New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), established in July last year by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry in association with FICCI and CII and supported by the Government of Maharashtra, unveiled its national roadmap to strengthen India’s next-generation creator economy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi this week.
Positioned as a flagship industry-academia initiative, IICT announced plans to establish Content Creator Labs across 15,000 schools and 500 colleges nationwide. The initiative aims to democratise access to world-class creative tools, structured professional training and certification pathways, equipping millions of students with future-ready digital skills.
The roadmap aligns with the Union Budget 2026’s focus on generating two million jobs in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector by 2030. As part of the initiative, IICT has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Adobe to integrate Adobe Creative Cloud tools, certifications and professional training programmes into the proposed labs.
In partnership with the Government, Adobe will make its AI-first offerings and industry-endorsed curriculum available free of cost to students at the Content Creator Labs. The collaboration also complements Adobe’s recently announced free AI-powered student offering in India, enabling complimentary access to tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Firefly.
“By integrating globally benchmarked tools and AI-driven creative platforms into our labs, we are ensuring that Indian students are not just consumers of technology but creators and innovators,” said Vishwas Deoskar, CEO, IICT.
“Adobe is expanding the opportunity for creativity for millions of students across India, empowering them with AI skills, further accelerating Prime Minister Modi’s vision,” said Shantanu Narayen, Chair and CEO, Adobe.
Currently, IICT operates 18 specialised courses at its Phase-I campus on Pedder Road in Mumbai, offering short-term programmes starting from three months, long-term programmes extending up to two years, and diploma courses tailored for students as well as working professionals in the AVGC-XR sector.
At the AI Impact Summit, IICT positioned itself as more than an academic institution, presenting its model as a national catalyst aimed at building the infrastructure for India’s growing creator economy. By combining physical labs, AI integration, global certifications, scholarships, industry mentorship and digital learning platforms, the institute aims to ensure that India’s emerging creators are equipped with both tools and industry-ready skills.
