DAILY UPSC CURRENT : 27 OCT 2026/𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐀’𝐒 𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐍𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐕𝐆𝐂-𝐗𝐑

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬?

India is expanding 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 across education, healthcare, industry and creative sectors to promote digital innovation and support 𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟒𝟕.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬?

𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 are digital technologies that create interactive, realistic and engaging experiences, making users feel as though they are participating in or interacting with a digital environment rather than simply viewing it on a screen.

They combine digital content with the physical world or create entirely virtual environments using technologies such as 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐕𝐑), 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐀𝐑) and 𝐌𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐌𝐑).

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬:

• 𝐀𝐕𝐆𝐂-𝐗𝐑: The Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality ecosystem promoted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
• 𝐈𝐈𝐂𝐓, 𝐌𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐢: Established as a National Centre of Excellence to strengthen creative technology education and skill development.
• 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔–𝟐𝟕: Allocated ₹250 crore for AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges.
• 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤: India’s immersive technology market is projected to reach USD 7,818.7 million by 2030, with a projected CAGR of 29.8%.
• 𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂-𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: Theme — “Immersive Tech: Generative XR and Spatial Computing.”

𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬:

• 𝐀𝐕𝐆𝐂 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞: Constituted by MIB in April 2022 to coordinate the sector’s growth through public-private collaboration.
• 𝐈𝐈𝐂𝐓: Offers 18 courses in AVGC-XR to build a skilled workforce.
• 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐒: A MeitY scheme launched in 2022 to support technology startups, including AR/VR startups in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
• 𝐖𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐗: An MIB media-tech startup accelerator and incubator supporting emerging media technologies.
• 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat have AVGC-XR policies or initiatives.
• 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬: Used for infrastructure and urban planning, including the Sangam: Digital Twin initiative and Varanasi Urban 3D Spatial Planning project.

𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬:

• 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐕𝐑): Creates a completely computer-generated environment in which users can interact with virtual surroundings.
• 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐀𝐑): Adds digital information, images or objects to the real-world environment.
• 𝐌𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐌𝐑): Combines physical and digital environments, allowing virtual objects to interact with the real world.
• 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐗𝐑): An umbrella term encompassing VR, AR and MR.

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬:

• 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Virtual laboratories, simulations and experiential learning.
• 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞: Medical training, surgical simulations and rehabilitation.
• 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦: Virtual tours and immersive heritage experiences.
• 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲: Product design, equipment training and digital twins.
• 𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: Three-dimensional visualisation of infrastructure and city development.

𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞:

Immersive technologies can strengthen India’s digital economy, creative industries, skill development, innovation ecosystem and technological self-reliance, contributing to the vision of 𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟒𝟕.