Government to Catalyze,  India’s Creative Revolution: Sanjay Jaju

By Pickle  March 9, 2026

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I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju unveils a collaborative roadmap for creator labs and creative tech institutes, aiming to boost talent, IP, and regional growth in India’s AVGC sector

India’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is recasting its role from industry controller to creative catalyst, with Secretary Sanjay Jaju unveiling a comprehensive framework to nurture talent, build intellectual property, and promote regional inclusion in the fast-growing AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics) sector.

A Budget Commitment to Pipeline and IP

At a post-Budget breakout webinar session focused on education, skills, and AVGC, Sanjay Jaju positioned the new content creator labs and the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) as foundational pillars for India’s creative economy. He described the labs as a “very important policy continuum” that directly responds to recommendations from the AVGC Task Force. Despite India’s 3,900+ studios contributing to international projects, Sanjay Jaju noted, the country’s global market share in AVGC still lags below 1%. The solution, he argued, is twofold: build a stronger domestic talent pipeline and shift from contract work to the creation of original intellectual property.

Aligning with NEP and Leveraging Existing Ecosystems

Sanjay Jaju emphasized the labs’ alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP), which calls for multidisciplinary, design-thinking-driven, creative learning. The plan is to integrate AVGC-focused education into schools and higher education, using existing innovation platforms and digital infrastructure to maximize reach and efficiency. Students will be able to pursue AVGC subjects through clear, graded learning outcomes, portfolio-based assessments, and defined pathways to advanced study and industry roles.

Strategic Rollout and Standardization

Implementation will start with the identification of suitable schools and colleges, in consultation with state governments and industry partners. Sanjay Jaju stressed the importance of regional balance and institutional readiness, aiming to avoid a metro-centric rollout. The curriculum will be modular and multidisciplinary, blending creative storytelling, design, and technical training.

Faculty development is a top priority, with national “train the trainer” schemes and industry-supported certification programs to address the shortage of experienced AVGC educators. Standardized infrastructure—covering hardware, software, and digital tools—will be coordinated through IICT to ensure quality and relevance across all labs, regardless of location.

The rollout will follow a phased approach, beginning with pilot projects and scaling up based on feedback and ecosystem impact, rather than a one-size-fits-all model.

IICT and Industry: Co-anchors of the Ecosystem

Sanjay Jaju placed the new creator labs within a broader institutional ecosystem anchored by the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT)—now operating from a temporary campus in Mumbai, with additional campuses planned nationwide. IICT is designed as a unique, industry-driven institution, mirroring the collaborative model of the WAVES summit, and will rely heavily on industry partners for curriculum inputs, professional tools, internships, and start-up incubation.

Government as Facilitator, Not Controller

Throughout his remarks, Sanjay Jaju reiterated the government’s role as a facilitator and convenor. He pointed to the format of the post-Budget webinar—crowdsourcing insights from industry, academia, and students—as an example of this collaborative approach. “Announcements are drafted in consultation,” he said, underscoring the government’s commitment to industry engagement and responsive policy design.

This coordinated action, Sanjay Jaju believes, can drive the creation of a robust ecosystem for digital content, creative entrepreneurship, and globally competitive media innovation. The integration of creator labs, IICT, and industry platforms is expected to accelerate IP creation, foster start-ups, and position India more strongly in the global AVGC market.

Championing Regional Inclusion

Sanjay Jaju placed special emphasis on regional inclusion, highlighting plans to distribute creative infrastructure beyond metro areas into tier-2 and tier-3 cities and emerging creative clusters. This, he said, is key to ensuring wider participation and balanced growth.

Concluding his address, Sanjay Jaju called for the translation of these ideas into a concrete, actionable programme—one that can lift India’s AVGC and media sector to new heights, grounded firmly in industry realities and collaborative execution.