India is set to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its school curriculum for students from Class 3 onwards starting the 2026-27 academic year, the Ministry of Education announced. The move is aimed at preparing the next generation for the fast-evolving digital economy.

A comprehensive framework for AI education is under development to ensure both students and teachers are ready for the technological shift. “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,” said School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is currently designing the curriculum for AI integration across grades. A pilot project is already underway, training teachers to use AI tools for lesson planning. “Our objective is to prepare both the learner and the teacher for the digital economy,” Kumar added.

Currently, AI is offered as a skill subject in over 18,000 CBSE-affiliated schools for students from Class 6 onwards, and as an optional subject for Classes 9 to 12. Expanding AI education to younger students represents a significant step in India’s strategy to build digital literacy and future-ready skills from an early age.

Job disruption and opportunities

The announcement coincided with the release of a NITI Aayog report on AI and employment, which highlighted the dual impact of AI on India’s workforce. The report estimates that while around two million traditional jobs may be displaced, eight million new roles could be created if the right ecosystem is built.

It recommended strong collaboration between the proposed India AI Talent Mission and the ongoing India AI Mission, alongside partnerships between academia, government, and industry to provide adequate infrastructure and data availability. Such coordination, the report stressed, is crucial to nurturing the next generation of innovators and AI researchers.

“With timely implementation, India can not only safeguard its workforce but also emerge as a global leader in shaping the future of AI,” the report concluded, urging immediate and coordinated action across all sectors.