Gurukul: Transforming ITI Skill Training with Agentic AI
A revolutionary approach to revitalize India's vocational education system through AI-powered communities and decentralized governance
The Challenge in ITI Skill Development
15,034
ITIs Across India
With capacity to train 2.5 million students annually
42%
Seat Utilization
Only 1.05 million trainees enrolled out of 25 lakh available seats
63.5%
Employment Rate
Of ITI pass-outs found employment (including self-employment)
Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) are the backbone of vocational training in India, but they face serious challenges in utilization, quality, and outcomes.
Declining Interest in Traditional Trades
In Maharashtra, applications to ITIs have declined steadily from above 3 lakh in 2018-19 to only 1.68 lakh in 2025-26.
Students perceive limited opportunities in conventional trades as industries now seek multi-skilled, tech-savvy workers.
In 2025, only 22 students who scored 95%+ in high school chose ITIs in Maharashtra (down from over 1,200 top scorers the year before).
Key Challenges Facing ITIs
Outdated Trades & Diminishing Interest
Many ITI courses are in traditional trades with shrinking job markets. High-performing students are opting for academic or new-age skill programs instead.
Quality and Industry Relevance
Training quality, faculty standards, and infrastructure in many ITIs are not up to global benchmarks. The curriculum often lags behind industry needs, especially with the advent of Industry 4.0 technologies.
Regional Disparities
Large states like Uttar Pradesh host over 3,263 ITIs whereas smaller regions like Arunachal Pradesh have under 10 ITIs total. Many ITIs in poorer or rural areas struggle with inadequate faculty and infrastructure.
Underutilization of Capacity
The low enrollment and vacant seats mean a lost opportunity to skill millions of youth. Social perception issues play a role – vocational training is often seen as a last resort, partly due to lower confidence in job outcomes.
Unless ITIs can offer cutting-edge skills and clear pathways to employment, students will continue to opt for general education or newer private courses.
India's ITI ecosystem needs a transformational upgrade to become quality-driven, technologically updated, and closely aligned with industry.
Introducing
Gurukul
An Agentic AI Ecosystem for Skill Training
A decentralized education framework designed to transform skill development through agentic AI, community participation, and blockchain-based governance.
Reimagining Vocational Education
Gurukul turns a network of training institutes into an autonomous ecosystem of learning communities ("education DAOs"), where AI agents orchestrate real-time education delivery, personalized upskilling, assessments, and gig-based work opportunities.
Key Pillars of the Gurukul Framework
Agentic Automation
AI agents handle various functions in the education workflow - from community management and content creation to tutoring, assessment, mentorship, and outreach.
Micro-Communities
Stakeholders organized into pods based on roles and interests - Teacher Pods, Student Pods, Content Creator Pods, Management Pods, and Governance Pods.
Trust and Onboarding
Participants join via familiar channels and build TrustScore - a reputation metric that forms the basis of a decentralized digital CV.
Curriculum to Gig Workflow
Training value chain managed as micro-tasks or gigs, auto-generated and assigned by AI based on needs and expertise.
Trust and Reputation System
Participants are onboarded via familiar channels like WhatsApp/Telegram bots, mobile apps, or web dashboards, choosing roles and verifying credentials.
Each member receives a TrustScore – a reputation metric seeded from real credentials and built through contributions and feedback.
Over time, trust metrics convert into TrustCoin (a soulbound reputation token) and Ooumph Coin (utility token) rewards, creating a system where credibility and skill are tokenized and portable.
Dynamic "Education Gig" Model
AI Generates Tasks
System creates micro-tasks based on training needs and academic calendars
Intelligent Matching
AI matches each gig to best available community member based on TrustScore, skills, and availability
Task Completion
Community members complete assignments, from content creation to teaching sessions
Rewards & Recognition
Participants earn tokens, badges, and reputation upon successful completion
This gig approach introduces agility and responsiveness – courses can be updated on the fly and learners get access to the best resources from the nationwide community.
Incentives & Token Economy
Teachers
Receive milestone payments upon completing training modules with good student feedback
Students
Earn digital badges and Ooumph Coins for consistent attendance and performance
Content Creators
Gain creator tokens and leaderboard boosts when materials are widely used
Referrers
Get bonus TrustCoins and badges for bringing new trusted members into the community
All transactions are managed via smart contracts to ensure transparency and automatic payouts. The token economy not only incentivizes quality contributions but also builds each participant's reputation capital.
