The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and Netflix have announced scholarships for 100 students and working professionals across India, offering financial support of up to 80% for six specialised programmes in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) ecosystem.
The initiative aims to make industry-focused education more accessible while strengthening India’s growing creative economy and developing a future-ready workforce equipped with global skills.
Six Professional Programmes Covered Under Scholarship
The scholarship initiative covers six programmes offered by IICT, comprising two one-year diploma courses and four six-month certificate programmes.
The two diploma programmes are Interactive Comics & Sequential Arts and Visual Effects Mastery.
The four certificate programmes include Virtual Art Department Content Creation, Media Tech Workflow, Art of Character Animation, and E-Sports & Gaming Management.
Through financial assistance of up to 80%, the programme is expected to help students and working professionals gain access to specialised training that could otherwise be financially challenging.
Netflix Partnership Aims to Strengthen India’s Creative Talent
The announcement follows the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos on August 5, 2026.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister highlighted India’s long-standing storytelling tradition and its vast pool of creative talent. He emphasised the potential to use these strengths to position India as a global hub for content creation.
The Netflix India Storytelling Initiative was launched as part of this vision. The initiative seeks to invest in India’s creative talent pipeline by providing the next generation of storytellers with industry-relevant skills across the AVGC ecosystem.
Animation, visual effects, gaming and comics are increasingly becoming important contributors to India’s emerging Orange Economy, with technology opening new opportunities for creators and professionals.
Curriculum Designed Around Global Industry Standards
IICT’s Visual Effects Mastery and Media Tech Workflow programmes have been developed to reflect contemporary industry practices and global standards.
Netflix has provided inputs into the curriculum, helping bring professional industry perspectives into the academic framework.
The collaboration is designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the skills expected by employers and creative studios. Students will receive structured education while gaining exposure to workflows and standards relevant to the rapidly evolving global AVGC-XR industry.
IICT Chairman Highlights Creative Economy Opportunity
Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Chairman of the IICT Board, said India’s creative economy is at a critical stage of transformation.
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He emphasised that technological changes are reshaping the way stories are conceptualised, produced and delivered, making it essential for institutions to continuously evolve their approach to education.
According to Kumar, IICT was envisioned as a bridge between India’s large creative talent pool and the changing requirements of the global AVGC-XR industry.
He also stressed the importance of partnerships with leading global companies in bringing industry expertise into classrooms and preparing Indian talent for the creative workforce of the future.
Industry Collaboration to Build Future-Ready Talent
IICT CEO Dr Vishwas Deoskar said the objective of the institution extends beyond teaching technical skills. He noted that those skills must remain relevant as the creative industry continues to evolve.
He said the partnership with Netflix brings industry perspectives directly into IICT’s academic framework, covering curriculum development, professional workflows and the standards expected from students.
The collaboration combines structured education, industry inputs and financial support to create a stronger talent pipeline for India’s expanding creative economy.
Munjal Shroff, Chairman of the FICCI AVGC-XR Forum, described the FICCI-IICT-Netflix collaboration as a significant move towards industry-aligned talent development. He said such initiatives can help create a future-ready workforce capable of meeting the evolving requirements of India’s AVGC-XR sector.
India’s National Centre for AVGC-XR Excellence
IICT serves as India’s national centre of excellence for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR).
The institute was established by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, in partnership with the Government of Maharashtra, FICCI and CII.
IICT currently operates from the NFDC Complex on Pedder Road in Mumbai, while its permanent 10-acre campus is being developed at Film City, Goregaon.
The scholarship initiative is expected to widen access to specialised creative education and strengthen the connection between academic training and industry requirements.
Students and working professionals from across India will be eligible to benefit from the initiative, potentially creating new opportunities for aspiring artists, animators, visual-effects professionals, game developers and other creative specialists.
For details about eligibility, programmes and scholarship opportunities, applicants can visit www.iict.org.
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