.

Who is affected: Students in Kerala's higher education institutions, college teachers who will help deliver the training, technology employers looking for skilled freshers, and families who would otherwise pay for private courses.

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