Embedding AI in classrooms

Embedding AI in classrooms

The move by the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education, to introduce a curriculum on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in all schools from Class 3 onwards is in line with the NITI Aayog's recommendation for embedding AI fluency across all levels of the education system, from schools to universities, to build a future-ready workforce. Strict adherence to the UNICEF Policy Guidance on AI for Children that upholds child rights will be crucial to nurture their creativity and wisdom. The central government's vision behind the push for AI for schools is based on its conviction that AI and Computational Thinking (AI&CT) will reinforce the concept of learning, thinking, and teaching and will gradually expand towards the idea of "AI for Public Good".  The DoSE&L has decided to introduce the AI&CT curriculum starting in the academic session 2026-27, aligned with National Education Policy 2020 and National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF SE) 2023. The plan to develop resource materials, handbooks, and digital resources by December and impart grade-specific and time-bound teacher training speaks volumes about fast-tracking future-ready education and future-ready skill building in India. Data presented in NITI Aayog's 'Roadmap for Job Creation in the AI Economy' show that India has the largest digital talent pool, with over 9 million technology and customer experience professionals. Yet, the AI disruption has been so unprecedented that it has triggered apprehension of substantial job loss or replacement of a large number of the existing workforce with people with AI skills. It has also created hope for the creation of new jobs for future-ready skills such as AI. The roadmap points out three existing factors exacerbating the AI risk: high job displacement risk, gaps in India's computer science education, and a shortfall in AI talent in the country. It insists that the India AI Talent Mission must act as the central anchor-bridging industry, academia, and government efforts-and ensuring they move together at the speed and scale that this transformation demands. The Apex Policy Think Tank cautions in the policy document that if India does not act in time, the nation risks not only irreversible job losses in its flagship tech services but also broader societal disruption, economic marginalisation, and a weakening of its global competitiveness, which cannot be overlooked. It recommends that the India AI Talent Mission should be anchored on three foundational pillars: embedding AI fluency across all levels of the education system, from schools to universities; building a globally attractive AI talent magnet by positioning India as a premier destination for AI skills; and launching a massive AI skilling engine to reskill and upskill the current workforce at scale. This strategic requirement justifies the move to introduce AI curriculum in the schools, as building the country's AI talent pool is critical to building its AI resilience and inclusive growth. The UNICEF's policy guidance on AI for children emphasises the framework that AI must serve the children and not exploit them. The nine requirements listed by UNICEF for AI being child-centred underscore the importance of AI supporting development and well-being, protecting their data and privacy, ensuring their digital safety and inclusion, creating an enabling environment, ensuring that educational curriculum on AI teaches children to use it responsibly and equipping tech developers and policymakers with the rights of children in the design of AI and how to make it ethical by default. Empowering the parents to understand the importance and implication of introducing AI in schools, ethical awareness is pivotal to building public trust and informed consent so that they know in advance how it is going to help in the cognitive development of their children. The digital divide in regions like the Northeast poses a challenge in ensuring equitable AI access for children, and, therefore, bridging this gap is crucial before hurriedly pushing AI in the classrooms to prevent exclusion of children from marginalised households and in areas with poor educational infrastructure. Increasing the quantum of allocations for foundational infrastructure in those areas, such as seamless internet facilities, reliable electricity supply and the provision of digital devices, before pushing the AI curriculum in classrooms is vital to ensure that no child is left behind in the country pursuing the ambitious mission of building the AI talent pool. The advantage of AI in developing efficiency in the teaching-learning ecosystem is well recognised, but its potential pitfalls also must not be overlooked. Balancing human-centric teaching-learning with AI-centric education is critical to nurture natural wisdom in children, not just to acquire information. AI needs to be a supportive tool in classrooms for enhancing teaching and learning capacity, but it must not lead to the replacement of curiosity in the child and their ability to develop creative thinking. The challenge in the introduction of AI in classrooms lies in preventing overdependence of children on algorithms and trained AI systems to find answers to questions triggered by their curiosity.