The Ministry of Education has announced that an Artificial Intelligence (AI) curriculum will be introduced from Class III onwards in the 2026-27 academic session to prepare India’s future workforce for a “technology-driven economy”. In July, the government launched the SOAR initiative (Skilling for AI Readiness) through which nearly 18,000 CBSE-affiliated schools are already offering AI from Class VI onwards, with 15-hour modules for Classes VI to VIII, and 150-hour elective courses for Classes IX to XII. The CBSE has submitted a draft curriculum for review to the NCERT for “AI integration” across grades. This is in contrast with AI in higher education: A handful of universities introduced mandatory AI courses for science and engineering students this year.

One must ask: Why this rush for AI in schools? It is true that AI is set to make a great impact on our lives, and that the country seeks to “play a leading role in AI technologies and shape global AI standards”. But is........

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