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India Launches 100 5G Labs to Fuel Tech Innovation in Education

The Government has established 100 5G Use Case Labs across educational institutions to promote application development using 5G's high-speed, low-latency capabilities. This initiative aims to integrate AI and blockchain into the national digital infrastructure and foster academia-industry collaboration. 5G networks now cover 99.9% of districts and 85% of the population, supported by over 5 lakh base stations. The program includes a 2025 hackathon and enhanced security frameworks to balance innovation with cybersecurity.

Key Points: 100 5G Use Case Labs Established in Indian Educational Institutes

  • 100 labs for 5G app development
  • Integrates AI and blockchain
  • 5G covers 99.9% of districts
  • Enhanced cybersecurity and trusted sources
2 min read

Govt establishes 100 5G Use Case Labs to drive innovation in educational institutions

Government sets up 100 5G labs to drive AI & blockchain innovation. 5G now covers 99.9% of districts, boosting digital infrastructure and security.

Govt establishes 100 5G Use Case Labs to drive innovation in educational institutions
"5G provides high-speed connectivity, low latency and support for a large number of connected devices - Ministry of Communications"

New Delhi, February 5

The Government has established 100 5G Use Case Labs across educational institutions to promote 5G application development in various sectors. This initiative aims to integrate emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence and blockchain, into the national digital infrastructure.

Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar provided the information in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today. According to a Ministry of Communications release, these labs serve to foster innovation and strengthen the academia-industry collaboration necessary for economic growth.

The Minister stated that the development of these applications relies on the unique capabilities of the new network. "5G provides high-speed connectivity, low latency and support for a large number of connected devices, enabling use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain for digital services and automation," the release noted.

To further this objective, the Government launched the 5G Innovation Hackathon 2025 under the 5G Use Case Labs initiative. This programme focuses on developing solutions using 5G and other advanced technologies to address socioeconomic needs and build domestic capacity.

The infrastructure for these services has expanded rapidly across the country. 5G networks are now rolled out in all States and Union Territories, reaching 99.9 per cent of districts. This coverage extends to 85 per cent of the population, supported by the installation of 5.08 lakh 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) as of December 2025.

The median mobile broadband speed also increased to 131.47 Mbps in October 2025.

Additionally, 5G includes enhanced security features such as authentication, encryption and network isolation. Cybersecurity requirements are implemented in accordance with mandates from the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), and the Trusted Telecom framework ensures procurement from trusted sources.

Under the Communication Security Certification (ComSec) scheme, Indian Telecom Security Assurance Requirements (ITSARs) have been developed for 5G network functions. Industry-wide adoption of these standards helps balance security and innovation.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Great to see the focus on academia-industry collaboration. But I hope these labs are distributed fairly across states and not just concentrated in a few elite institutions. Tier-2 and Tier-3 city colleges need this infrastructure the most to bridge the digital divide.
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Rohit P
The coverage stats are impressive - 99.9% of districts! But the real test is the quality of service and affordability for the common man. My 5G data pack still drains too fast. Hope these labs create apps that make 5G truly useful for agriculture and small businesses.
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Sarah B
As someone working in tech, the emphasis on security with the Trusted Telecom framework and ITSARs is very reassuring. In today's world, building a secure digital backbone is as important as building a fast one. The hackathon for socio-economic needs is a great idea.
K
Karthik V
This is good, but I have a respectful criticism. Announcements and labs are one thing. We need to see tangible outcomes. How many startups or commercial products have emerged from such initiatives in the past? The focus should be on sustainable models, not just one-time projects.
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Meera T
Integrating AI and blockchain with 5G in education can be a game-changer for remote learning and skill development. Imagine students in villages accessing AR/VR labs through low-latency networks! Hope the hackathon produces solutions for healthcare and education in rural areas. 👍

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