Key Details
The Lok Sabha reply outlines the operational status of the AI Centre of Excellence at IIT Madras and the Government's broader strategy to integrate AI into learning, teacher development and workforce skilling.
Key Area | Main Update |
|---|---|
AI Centre of Excellence | AI Centre of Excellence for Education established at IIT Madras with a ₹500 crore allocation for 2025–30. |
National AI skilling | Five National Centres of Excellence approved under PM-SETU at Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur and Ludhiana, focusing on AI, robotics and cybersecurity. |
AI-powered learning | DIKSHA now supports AI-enabled personalised adaptive learning, recording 579.41 crore learning sessions by 2.29 crore users. |
School curriculum | NCERT and CBSE have introduced computational thinking and AI curriculum for Classes 3–8. |
Teacher capacity | NCERT has trained over 96,000 beneficiaries, while CBSE has conducted 1,234 AI-related capacity-building programmes benefiting 64,775 teachers. |
Higher education | MMTTP has delivered 100+ AI-focused faculty development programmes, reaching 13,000+ participants. |
Government Establishes AI Centre at IIT Madras and Expands National AI Skilling
Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha on 20 July 2026, the Ministry of Education stated that the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Artificial Intelligence for Education has been established at IIT Madras with a ₹500 croreallocation for the period 2025–26 to 2029–30.
The Centre will develop AI-enabled educational tools, support personalised learning and accelerate the integration of artificial intelligence across the education system in line with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The Ministry also confirmed that five National Centres of Excellence for Skilling will be established under the PM-SETU scheme at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) in Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur and Ludhiana, focusing on artificial intelligence, robotics and cybersecurity.
AI Is Being Embedded Across the Education System
The Lok Sabha reply indicates that the Government's AI strategy is extending beyond digital infrastructure to curriculum reform, teacher development and workforce skilling.
The DIKSHA platform now supports AI-enabled personalised adaptive learning and has recorded 579.41 crore learning sessions by 2.29 crore users. At the school level, NCERT, in collaboration with CBSE, has introduced computational thinking and AI curriculum for students from Classes 3 to 8, bringing AI concepts into classrooms from an early stage.
Teacher capacity is also expanding. NCERT has trained more than 96,000 beneficiaries through AI-related programmes, while CBSE has conducted 1,234 capacity-building programmes benefiting 64,775 teachers over the past three years. In higher education, the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme (MMTTP) has delivered over 100 AI-focused faculty development programmes, reaching more than 13,000 participants.
From AI Adoption to AI Capability
The measures outlined in the reply reflect a broader shift from introducing AI tools towards building institutional capability across the education ecosystem.
Rather than treating AI as a standalone technology initiative, the Government is combining research infrastructure, digital learning platforms, curriculum reform, teacher training and specialised skilling to support AI adoption from school education through higher education and workforce development. The IIT Madras Centre of Excellence provides a national institutional anchor for developing AI applications tailored to India's education system.
What Is the AI Centre of Excellence for Education?
The Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Artificial Intelligence for Education is a Government initiative established at IIT Madras with a ₹500 crore allocation for 2025–30. It will develop AI-enabled educational technologies, promote personalised learning, support teacher capacity building and advance the integration of artificial intelligence across India's education system under NEP 2020.
Policy Relevance
National AI Capability: The IIT Madras Centre of Excellence provides a dedicated institutional platform for developing AI solutions tailored to India's education system.
Teacher Readiness: Large-scale training initiatives seek to equip teachers and faculty with the skills needed for AI-enabled teaching and learning.
Future Workforce Skills: The new National Centres of Excellence strengthen India's capacity to develop skilled professionals in AI, robotics and cybersecurity.
Digital Learning: AI-powered platforms such as DIKSHA can support more personalised and adaptive learning experiences at scale.
Early AI Literacy: Introducing computational thinking and AI from Classes 3–8 embeds emerging technologies within the school curriculum from an early stage.
Whole-of-System Reform: The combination of research infrastructure, curriculum development, teacher training and skilling reflects an integrated approach to AI adoption across education.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How should India evaluate whether AI investments in education are improving learning outcomes, teaching quality and workforce readiness rather than simply expanding technology adoption?
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