Imarticus Learning has launched Future Skills for Bharat, a new portfolio of industry-focused certificate programmes developed in association with E&ICT Academy, IIT Kanpur, to equip undergraduate students across India with skills aligned with emerging opportunities in technology and finance.

The initiative begins with two programmes AI Engineering & Infrastructure and AI for Finance—for which enrolments are now open. The portfolio will subsequently expand to include EV Technology and FinTech & Digital Finance, with additional programmes planned across technology-led sectors.

E&ICT Academy, IIT Kanpur, is part of the EICTA Consortium under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).

Building Skills for India’s Emerging Industries

Future Skills for Bharat is designed around sectors expected to shape India’s next phase of economic and technological growth. Its broader focus includes AI engineering and infrastructure, data centres, semiconductors, embedded engineering, robotics, drones, aerotech, spacetech, electronics manufacturing and fintech.

The initiative aims to help students move beyond theoretical knowledge and become familiar with the technologies, systems and practical challenges they may encounter in their future careers.

The first two programmes target areas where industry requirements are evolving rapidly, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into engineering and financial services.

AI Engineering & Infrastructure: Beyond Tools and Prompting

The AI Engineering & Infrastructure programme is designed to introduce learners to the development and deployment of real-world AI systems, moving beyond basic prompting and the use of AI tools.

The curriculum covers large language models (LLMs), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), AI agents, APIs, containers, cloud infrastructure, graphics processing units (GPUs) and responsible AI. Students will explore how AI systems are built, deployed, monitored and scaled.

The programme aims to provide learners with a broader understanding of the infrastructure supporting AI applications, including the systems and technologies required to move from models to functioning services.

AI for Finance: Preparing Students for an Evolving Financial Sector

The AI for Finance programme focuses on the growing use of artificial intelligence across financial services. It is intended to prepare students for AI-assisted work in areas such as financial analysis, forecasting, credit risk assessment, fraud detection and investment research.

Importantly, the programme does not require a coding background, making it relevant to students interested in understanding how AI can be applied to finance and business decision-making.

The curriculum reflects the changing requirements of financial services, where analytical capabilities and familiarity with AI-enabled systems are becoming increasingly relevant.

EV Technology and FinTech Programmes to Follow

The Future Skills for Bharat portfolio will expand to cover electric mobility and digital finance through two additional programmes.

The EV Technology programme will take engineering students through the electric-vehicle ecosystem, covering battery packs and battery management systems, motors, power electronics, thermal management, charging infrastructure and vehicle software. Its focus is on helping learners understand the components and systems involved in electric vehicles.

Meanwhile, FinTech & Digital Finance will examine the technology, economics and regulatory frameworks underpinning India’s digital financial ecosystem. Topics will include India Stack, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), digital lending, WealthTech and RegTech.

Additional programmes across emerging technology-driven sectors are planned throughout the year.

Practical Projects and Industry-Relevant Learning

A central feature of Future Skills for Bharat is its emphasis on practical application. Every programme incorporates three guided projects alongside capstone-level work, giving students opportunities to demonstrate their understanding through tangible outputs.

Depending on their chosen programme, learners could deploy an AI model as a working service, configure an AI finance assistant grounded in a company’s annual report, design a 40 kWh battery pack for an Indian electric bus, or build a UPI transaction dashboard.

The programmes also incorporate an India-first context, drawing on areas such as domestic electric mobility requirements, EV charging conditions, UPI and India Stack, the regulatory frameworks of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), and the country’s growing AI ecosystem.

These projects are intended to give students practical work they can demonstrate and discuss during internship and placement conversations, complementing their academic qualifications with evidence of applied skills.

A Two-Month Learning Format with Faculty Masterclasses

Each programme follows a 60-hour, two-month live learning format, combining structured learning modules, four masterclasses led by IIT/NIT faculty and three guided projects.

The format is designed to help students gain exposure to the technologies, business models and regulatory frameworks shaping their chosen sectors while continuing their undergraduate education.

The portfolio is primarily intended for BTech students across branches and academic years, including Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE), Computer Science, Information Technology and allied disciplines. Selected programmes, including AI for Finance and FinTech & Digital Finance, are also relevant to BCom, BBA and other commerce undergraduates.

Learners who fulfil the programme requirements will receive a programme completion certificate under E&ICT Academy, IIT Kanpur. The programmes do not confer an IIT degree, diploma or alumni status.

Leadership on Bridging the Skills Gap

Commenting on the launch, Nikhil Barshikar, Founder and CEO of Imarticus Learning, said the changing requirements of employers have created a need for programmes that help students understand the systems and practical challenges behind emerging technologies.

“Future Skills for Bharat is built to close that gap,” Barshikar said, emphasising the importance of preparing students not only for their first job but also for subsequent changes in their industries. He added that the initiative reflects Imarticus Learning’s approach of supporting learners throughout their careers rather than focusing solely on course delivery.

Dr. ARKS Srinivas, Joint Academic Coordinator, EICTA – IIT Kanpur, highlighted the importance of helping students understand the underlying technology behind AI systems.

He noted that the programmes cover the AI stack, from models to data centres, and aim to give students a foundation for contributing to the infrastructure supporting India’s AI ambitions. He also emphasised the role of industry context and practical learning in turning academic fundamentals into demonstrable capabilities.

Strengthening Career Readiness for the Next Decade

With Future Skills for Bharat, Imarticus Learning and E&ICT Academy, IIT Kanpur, are introducing a portfolio that combines structured learning, faculty-led masterclasses and practical projects around sectors undergoing significant technological change.

Enrolments are currently open for AI Engineering & Infrastructure and AI for Finance. EV Technology and FinTech & Digital Finance are expected to follow as the portfolio expands.

By introducing these programmes while students are still pursuing their undergraduate degrees, the initiative aims to help them build relevant skills, develop practical project experience and prepare for evolving opportunities across India’s technology and financial services industries.

By : Vanshika Tayal