India’s senior techies with 12 years of experience are going back to class, and AI is the reason

India's artificial intelligence upskilling rush is increasingly drawing experienced technology professionals, with IIT Kharagpur and upGrad seeing a threefold quarter-on-quarter jump in enrolments for their executive AI programmes.

The surge has prompted IIT Kharagpur and upGrad to expand their executive AI portfolio from four programmes to seven, just months after the collaboration was announced in April 2026.

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As per a caompny release, the programmes have attracted professionals from 133 Indian cities as well as the UAE, US, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia and Kuwait. The median work experience of those enrolled stands at 12 years, while nearly 63% have spent more than a decade in the workforce.

The numbers point to a shift in the market for AI skills, with demand extending beyond younger technology workers to professionals already well into their careers.

Learners include vice presidents, principal engineers, engineering managers, tech leads, staff software engineers, senior consultants and data scientists. They work at companies including TCS, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, HSBC, Infosys, Accenture, Deloitte, Capgemini, IBM, Oracle, Cognizant, Salesforce, Wipro, Citi and Qualcomm, according to data shared by IIT Kharagpur and upGrad.

AI course portfolio expands

The collaboration initially offered four executive programmes focused on Generative AI, AI-Native Software Engineering, Applied AI & Machine Learning, and Technology & AI Leadership.

Three more programmes have now been added, covering Building AI Products, Systems & Services, Applied Data Science & Agentic AI, and FinTech & AI.

The expansion comes as professionals increasingly seek AI skills tailored to their existing jobs rather than broad introductory courses.

Demand has been particularly strong for programmes with a practical AI focus. The Executive Post Graduate Certificate in Generative AI & Agentic AI and the Executive Post Graduate Certificate in Applied AI & Machine Learning have each recorded twofold quarter-on-quarter enrolment growth.

Demand has also spread across programmes covering AI product development, software engineering, data science, technology leadership and fintech.

Bengaluru leads AI upskilling demand

Bengaluru accounts for the largest share of learners, followed by Hyderabad and Pune. Professionals from Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Kolkata and Chennai, along with several smaller cities, have also enrolled.

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Technology services, consulting and financial services together account for nearly half of the learner base.

Prof. Suman Chakraborty, Director of IIT Kharagpur, said the rise of artificial intelligence was increasing the importance of continuous learning for working professionals.

“As IIT Kharagpur marks 75 years of academic excellence and nation-building, we remain conscious that the true measure of an institution lies not only in its legacy, but also in its ability to respond to the needs of the future. Artificial intelligence is transforming industries, institutions and society, making lifelong learning an increasingly important academic responsibility. Our partnership with upGrad reflects this commitment by bringing IIT Kharagpur’s academic depth to professionals at scale. Initiatives such as the Outreach Course Network (OCN) further this vision by creating a trusted framework for learning. We are encouraged by the growth of this collaboration and look forward to expanding it into new areas of national and global relevance.”

Anuj Vishwakarma, CEO - Higher Education Programmes at upGrad, said the profile of people seeking AI training had changed as the technology became more deeply embedded in businesses.

"The response to this portfolio has reaffirmed a shift we've been observing across the industry—AI upskilling is no longer driven primarily by early-career professionals. Today's learners are experienced technology leaders who recognise that staying relevant requires continuous reinvention. What has been particularly encouraging is the strong demand for specialised, role-aligned learning, which has led us to expand the portfolio from four to seven programmes within months of launch. Together with IIT Kharagpur, we're building pathways that enable professionals to translate AI from a strategic priority into practical capability at work."

More than 95% of those enrolled have activated their accounts and begun the programmes, according to the institutions. Completion and certification figures are not yet available as the earliest batches are still progressing through the courses.

The expansion comes as IIT Kharagpur marks its 75th year in 2026. The collaboration represents the institute's first online executive education portfolio and comes amid growing demand for advanced AI skills among India's experienced technology workforce.