“We need to move quickly so that both students and teachers are equipped to engage with this technology over the next two to three years. The challenge lies in reaching more than one crore teachers nationwide and preparing them to teach AI-related concepts. The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) is developing the framework for this integration,” said School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar.
He added a pilot project is already in progress to help teachers use AI tools for creating lesson plans. “Our goal is to prepare both learners and educators for the digital economy,” Kumar noted.
Currently, over 18,000 CBSE-affiliated schools offer AI as a skill subject from Class 6 through a 15-hour module, while students in Classes 9 to 12 can choose it as an optional subject.
Kumar made these remarks during the launch of a NITI Aayog report on AI and employment, which highlighted that around two million traditional jobs could be displaced but eight million new opportunities may arise if the right ecosystem is established.
The report also called for stronger collaboration between the proposed India AI Talent Mission and the ongoing India AI Mission, along with partnerships among academia, government, and industry. It emphasised the need for robust compute infrastructure and accessible data to nurture a skilled workforce of future innovators and researchers.
Stressing that India’s leadership in the AI-driven economy depends on timely and coordinated action, the report concluded that with unified efforts across sectors, India can both safeguard its workforce and play a pivotal role in shaping global AI.
