New Delhi: In a major boost to creative learning and future‑ready skills, Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the Union Budget 2026‑27 that the government will support the establishment of Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) content creator labs in 15,000 secondary schools across India. The initiative will also extend to 500 colleges, marking a significant step toward integrating wallet PLATFORM' target='_blank' title='digital-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">digital creativity and technology into education.

The project will be implemented in partnership with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), Mumbai, which will lead the setup of these labs. The aim is to provide students with hands‑on experience and skills in animation, visual effects, gaming, storytelling, comics and other creative technologies — fields that are part of India’s rapidly growing “Orange Economy.”

Why This Matters

Finance minister Sitharaman highlighted that India’s AVGC sector is expanding quickly and is projected to require about 2 million skilled professionals by 2030. By introducing creative labs at the school and college level, the government hopes to build a pipeline of talent that can feed the industry with trained graduates ready for jobs in content creation, wallet PLATFORM' target='_blank' title='digital-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">digital storytelling, animation studios, and gaming companies.

The initiative reflects a broader shift in educational priorities — one that goes beyond traditional academics to include creative and wallet PLATFORM' target='_blank' title='digital-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">digital competencies. With the creative industries increasingly integrated into global media, entertainment and technology ecosystems, early exposure to AVGC tools and workflows is expected to make indian students more competitive and job‑ready.

Vision and Long‑Term Impact

Skill Development at Scale: By placing labs in 15,000 schools and 500 colleges, the programme ensures wide geographical reach and access to creative tech education.

Boost to job Creation: With industry demand for animation, gaming and VFX growing, these labs could help meet future workforce needs and support career opportunities.

Inclusion in Education: The move underscores the government’s push to integrate technology, creativity and innovation into the school curriculum, data-aligning education with the needs of a wallet PLATFORM' target='_blank' title='digital-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">digital economy.

Experts believe that this initiative will not only nurture creative talent but will also strengthen India’s position in global wallet PLATFORM' target='_blank' title='digital-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">digital content markets, helping students transition from learners to job creators and wallet PLATFORM' target='_blank' title='digital-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">digital entrepreneurs.

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