Maharashtra government signs MoU with National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology to set up CoE in AI, robotics, IoT, and Industry 4.0

Government of Maharashtra, through its Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education, sings a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology, Mumbai, on October 11, 2024.

The scope of the work in this MoU is to establish Centre of Excellence (CoE) in artificial intelligence (Al), robotics, internet of things (IOT), Industry 4.0, 3D printing and allied technologies for capacity training and research and development centres at government polytechnic and government engineering college in Maharashtra and to seek funding from Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and other government organisations through joint project proposals.

Ashwini Vaishnaw, union minister, electronics and information technology, railways, and Iinformation and broadcasting, emphasised the importance of aligning education with industry demands.

Maharashtra has built a strong foundation through its well-established network of polytechnics, ITIs, and higher education institutions, which have developed the necessary capacities to house CoE in emerging technologies like AI, robotics, and IoT. It is based on these developed capabilities that the government of Maharashtra was able to seek funding from the central government, a proposal that was actively supported and delivered by MeitY, ensuring that Maharashtra can lead in cutting-edge technical education and innovation.

The initiative is expected to create significant opportunities for students, providing them with the necessary skills and job placements to succeed in the rapidly evolving technological landscape. The government of Maharashtra has a total 40 government polytechnics and 300 private polytechnics in the state and the state government through Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education has already established the CoE in IoT at 6 government polytechnics and CoE in robotics and automation at 3 government polytechnics. At the remaining government polytechnics, CoE will be established through the funds made available through this MoU.