Continuous Feedback and Upskilling
AI-driven feedback agents analyze performance across cohorts and communities, generating RAG (Red-Amber-Green) summaries to highlight areas needing attention.
The Context Manager agent uses this information to personalize interventions – enrolling underperforming students into remedial micro-courses or skill bootcamps automatically.
Predicted dropouts are identified early by the AI and then "nudged" into alternative learning tracks or given counseling.
Decentralized Governance via DAO
Community Growth
Each regional or thematic community evolves into a DAO once it hits critical mass
Leadership Election
Community elects or appoints human leaders and establishes a treasury
Democratic Decision-Making
Regional DAO councils vote on important matters using TrustScore-linked voting
Cross-Community Coordination
Allied communities coordinate on bigger goals like curriculum R&D or resource sharing
This decentralization means the ecosystem becomes self-sustaining and adaptive – decisions are made closer to the ground by stakeholders themselves.
"Gurukul is an ecosystem of education DAOs, powered by autonomous AI agents, fueled by verified trust, and governed by communities that reward contribution, mentorship, and learning."
Use Cases Across Different States
Adapting to Regional Needs While Connecting to a National Network
High-Industrial States
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu
These states have large manufacturing hubs and many ITIs (e.g., 503 ITIs in Tamil Nadu).
Gurukul can help modernize course offerings rapidly by introducing "new-age" trades like:
  • Electric Vehicle maintenance
  • Solar PV installation
  • Industrial Robotics
  • CNC automation
This agility keeps ITI graduates aligned with cutting-edge industry needs, making them readily employable.
Tech Hubs and Service Sector States
Karnataka, Telangana
AI-Driven Upskilling
AI tutor agents assist students in learning programming, networking, and new domains like data analysis or AI/ML concepts.
Industry Collaboration
AI marketing agents collaborate with tech companies to arrange micro-internships or project gigs for ITI students.
Lifelong Learning
Alumni communities continue reskilling via the same ecosystem, learning cloud computing or other tech skills as needed.
This supports the trend of companies moving towards skill-based hiring – Gurukul profiles showcase practical skills and projects for meritocratic hiring.
Northern and Hindi Belt States
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh
Many northern states have a huge network of ITIs (U.P. alone has 3,263 ITIs, and Bihar 1,377) with varying quality levels.
Gurukul can standardize training quality across this vast network through:
  • Virtual teaching from premier ITIs to remote locations
  • AI translation and regional language support
  • Integrated employability and soft skills training
  • Community-based projects for real experience
Northeastern and Remote States
Virtual Connectivity
Gurukul can link small, geographically dispersed training centers with the national network, ensuring they are not left behind.
Localized Content
AI agents personalize content to local context with bilingual instruction and examples relevant to local industries like sustainable forestry or food processing.
Mobile-Based Access
Low-cost, mobile-based access via WhatsApp bots means even students in villages with a smartphone can engage with training content and mentors.
This could curtail migration by creating skilled job opportunities locally – for example, training youth to install solar microgrids in remote villages.
Trade-Specific Use Cases
Mechanical & Automotive
AI-powered simulators and virtual labs train students on complex machines. Virtual welding trainers give real-time feedback using AR/VR before students touch real equipment.
Electrical & Electronics
Agents simulate circuit design and maintenance scenarios safely. AI Lab Assistants generate different fault conditions in virtual circuits for diagnostic training.
Construction & Plumbing
Gurukul coordinates micro-apprenticeships through its network, logging each trainee's contribution for skill certification and work experience records.
Service Sectors and Multi-Skilling
Service and Emerging Sectors
  • AI role-play agents simulate customer interactions for hospitality students
  • Digital skills training for retail and office trades
  • Analytics track industry trends to create relevant modules
Multi-Skilling and Entrepreneurship
  • Cross-trade learning creates "T-shaped" professionals
  • DAO support for alumni business ventures
  • Community voting determines grant approval for local entrepreneurship
Gurukul ensures vocational training leads not just to jobs but also to job creation.
Predicted Impact
After Gurukul Implementation
Transforming India's vocational education landscape through AI-powered communities and decentralized governance.
Dramatic Increase in Training Throughput
42%
Current Utilization
10.5 lakh enrollments out of 25 lakh seats
80%
Target Utilization
20 lakh enrollments (short-term goal)
100%
Long-Term Goal
Full capacity utilization of 25 lakh seats
By making ITI training more attractive with cutting-edge courses and flexible learning, enrollment should rise significantly. Dropout rates would fall as the system proactively engages struggling learners.
