Education Ministry invites applications for IIT Madras 'Bharat Bodhan' AI Conclave 2026

Chennai: The Union Education Ministry has invited participation from stakeholders for the IIT Madras Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave 2026, a national-level platform aimed at accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence in India's education ecosystem. The conclave, scheduled to be held in Delhi on February 12-13, seeks to identify and engage AI-enabled solutions that have moved beyond pilot stages and demonstrated measurable impact on learning outcomes, according to a statement issued here on Wednesday.

The last date for submission of Letters of Interest (LoI) is January 29. According to the ministry, the call is open to solution providers, academic institutions, foundations, and government bodies from India and abroad. The submissions are invited across four priority verticals: school education, higher education, skilling and workforce readiness, and AI research and deep technology.

Highlighting the significance of the initiative, V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, "India’s education system is undergoing a decisive transformation under the National Education Policy 2020. In this context, AI is emerging as a powerful enabler to address persistent challenges, particularly in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, teacher support, and personalised learning."

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The Ministry of Education has established a Centre of Excellence in AI for Education at IIT Madras, known as the 'IIT Madras Bodhan AI Foundation', to develop scalable and "India-first" AI solutions. Participation in the conclave will be a prerequisite for organisations seeking future engagement with the Centre of Excellence, including potential integration with the 'Bharat EduAI Stack' currently under development.

Selected participants will have the opportunity to showcase their solutions to policymakers, investors, and industry stakeholders through demonstration stalls. They will also receive structured feedback from a designated committee during the two-day event.

The conclave is envisioned as a "landscape discovery" platform to bring together researchers and educators to evaluate AI solutions at scale, the statement added. Interested organisations can register through the official website of IIT Madras.