AI courses in India in 2026: Complete guide

Employers in India are expected to require over one million trained AI professionals by the end of 2026. Hiring of professionals in AI has grown at more than 30% between 2025 and 2026.

There is a wide gap between demand and supply, and for young graduates and professionals in India, it means that the moment is right to consider AI courses in India as a pathway to a career in AI.

Whether you are finishing Class 12, wrapping up your undergrad, or already working, an AI course could well be the launchpad that can propel you into a career in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

In this guide, I will walk you through all the types of AI courses available in India, information on who can apply to which course, what sort of careers and salaries are available to AI professionals, and which colleges are worth adding to your shortlist.

Types of AI courses available in India

The good news is that there are so many types of AI courses in India that you can expect to find one that’s perfect given your academic experience, profile, and budget. AI courses in India are also available in many formats, including completely online.

Here are the main options you will come across:

Formal Higher Education Degrees

These are the university-issued degrees that give you the most academic depth.

• At the undergraduate level, your main choices are a 4-year B.Tech or B.E in AI, in AI and ML, or in Computer Science with an AI specialization.
• A 3-year B.Sc in AI or Data Science, or a BCA in AI, is also worth a look.
• Once you graduate, IITs, NITs, and leading private universities offer an M.Tech in AI or ML and an M.Sc in Data Science.

Diploma Courses

Polytechnic diplomas in AI and ML are available for students after Class 10. A diploma program is delivered over three years, and can give you an early technical education in AI. Postgraduate diplomas are also available, from institutes like C-DAC. These are six to twelve month intensive programs built specifically to make graduates industry-ready.

Online Courses and Certifications

You can consider a UGC-recognized online degree like the IIT Madras BS in Data Science and Applications. On your resume, such an online degree from a reputed institute holds the same value as an on-campus one. If you want something shorter, self-paced certifications are available on Coursera, edX, DeepLearning.AI, Google, and Indian platforms like PW Skills. Pick one of these when you want to sharpen a specific skill, such as GenAI, MLOps, or computer vision, without committing to a full degree.

Eligibility criteria for different types of AI courses in India

Your eligibility depends entirely on which of the three types of AI courses you are applying to.

Eligibility Criteria For Formal Degrees in AI

To enroll in a B.Tech in artificial intelligence, you need to have studied Physics, Chemistry, and scored more than 60% in your 12th standard examinations. To get into top institutes, you will need to prepare for and score well in examinations such as JEE Main, BITSAT, VITEEE, SRMJEEE, or a university-level test.

Admission criteria for B.Sc and BCA are more relaxed. Institutes that offer these courses accept students from non-science streams as well. Admissions are granted based on institute-specific qualifier tests.

To get admission in an M.Tech level course in AI, you need a relevant B.Tech, B.E, MCA, or M.Sc, and need to sit for the GATE exam.

Eligibility Criteria For Diploma Courses in AI

Polytechnic diplomas in AI are open for students after Class 10. To qualify, you must have scored above the minimum accepted percentage in your 10th standard exams. To enroll in a PG diploma program such as C-DAC’s PGCP-AI, you need to have graduated in engineering, an MCA, or an M.Sc in a related field with at least 60% marks, and clear the C-DAC C-CAT entrance test.

Eligibility Criteria For Online Certification Courses in AI

UGC-recognized online degrees such as the IIT Madras BS are open for students from any stream but have their own qualifier process. Self-paced platform certificates have almost no gatekeeping.

Career scope and AI engineer salary in India

If you complete an AI course in India, the roles open to you cover a wide spectrum of engineering, research, and product work. To understand what your career could look like, it helps to look at three things: the roles, the employers, and the salaries.

Roles You Can Take Up After an AI Course

Companies in India hire AI engineers for roles such as:

• machine learning engineers
• GenAI and LLM specialists
• MLOps engineers
• computer vision engineers
• data scientists
• AI product management

Types of Employers Who Hire AI Engineers in India

AI hiring is not limited to tech companies alone. You will find openings across:

• IT services firms
• product companies
• Global Capability Centres (GCCs) of multinational companies
• banking and financial services
• healthcare organizations
• e-commerce companies
• automotive companies
• telecom operators.

AI Engineer Salary in India by Experience Level

Your salary as an AI engineer in India will depend on your experience and the type of employer you join.

Fees at top colleges offering AI courses in India

The total fees you will pay for an AI course in India depends on three things:

• the type of course you pick (degree, diploma, or online certificate),
• the institute you enroll in (government IITs and NITs are far cheaper than premium private universities), and
• add-ons like hostel, mess, and lab charges.

I strongly recommend that you evaluate the program fees alongside the average placement package the college offers.

Here is a snapshot of the fees you can expect to pay for AI courses in India:

B.Tech in AI or AI & ML (4-year total fees)

B.Tech CSE with AI Specialization (4-year total fees)

Online Degrees and PG Certifications (full program fees)

Find the right AI course with GradRight

When you begin your research to find the right AI course, you will quickly run into a problem of plenty. Thankfully, you can compress a week’s worth of that research into a few minutes on GradRight.

You can compare AI courses in India across every type of institution, including online programs, on a single screen. F

If you need an education loan to fund your AI course, you can create a single loan request on the loan marketplace and watch 18+ top lenders bid on your application to offer you the lowest interest rate and most flexible terms.

To get started, download the GradRight app on Google Play or the App Store and ask Graddie, our in-app AI assistant, which AI courses suit you best, how programs compare on the factors you care about, and how to secure a low-cost education loan for your chosen college.