Artificial Intelligence (AI) will soon become part of India’s school curriculum for all students from Class 3 onwards, starting from the 2026-27 academic session.
The Ministry of Education has said that a comprehensive framework for integrating AI into school education is currently being developed to ensure that both students and teachers are prepared for the technology-driven future.
“We need to move fast so that students and teachers are properly aligned with this technology over the next two to three years. The challenge will be to reach out to over one crore teachers across the country and orient them in imparting AI-related education,” School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar said.
He added, “The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) is developing the framework for AI integration across grades.”
PILOT PROJECT FOR TEACHERS UNDERWAY
According to Kumar, a pilot project is already being carried out to train teachers in using AI tools for lesson planning.
“A pilot project is already underway for teachers to use AI tools to prepare lesson plans. Our objective is to prepare both the learner and the teacher for the digital economy,” he added.
At present, more than 18,000 CBSE-affiliated schools offer AI as a skill subject for students from Class 6 onwards through a 15-hour module, while it is available as an optional subject for Classes 9 to 12.
The proposed expansion to younger grades marks a major shift in India’s approach to equipping students with digital literacy and future-ready skills from an early age.
JOB DISPLACEMENT, NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Kumar made the announcement at the release of a NITI Aayog report on Artificial Intelligence and jobs, which highlighted the changing nature of employment in the AI era.
The report projected that around two million traditional jobs could be displaced, but eight million new roles may be created if the right ecosystem is built.
The report further recommended strong collaboration between the proposed India AI Talent Mission and the ongoing India AI Mission.
It also called for partnerships among academia, government, and industry to develop a supportive ecosystem with adequate compute infrastructure and data availability. This, it noted, would help nurture the next generation of innovators and AI researchers.
Emphasising the urgency of action, the NITI Aayog report said that India’s future in the AI economy will depend on coordinated leadership and sustained cooperation between the government, industry, and academia.
With timely implementation, India has the potential not only to safeguard its workforce but also to emerge as a global leader in shaping the future of AI.
– Ends