On 27th March 2022, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that Madhya Pradesh Government is about to commence a course on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for students from class 8.  

Chouhan said that students from class 8 would be taught AI, which is happening for the first time in the country. ‘A 240-hour course is being introduced for school students’, he stated.   

The decision regarding the commencement of the course was taken during the state cabinet’s two days special brainstorming session held in Pachmarhi. The announcement was made alongside other decisions by the government, from setting up Sanjivani clinics to ramping up transportation infrastructure in rural areas.  

The announcement of the AI course comes at a time when the schools are reopening after two years, with many students already used to the idea of an online mode of learning. A UNESCO report released in 2021 stated that there are approximately 1.2 lakh single-teacher schools in India, of which 89% are in rural areas. The country needs 11.16 lakh additional teachers to meet this shortfall. The introduction of Artificial Intelligence can quickly help seek a solution to this problem. With the impact of AI, the shortage of teachers will be overcome, making education accessible for everyone.  

According to experts in the field, with the increasing density of the population, it is difficult for a single teacher to know and act/improve the skills and needs of every student. However, AI programs and learning apps can access the learning graph and help them guide and train on their weakness. It will make the process much more effective.  

Virtual learning has not always been a learning mode in the Indian educational system. However, the COVID 19 pandemic demanded teachers from private and government schools rely on virtual learning. AI could help build an effortless technique of learning which would come in handy if the world falls under another crisis-like situation in the future.  

Also, introducing AI to students at a very young age will help them adapt to today’s job market. Last week, The International Institution of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIITH) started a project to introduce AI tools in Moinabad, Telangana. They have been working with schools and the Department of Education to build AI and new-age tech solutions to increase opportunities at a grass-root level.   

At the same time, CBSE had introduced AI as an elective subject in schools. 

(This article was published on indiaai.gov.in on March 30, 2022 and has been preoduced here.)