India could add over a million extra certified skilled workers every year – a huge boost toward meeting industry demand.
Improved Quality and Global Competence
With standardized high-quality content and AI-enhanced instruction reaching every corner, the average skill proficiency of graduates will improve.
ITI graduates will emerge with not only technical skills but also better cognitive and soft skills like analytical thinking, creativity, and teamwork.
We can target raising the placement rate from ~63% to 85-90% or more employment within 6 months of graduating.
Seamless Pathways to Internships and Jobs
Integrated Opportunities
Students get micro-internships and industry projects while still training, giving them real experience and exposure.
AI-Powered Matching
The AI automatically matches every final-year student to an apprenticeship opening in a local industry based on their skill profile.
Skill-Based Hiring
Employers can hire based on proven skills rather than just interviews, thanks to visible TrustScores and portfolios.
Blockchain Verification
Candidate data validated on blockchain for authenticity, increasing employer trust.
The net effect should be that almost every willing ITI graduate finds a placement or paid engagement soon after course completion.
Community-Driven Job Creation
Gurukul doesn't just funnel people into existing jobs – it can create new opportunities and support self-employment.
Regional education DAOs can sponsor local initiatives like community manufacturing workshops or rural BPO centers that employ trained youth.
The platform's token incentives and grant mechanism can operationalize schemes like seed funding for startups by ITI alumni.
This bottom-up development can create thousands of micro-entrepreneurs, aligning with the government's push for an Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
Bridging Regional and Social Gaps
Gender Inclusion
Women's participation in technical trades may improve with safer, flexible learning options online and clear reward pathways.
Rural Empowerment
Rural youth will no longer be at a disadvantage compared to urban peers, as they can access the same quality instruction and remote work opportunities.
Economic Mobility
Increased income levels of ITI graduates and reduced migration as skills translate to local opportunities.
The platform can be a great leveler for marginalized communities – all you need is a mobile device and the willingness to learn.
Adaptive and Resilient Skill Ecosystem
India's skill training system becomes far more adaptive to change. As new technologies or economic shifts happen, the agent-driven communities can respond quickly.
If automation displaces certain jobs, the community can rapidly reskill affected workers by launching new courses through the DAO.
The trust-based network ensures information on job market trends circulates quickly and translates into course corrections.
This could reduce the current lag between industry demand and training supply from years to just months.
India's skilled workforce could grow by
tens of millions by 2030
directly due to Gurukul-like interventions
Contributing to the upskilling of an estimated 400 million workers needed by 2030
Adapting to Technological Trends
Through Agentic AI and DAO
Real-Time Curriculum Updates
AI agents monitor emerging trends and suggest new content or courses for the community, far quicker than waiting for official curriculum revisions.
Personalized Upskilling
Each learner or teacher gets personalized recommendations for next steps based on their interests and industry value.
Demand-Driven Training
Industry stakeholders in the DAO governance ensure training programs remain aligned with market needs.
Integrated Placement Support
AI Career Agents match students with opportunities and prepare them for interviews.
Community Networks and Gig Economy
Mentorship and Networking
Students and alumni network in interest groups, sharing job leads, collaborating on projects, or forming startups together.
AI Social Coordinators ensure nobody's request for guidance goes unanswered, building valuable social capital.
Facilitating Freelance Work
The platform operates like a decentralized gig marketplace specifically for skilled labor.
Payments escrowed via smart contracts and released on job completion, expanding income opportunities beyond formal jobs.
This fosters a culture of self-reliance and entrepreneurship, as individuals effectively run their own services.
Alignment with National Initiatives
Rapid Implementation
The agentic system can absorb and execute directives from national skill initiatives quickly, rather than creating new parallel structures.
Targeted Campaigns
AI Marketing Agents target communication to eligible youth on social media, boosting participation in government programs.
Digital Integration
IndiaAI mission and digital initiatives can leverage community AI networks to reach last-mile beneficiaries.
Gurukul can serve as a distributed delivery mechanism for any skill content, ensuring the workforce stays educated on both technical and soft aspects.
Deploying AI Agents
To Train the Workforce Across All ITI Categories
AI Teaching Assistants and Tutors
These agents specialize in instruction for specific trades, providing one-on-one support to students:
  • Answer questions and demonstrate techniques via video or simulation
  • Provide instant feedback on practice exercises
  • Help debug projects at any hour
  • Ensure no student's query goes unresolved
This 24/7 availability of "expert" help is like giving each student a personal coach, bridging the gap when human instructors are unavailable or outnumbered.
