“To AI or not to AI” is no longer the question. The focus has shifted decisively to “how fast” and “how soon.” Take the case of 17-year-old Vinay Malpani from Wakad, Pune. After school, he helps friends create animations and visual stories, earning him recognition not just in his gated community but also in the broader locality. Even teachers now approach him for guidance.
Vinay’s journey is a testament to the power of self-learning. He acquired his programming skills through modules on Scratch and Python and is an ardent follower of the Atal Tinkering Lab website. His story reflects a growing trend: students are not waiting for formal systems to catch up—they’re diving into AI on their own.
Globally, the AI momentum is undeniable. On May 5, 2025, 250 CEOs signed an open letter in The New York Times, urging for AI and computer science to be included as core components in K-12 education. Signatories included industry heavyweights like Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Josh Silverman (Etsy), and Dara Khosrowshahi (Uber). The letter argued that AI education is crucial to “keeping America competitive,” highlighting that countries like Brazil, China, South Korea, and Singapore have already mandated AI and computer science for all students.
India isn’t far behind. The Andhra Pradesh government, in partnership with Microsoft, has launched initiatives to skill youth in AI, cloud computing, and other emerging technologies. The program aims to train 10,000 engineering students, 500 teachers, and 30,000 ITI students from rural areas. AI integration is rapidly unfolding across schools, colleges, and universities.
Gautam Rajgarhia
Pro Vice Chairman, Delhi Public School – Varanasi, Nashik, Lava Nagpur and Hinjawadi & Co-Founder Equanimity Learning says, “We have embraced a suite of AI-powered tools across our schools to enrich both teaching and learning experiences. These include:
- Adaptive learning platforms that personalise pace and content based on real-time performance
- AI-aided lesson planning systems that streamline instructional design
- Custom GPT-based applications for Math practice, concept reinforcement and worksheet generation
These tools personalise the learning journey by dynamically adjusting difficulty levels and content formats, ensuring each student progresses optimally.
A key game-changer has been using AI-driven analytics, which offer teachers real-time insights into learning gaps, behaviour patterns, and mastery levels. This empowers educators to: implement focused remediation,
craft differentiated instruction, and conduct efficient, meaningful formative assessments. When asked about the outcomes, Mr Gautam said, “At DPS Nashik, the integration of AI in Math instruction led to 26% improvement in concept retention and
40% time savings on task design for teachers.
This shift has significantly boosted student engagement, as learners interact with material that resonates with their individual learning styles. Teachers, in turn, are now more focused on strategic, high-impact roles—fostering critical thinking, engaging in deeper dialogue, and mentoring students with greater intention. Shruti Rao, a teacher at DPS Varanasi, says, “AI helps me spend more time mentoring students rather than designing repetitive worksheets. It’s like having a silent partner who understands my classroom.”
Echoing a similar sentiment, Neera Singh, Principal SMC Rajmata Krishna Kumari Girls’ Public School, Jodhpur shares, “AI gives smart suggestions, conducts and evaluates quizzes, automates routine tasks, analyses students’ performance and provides personalised learning/teaching strategies. Teachers are using AI to create smart lesson plans and students get expert help in completing projects where the idea still belongs to the student and they use the power of Generative AI for creating amazing stuff with detailed prompts. In our school, AI is slowly becoming part of everyday learning. AI teacher
Nupur Goyal of the same school avers, “We use platforms like Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams for Education that has integrated AI features leading to noticeable improvements in student performance and platform like Github Copilot that help students of senior classes with AI-powered code completion and its sharing among peers. Students now ask more questions and enjoy learning that is more interactive and engaging. AI makes learning interesting.”
