Odisha will introduce an AI for All course for AEDP students in 2026-27, equipping graduates with essential AI skills and improving employability
OdishaPlus Bureau
The Odisha government will introduce an ‘AI for All’ course as a value-added subject for students enrolled in the Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programme (AEDP) from the second semester of the 2026-27 academic session.
The new course will replace the existing Good Citizenship subject, marking an effort by the Higher Education Department to equip students with basic knowledge of artificial intelligence and improve their employability.
According to an official communication, the course will familiarise students with the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and provide practical skills relevant to the changing workplace.
Director of Higher Education Kali Prasanna Mahapatra has instructed registrars of universities and principals of concerned colleges to make the necessary arrangements for its introduction during the current academic session.
Mahapatra clarified that AEDP students would follow the same curriculum as the ‘AI for All’ programme already offered to students outside the apprenticeship degree framework. For non-AEDP students, the course has been introduced as a Skill Enhancement Course (SEC) in the second semester.
Institutions have been asked to ensure that the programme is implemented within the stipulated timeframe.
The initiative comes as the AEDP expands across Odisha’s higher education institutions. During 2025-26, the programme was offered in 30 institutions across two subjects. Its coverage has increased to 81 institutions and 11 subjects in the 2026-27 academic session.
The AEDP combines two years of academic learning with one year of apprenticeship training. During the apprenticeship period, students receive a stipend while gaining practical experience in a workplace.
The programme aims to bridge the gap between classroom education and industry requirements by allowing students to apply their academic knowledge in professional settings. The addition of ‘AI for All’ is expected to introduce an emerging technology component to this employment-oriented curriculum.