Digithon, the digital arm of the Telangana Information Technology Association (TITA), is commencing an internship programme in artificial intelligence (AI) from 12 July, with support from the US-based University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). The interns who complete their time at the TITA internship will receive a certificate from UTD. TITA’s ‘Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning In-plant Training cum Internship Programme’ will train participants in AI projects such as facial recognition and chatbots. The ensuing training session will take up projects based on machine learning (ML) and deep learning.
According to news reports, the internship is an extension of Telengana’s commitment to AI. Last year was declared as the year of AI by the state government. TITA, in the spirit of the state’s ambition, has imparted training in AI to more than 2,000 youth. More than 96% of individuals passed the UTD-conducted exams and 80% of these even landed jobs in AI. To continue the training programmes in 2021, TITA has come up with this internship programme.
Participants will be exposed to industry tours and those clearing an exam post the eight-week AI programme will receive a certificate in AI/ML from the UTD. The TITA is offering the programme for IN10,000 (US$133) for the benefit of youth in the state. Individuals interested in taking up the AI programme can register at the official website.
The state has been implementing technology solutions to streamline operations and improve the delivery of public services. In May, the Telangana Director General of Police launched an online portal to automate the police verification certificate (PVC) and police clearance certificate (PCC) processes, called i-Verify. Central and state government offices, public sector undertakings, and defence establishments that appoint private employees or private persons appointed by the former agencies with their referral letters can apply for the verification certificate. Candidates travelling abroad to study or for employment, business, or immigration can apply for the police clearance certificate online by visiting the government’s official website.
As OpenGov Asia reported, the tool automates the process of transmission of applications online between the special branch and intelligence units (both verifying agencies). It avoids manual processes and the physical movement of people, applications, or files. It will improve coordination between the two verifying units and reduce the processing time.
The portal also automates crime and criminal records search across all the States through a photo and data match tool for a foolproof character antecedent verification that eliminates human errors. A two-tier, wide, and deep criminal record verification system had been initiated, the top police brass said. According to him, the tool also provides convenient online status updates as well as the real-time monitoring of files, which enables higher transparency.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted a conditional exemption to the Telangana government to conduct experimental beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flights to deliver COVID-19 vaccines. Authorities exempted the state from Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) rules. This is part of India’s “constant endeavour to enhance the scope of drone usage in the country and assist the nation to fight the COVID-19 pandemic”, according to a press release. The BVLOS trials will help create the regulatory framework for drone deliveries and other major applications.