Kashmir, October 11, 2025 – In a bold stride towards equipping India’s young minds for the digital age, the Ministry of Education has announced the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the school curriculum for all students from Class 3 onwards, commencing the 2026-27 academic session. This landmark initiative, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, aims to foster AI literacy as a foundational skill, preparing over 25 crore students to thrive in a technology-driven economy and positioning India as a global AI powerhouse.School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar revealed the plans during the launch of a NITI Aayog report on AI and jobs, emphasizing the urgency of the reform. “We need to move fast so that students and teachers are properly aligned with this technology over the next two to three years,” Kumar stated, highlighting the development of a comprehensive framework by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to weave AI concepts across grades.
The curriculum will introduce age-appropriate modules, starting with basic concepts like pattern recognition and ethical AI use in primary classes, progressing to advanced applications in higher grades, ensuring it’s not just an elective but a core competency.Currently, AI is offered as a skill subject in over 18,000 CBSE-affiliated schools for Classes 6-12, with enrolment surging to nearly 8 lakh students this year – a stark rise from 17,000 in 2019. The expansion to Class 3 will democratize access, bridging urban-rural divides and empowering girls and underprivileged learners. Pilot programs, including 15-hour introductory modules, have already shown promising results in enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.A key challenge lies in teacher training: the ministry plans to orient over one crore educators through partnerships with tech giants like Intel, IBM, and the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), building on the 10,000 teachers trained since 2019.
“When today’s third grader graduates in 2035, AI will not be an advantage—it will be a necessity,” a senior CBSE official noted, underscoring the economic imperative. The NITI Aayog report projects that while AI could displace 2 million traditional jobs, it may create 8 million new opportunities by 2030, provided an enabling ecosystem of compute infrastructure, data access, and academia-industry collaborations is fostered. This move complements the India AI Mission and Talent Mission, envisioning 10 million IT jobs and innovation hubs that turn talent into researchers and entrepreneurs. As India races to become the world’s AI talent hub, the curriculum reform signals a future where every child is an innovator, ready to harness AI for sustainable development and global competitiveness.
Educators and parents are urged to gear up, with CBSE set to release detailed guidelines by early 2026. This isn’t just about coding or algorithms; it’s about igniting curiosity, ethics, and creativity – the true engines of tomorrow’s India.