HUMAN CAPITAL WORKING GROUP MEETING HELD AT IIT-GUWAHATI CAMPUS
New Delhi, Jan 06, 2026 : The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the IndiaAI Mission, the Government of Assam and IIT Guwahati on Monday began a two-day Human Capital Working Group meeting at the IIT Guwahati campus, focusing on education reform, workforce transition and inclusive, human-centric adoption of artificial intelligence.
The meeting brings together senior policymakers, academic leaders, industry experts and practitioners to deliberate on how India can build future-ready human capital in the age of AI. Chaired by Prof. T. G. Sitharam, the discussions will serve as a key thematic precursor to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled in New Delhi from February 15 to 20, and are expected to inform national policy outcomes.
In the inaugural session, speakers underlined the central role of human capital in India’s AI journey and stressed the need to move beyond conventional skilling models towards lifelong learning, human augmentation and institutional readiness. Addressing the gathering, IIT Guwahati Director Prof. Devendra Jalihal highlighted the institute’s role as a convening platform for policymakers, academia, industry and students to shape inclusive AI ecosystems. He noted that strong student participation reflected growing interest in responsible and people-centric AI development.
Shikha Dahiya, Joint Director at IndiaAI, MeitY, outlined the vision of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, stating that it would focus on human capital, democratisation of AI resources and inclusive AI adoption, particularly for the Global South. She said outcomes from the Guwahati deliberations would directly feed into global-level discussions at the Summit. She also highlighted the IndiaAI Mission’s efforts in building future-ready human capital through initiatives related to compute capacity, indigenous datasets and models, and nationwide AI skilling.
Prof. T. G. Sitharam emphasised that the transition to an AI-enabled economy must remain people-centric and inclusive. He called for a shift from fragmented skilling efforts to lifelong learning ecosystems that prioritise adaptability, judgement and human-centred capabilities alongside technical skills, ensuring that technological progress translates into dignity and opportunity.
Senior Assam government officials highlighted the broader socio-economic implications of AI adoption. Principal Secretary (IT) K. S. Gopinath Narayan said AI represents a fundamental shift in how societies function and stressed the importance of prioritising human augmentation over automation to prevent widening inequalities. Special Chief Secretary Syedain Abbasi cautioned that concentration of AI capabilities among a few global players could threaten India’s traditional IT and outsourcing-led employment model, calling for indigenous compute capacity and differentiated skilling pathways.
A key highlight of the first day was a keynote address by Prof. Gautam Barua, former Director of IIT Guwahati, on “Democratizing Competency in the Age of AI”. He examined the shift from education systems designed to produce individual experts to models enabling large-scale human augmentation through domain-specific AI tools, while emphasising the need for transition security and social protection for workers affected by automation.
The day also featured panel discussions on gender-responsive strategies for the AI transition and on redefining education for the cognitive age. Panellists discussed risks such as automation of entry-level roles, algorithmic bias and unequal access to AI skilling, as well as the need to move from rote-based learning to cognitive, process-oriented education that emphasises critical thinking, collaboration and lifelong learning.
The Human Capital Working Group meeting will continue on Tuesday with further deliberations on education reform, workforce transition and inclusive AI strategies. The recommendations emerging from the Guwahati discussions will be consolidated to inform national policy thinking and contribute to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, reinforcing the government’s commitment to building inclusive, human-centric AI ecosystems aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.