GOVERNMENT PROMOTING AI-BASED EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS, SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON TEACHER TRAINING

New Delhi, Jul 30, 2026 : In line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the central government is implementing several initiatives to promote the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology in school education. Special attention is being given to empowering teachers, school heads, and teacher educators for AI-assisted learning, as well as strengthening digital infrastructure, Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

AI has been given a prominent place in NEP 2020:

The Union Minister of State for Education stated that Paragraph 4.24 of the National Education Policy 2020 emphasizes the need to integrate modern subjects like artificial intelligence into the education system. The aim is to develop skills relevant to future needs in students at various levels and to make education technology-based.

Teachers are getting training under the Samagra Shiksha Yojana:

He explained that teacher education and continuing professional development are being supported under the centrally sponsored Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. Institutions such as the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs), Block Resource Centers (BRCs), and Cluster Resource Centers (CRCs) are being strengthened. The scheme also provides for in-service training for teachers, school heads, teacher educators, resource persons, master trainers, and newly appointed teachers. Digital education is also being strengthened in government schools through digital boards, virtual classrooms, information and communication technology (ICT), and other emerging technologies.

Nishtha program is increasing the capacity of teachers:

The Minister explained that the NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement) program, run under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, includes specialized modules related to AI, digital pedagogy, and educational technology. Subject-specific modules also teach the use of digital tools for mathematics, science, languages, and social sciences. This program is available through the DIKSHA platform, where teachers can access online training and study materials at their convenience.

More than 350 online courses on the Diksha platform:

Jayant Chaudhary explained that DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) has now evolved into a robust learning management system. The platform offers features such as digital courses, QR-code-based textbooks, teacher training materials, assessments, progress monitoring, and certification. He added that currently, over 350 live courses are available on DIKSHA, of which approximately 59 are related to artificial intelligence and digital learning. The platform also features AI-enabled personalized learning assistance.

More than 96,000 teachers received AI training:

The Ministry of Education and NCERT regularly conduct capacity-building programs, workshops, and webinars to provide training on artificial intelligence, digital learning, the use of ICT, and open educational resources. NCERT has so far benefited over 96,000 participants through AI-related training programs. Additionally, CBSE, NCERT, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) are also conducting AI-based training programs for teachers.

Support will be provided by the Mentoring Mission and the IndiaAI Mission:

The Union Minister of State for Education informed that AI has been included as a separate sub-category in the Digital Literacy category under the National Mentoring Mission to provide guidance to teachers regarding the effective and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence in classrooms. He said that through the National Programme for Artificial Intelligence (NPAI) and the IndiaAI Mission, AI research, digital infrastructure, high-capacity computing resources, innovation, skilled human resources, and responsible AI development are being promoted. These initiatives aim to ensure the effective use of AI in various sectors, including education.