AI Curriculum and Content Agents
Content Development
Transform expert inputs into polished lessons and multimedia presentations
Curriculum Alignment
Ensure new materials align with existing curriculum using vector memory
Continuous Improvement
Refine content based on performance metrics and completion rates
Localization
Customize content for local context and regional languages
This means courses in all trades are always up-to-date and evidence-based, and teachers are provided high-quality lesson plans to deliver.
AI Assessment and Evaluation Agents
Evaluation agents can:
  • Generate quizzes and practical test scenarios
  • Grade assignments for objective parts
  • Provide continuous formative assessments
  • Analyze images/videos of physical skills
  • Monitor outcomes across institutes to identify gaps
This not only speeds up the feedback loop but also frees instructors from tedious grading. These agents ensure competency standards are uniformly assessed across all ITIs.
AI Community Coordinators
For Teacher Pods
Schedule knowledge-sharing sessions, prompt teachers to contribute lesson ideas, and coordinate mentorship of junior teachers by veterans.
For Student Pods
Set group study goals, pair up students for peer learning, and introduce gamification elements like challenges and leaderboards.
For All Communities
Keep communities active and goal-oriented, answer questions when humans don't, and help integrate new members.
By acting as an ever-watchful moderator and guide, these AI leaders ensure no community falls dormant and that collaborative learning yields results.
Other Specialized AI Agents
Compliance & Moderation
Monitor content and interactions for issues like misinformation or inappropriate behavior, ensuring a safe learning environment.
Matchmaking & Opportunity
Connect people to opportunities, acting as career counselors, placement officers, and entrepreneurship advisors.
Management & Analytics
Help administrators with reports and data analysis, while providing policymakers with insights across the entire ecosystem.
Through all these agents, the entire education process becomes highly automated yet personalized. The human touch is not removed but amplified.
Community-Centric Ecosystem
Connecting All Stakeholders via DAO
Creating an ecosystem where learning is valued and supported by everyone involved.
Student and Teacher Communities
Students and Alumni
  • Form bonds in Student Pods during training
  • Maintain profiles and networks after graduation
  • Find referrals and mentorship through alumni
  • Vote on proposals to improve their alma mater
Teachers and Trainers
  • Join national teacher communities by subject/trade
  • Gain recognition through the TrustScore system
  • Conduct masterclasses across India for extra income
  • Share resources and support each other
This creates a virtuous cycle of mentorship and knowledge sharing facilitated by the platform's communication channels and incentive structure.
Industry and Community Engagement
Industry and Employers
Companies join relevant communities, co-create courses, and commit to hiring graduates. This creates a direct bridge between training providers and industry.
Local Communities
Government officials, NGOs, and community leaders engage in DAO governance, bringing insight into local needs and helping mobilize resources.
Cross-Community Collaborations
Different stakeholder communities interact for mutual benefit, spawning special initiatives like hackathons or innovation projects.
This fosters a sense of community ownership of the ITI ecosystem – it's not just a government institute, but a community hub of skill and opportunity.
Feedback Loops for Policy
All community data and outcomes provide continuous feedback to higher-level policymakers through live dashboards.
If a particular new trade isn't getting traction or its graduates aren't getting jobs, that insight is available quickly and can prompt course correction.
Successful models get amplified, and failing models get fixed faster, leading to overall system improvement.
The community essentially becomes a large-scale living lab for skill development strategies.
Conclusion
The Gurukul agentic AI ecosystem presents a bold vision to revitalize vocational education in India by making it high-tech, student-centric, and community-driven.
A New Era of Skill Development
AI-Powered Learning
AI agents and engaged communities become the new infrastructure of learning, rather than just buildings and textbooks.
Decentralized Governance
Power returns to communities and individuals, with AI guidance making it efficient and scalable.
National Alignment
Enhances existing missions like Skill India while providing a framework that is both unified in technology and adaptive in local execution.
By implementing Gurukul, we can predict a future where the gap between education and employment is narrowed dramatically.
The Path Forward
With the right implementation, policy support, and community buy-in, Gurukul could herald a new era of skill development in which India not only meets its domestic skilled workforce needs but also becomes a global hub for skilled talent.
The combination of technology and community – "AI agents and DAO" – can make vocational training aspirational, effective, and inclusive.
This deep integration of skills and technology will help millions of individuals secure better livelihoods, drive job creation, and keep India at the forefront of the new industrial revolution.