AIQ Institute

Strands / Build stream

5. Local and private AI

Your models, your machines, your data. Nothing leaves.

The ladder, level by level

The modules listed against each level describe what a provider's curriculum is mapped against. The institute assesses and certifies; it does not teach them.

  1. 1Spark₹299

    Capabilities

    • Runs a model on own laptop with Ollama, LM Studio or llama.cpp
    • Knows which tasks a local model handles well

    Modules mapped to this level

    • Run models on your laptop (Ollama, LM Studio, llama.cpp)

    Assessment 25 min adaptive live oral and practical with the AI examinerPass mark 70%Validity 24 months

    Sit level 1 in strand 5
  2. 2Torch₹699

    Capabilities

    • Chooses hardware: GPU, memory, Apple silicon, DGX-class
    • Runs offline voice: local text-to-speech and speech-to-text

    Modules mapped to this level

    • Hardware: what to buy, GPU and memory, Apple silicon, DGX-class boxes
    • Offline voice: local TTS and STT

    Assessment 45 min practical task in a live sandbox, then a vivaPass mark 70%Validity 24 months

    Sit level 2 in strand 5
  3. 3Beam₹1,499

    Capabilities

    • Hosts own content and apps: home server, VPS, reverse proxy, TLS
    • Wires single sign-on in front of what is hosted
    • Keeps backups and can restore

    Modules mapped to this level

    • Host your own content and apps: home server, VPS, reverse proxy, TLS, single sign-on

    Assessment 90 min performance exam in a live sandbox plus portfolio reviewPass mark 75%Validity 18 months, annual currency pulse

    Sit level 3 in strand 5
  4. 4Beacon₹3,999

    Capabilities

    • Clusters machines for bigger local models
    • Builds a private AI stack for a team or department
    • Documents the security model

    Modules mapped to this level

    • Cluster machines for bigger local models (exo, llama.cpp RPC, multi-node vLLM)
    • Private AI stack for a team or department

    Assessment Portfolio, two-hour defended case, peer panel of twoPass mark 75%Validity 18 months, annual currency pulse

    Sit level 4 in strand 5
  5. 5Luminary₹9,999

    Capabilities

    • Designs sovereign private stacks for organisations
    • Examines candidates at levels 1 to 3
    • Licensed independent trainer for this strand

    Modules mapped to this level

    • Examiner practicum

    Assessment Panel of three human examiners, teaching demonstration, contribution recordPass mark Panel decisionValidity Annual contribution record

    Sit level 5 in strand 5
  6. 6NovaBy nomination

    Contribution

    Level 6 is the same in every strand: a documented contribution to the strand that others have adopted (a method, tool, dataset, curriculum, standard or published finding), examined by the standards council on nomination by two Luminaries.

    Assessment Standards council review, by nomination onlyValidity Lifetime, listed in the public register

Currency

This is a fast strand. It changes quickly, so its currency pulses matter most. Levels 3 and 4 need one 20 minute currency pulse a year to stay valid, and subscriptions cover every pulse in every strand.

Currency pulses and subscriptions · Fees and pass marks for every level