OpenAI signs MoU with Karmayogi Bharat to bring AI training to India's civil servants

Verified October 22, 2026 (UTC)

#What happened

On October 21, 2026, OpenAI and Karmayogi Bharat announced a memorandum of understanding to strengthen AI capacity development across India's civil services. Karmayogi Bharat is a government-owned not-for-profit company that operates and manages the iGOT Karmayogi learning platform, which offers anytime, anywhere, any-device learning for civil service officials. The collaboration brings OpenAI Academy's capacity-building resources into iGOT Karmayogi's learning ecosystem for government personnel across the Centre and states. OpenAI will provide approved OpenAI Academy content, while Karmayogi Bharat will support access, learner engagement, and coordination with government departments.

#Why it matters

The partnership sits within the 'Mission Karmayogi' goal of a future-ready civil service. Karmayogi Bharat CEO Chhavi Bhardwaj said civil servants need practical AI skills they can apply directly in day-to-day work. Pragya Misra, Head of Strategy & Government Affairs at OpenAI India, noted that more than 1.7 crore government employees across the Centre, States and Union Territories are registered on iGOT Karmayogi, offering a powerful way to build practical AI capability at scale.