NEW DELHI: In 2024, India has seen a significant surge in the popularity of courses related to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, and Data Science. According to data released by Coursera, one of the world’s largest online learning platforms, these fields have dominated the educational landscape, reflecting the growing demand for tech skills in the job market.
This year, 60% of India’s top courses focused on AI and Machine Learning (ML). Coursera recorded a fourfold increase in enrollments for Generative AI (GenAI) courses in India, totalling 1.1 million to date—the highest globally, followed by the US. On average, learners enrolled in GenAI content every minute, a significant jump from one enrollment every three minutes in 2023. This shift indicates a maturing interest in practical applications of AI technology.
The top 10 most popular courses in India for 2024 include:
AI For Everyone by DeepLearning.AI
Generative AI for Everyone by DeepLearning.AI
Python for Data Science, AI & Development by IBM
Introduction to Generative AI by Google Cloud
Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere by Google
Foundations of Cybersecurity by Google
Supervised Machine Learning: Regression and Classification by Stanford University & DeepLearning.AI
Financial Markets by Yale University
Google AI Essentials by Google
Foundations of Project Management by Google
Beyond AI, Indian learners continued to pursue perennial favourites like finance, project management, and data analytics. Entry-level Professional Certificates, which require no prior experience or college degree, also saw a rise in uptake. Several NSQF-aligned certificates, including Google Data Analytics, Google Project Management, IBM Data Science, and Google UX Design, ranked among the top 10 in India.
The demand for AI skills is expected to continue growing. According to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index 2024, 75% of Indian leaders stated they wouldn’t hire candidates lacking AI skills, and 80% would prefer less experienced candidates with AI skills over more experienced ones without them. This trend underscores the importance of AI literacy in the evolving job market.