AI’s Role in Transforming Indian Education: From Standardized to Personalized

For decades, Indian education has followed a one-size-fits-all approach—fixed curriculums, rigid assessments, and limited room for personalization. But in a country with 1.5 million schools, over 260 million students, and a rapidly changing job market, this traditional model struggles to keep up. Enter Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is turning the tide by personalizing learning, breaking language barriers, and making education more interactive and adaptive.

Today, AI is helping teachers focus on teaching by automating tasks and personalizing lessons. It bridges learning gaps and makes education more accessible across India. With strong government support and rapid edtech growth, AI is shaping a more relevant education system for today’s world.

Shifting Teachers’ Focus to High-Value Activities

One of the most immediate and tangible benefits of AI in Indian education has been its ability to reduce administrative burdens on teachers. By automating tasks like grading, attendance tracking, and record-keeping, AI allows educators to focus more on lesson planning and student engagement. AI-driven platforms are helping teachers design personalized lesson plans based on student performance. For instance, some Indian edtech solutions generate real-time quizzes tailored to a student’s needs, suggest supplementary reading material, and provide dashboards highlighting key areas for improvement. As AI tools continue to evolve, 2025 is expected to bring even more innovation in this space.

Bridging Learning Gaps with Multilingual and Adaptive Education

India’s linguistic diversity has often posed challenges in education. AI-powered tools are changing that by enabling multilingual learning, allowing students to access lessons in their native languages while also learning new ones. Edtech companies are actively enriching datasets in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and other regional languages, ensuring that students can engage with content in a way that suits them best.

For students with special needs, AI is proving to be a game-changer. Platforms like Auticare, developed by ISTI under the Department of Science and Technology, use AI and virtual reality to create personalized learning experiences for children with autism. Similarly, AI-driven language-learning applications are enhancing inclusivity by adapting to dialectal differences and individual learning speeds.

AI-Driven Adaptive Learning

AI’s ability to adapt to individual learning patterns is another breakthrough in education. Leading Indian edtech platforms use AI to analyze student performance and recommend personalized learning experiences. AI can dynamically adjust difficulty levels to keep students engaged without overwhelming them. By leveraging AI’s interactive capabilities, students can access diverse content forms like videos, infographics, and quizzes, catering to various learning styles.

Government Initiatives for AI-Integrated Education

Recognizing AI’s potential, the Indian government has taken proactive steps to integrate AI into the education system. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes AI literacy, digital skills, and computational thinking at all levels. The IndiaAI Mission, launched with a substantial investment of ₹10,300 crore, aims to democratize and accelerate AI innovation in the country. Additionally, the government has allocated ₹500 crore for AI Centres of Excellence to drive research and development. The CBSE has introduced AI as a subject for students in classes IX to XII, with over 1.6 million students having enrolled in AI courses since its inception. CBSE has also partnered with IBM and Intel to conduct AI training programs, benefiting over 200,000 teachers across India. From 2025-26, the CISCE board will introduce AI and robotics into its curriculum, expanding AI education beyond CBSE. Leading institutions like IITs, IIMs, and ISB have embedded AI and Generative AI (GenAI) as core elements of their programs, ensuring that India’s future workforce is AI-ready.

Learning from Global Models

India can also draw lessons from other countries leading in AI-driven education. China has heavily invested in AI-based tutoring platforms like Squirrel AI, while Finland offers free AI coursework to its citizens, promoting widespread AI literacy. South Korea is integrating AI into national curriculums at all grade levels, ensuring early exposure to AI concepts. Similarly, Singaporean schools and universities extensively use AI-driven educational tools to enhance personalized learning. These initiatives align with India's own push for AI integration, as the country's AI market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 27.86% between 2025 and 2030, reaching a volume of US$28.36 billion by 2030. This rapid growth highlights the need for robust AI-driven education frameworks to equip students with future-ready skills.

As AI continues to shape Indian education, it is unlocking new possibilities for students and educators alike. With a strong policy framework and growing investment in edtech, AI is set to make Indian education more inclusive, efficient, and globally competitive. The shift from standardized to personalized learning is well underway, and the future of education in India looks smarter than ever. 

Author of this article is founder of Edupull which is a data-driven educational platform that provides personalised insights and pathways