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AI goes to class as MSDE, Google Cloud pilot smart skills framework
MUMBAI: If skills are the engine of Viksit Bharat, artificial intelligence is being fitted firmly under the bonnet. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has announced a collaboration with Google Cloud and Chaudhary Charan Singh University to build a national framework for modernising India’s vocational and higher education ecosystem using cloud and AI technologies.
Unveiled at Google’s AI for Learning Forum in Delhi, the initiative positions CCSU, Meerut as a national pilot institution that will test how AI can be embedded into everyday teaching, administration and skill development. The announcement was made in the presence of Jayant Chaudhary, alongside senior officials from the Ministries of Skill Development and Education.
At the heart of the pilot is the use of Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise platform to address real-world challenges faced by universities. These include automating administrative workflows, improving staff efficiency, supporting research, and enabling personalised learning through AI tutors and skill-gap analysis. The aim is to make learning more adaptive, efficient and aligned with evolving workforce needs.
The programme is designed to act as an equaliser. By enabling vernacular language support and personalised AI-driven mentorship, it seeks to extend access to high-quality learning tools to students in regional institutions who are often constrained by geography, language or resources. Faculty members will also be supported with AI tools to design curriculum content, simulations and multilingual teaching aids tailored to different learning speeds.
Beyond classrooms, the initiative focuses on operational reform. Intelligent document processing and automated workflows are expected to reduce administrative load, allowing institutions to function more efficiently while improving service delivery to students.
Crucially, the CCSU pilot will feed into a larger ambition. Insights from the project will be used by MSDE to develop a National Best Practice Framework that can guide more than 50,000 colleges and over 1,200 universities in adopting AI responsibly and self-certifying as “AI-enabled universities”.
As a designated Centre of Excellence, CCSU will also host knowledge-sharing sessions to demonstrate how AI can be scaled across India’s diverse education landscape. The goal is clear: ensure that future-ready skills are not confined to elite campuses, but become part of the everyday learning experience for students across the country.
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Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
