‘AI Literacy Curriculum Framework’ launched under the ‘AI Samarth’ initiative, paving the way for a future-ready Bharat
Marking a pivotal moment in India’s education landscape, Central Square Foundation (CSF), with support from Google.org, and in collaboration with the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI (WSAI) at IIT Madras, launched the AI Literacy Curriculum Framework for Students at the ‘AI Samarth Conclave’ in New Delhi. This represents a significant milestone for ‘AI Samarth’, an initiative to empower over 50 lakh students, teachers, and parents across government and affordable private schools in India with the requisite knowledge and capacity to engage with AI effectively, safely, and responsibly.
AI is rapidly emerging as a transformative force in shaping society, influencing daily life across sectors, including education. As AI profoundly impacts the education sector, it brings opportunities to make learning deeply personalised, adaptive, and efficient. However, realising this potential requires more than just access to technology; it demands awareness, thoughtful integration and meaningful AI engagement by users.
To address this need, AI Samarth has developed a contextualised AI Literacy Curriculum Framework for Students and Teachers in India. In his Keynote address at the launch, Abhishek Singh, CEO, IndiaAI Mission and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), Govt. of India, said “The transformative and cross-cutting potential of AI will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of education in India. As we build a Viksit Bharat by 2047, it is essential to equip every learner with foundational AI literacy so they are ready for the opportunities of tomorrow’s workforce. With AI-powered learning, we can make education more personalised, equitable, and efficient, while easing the burden on teachers.” The curriculum released today aims to build fundamental AI awareness in students, cultivaAI Samarth’ initiativete critical thinking and responsible use of AI tools—laying the groundwork for a future-ready, AI-literate society. The AI literacy curriculum for educators, to be released soon, will focus on enhancing AI awareness, building capacity to leverage AI for teaching and learning, and guiding students in its safe and informed use. The curriculum has been informed by key learnings from high-quality curricula and courses available globally.
Further, AI Samarth is building an open-source content stack, including a video repository for self-learning for students, parents, and teachers, along with teaching-learning materials for cascaded training for both teachers and students. The multilingual content stack will be released as a public good in English, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, and Odia over the next six months, with an intent to expand to additional regional languages subsequently. The content will be disseminated through digital platforms and cascaded training modules, in collaboration with mission-aligned implementation partners, state governments and online learning platforms across Bharat. In its first round of implementation, AI Samarth has partnered with six organisations to build AI Literacy for over 50 lakh (5 million) students, parents and teachers. Looking ahead, AI Samarth is committed to mainstreaming AI literacy into school systems nationwide.
As India embraces the promise of AI, equipping users with the tools to engage with AI critically and responsibly will be key to shaping a future where technology is used with purpose and impact at scale. Through this effort, India is building the groundwork for future generations to lead, create, and shape an inclusive AI-driven future.
Shaveta Sharma-Kukreja (CEO and MD, Central Square Foundation) said, “The launch of the ‘AI Literacy Curriculum Framework’ under the ‘AI Samarth’ initiative marks a pivotal step in equipping students across Bharat for an AI-enabled future. Developed by CSF and IIT Madras, this curriculum introduces middle and high school learners to how AI works and its real-world applications. By fostering critical, ethical, and purposeful engagement with AI, ‘AI Samarth’ is going beyond building awareness — it is laying the foundation for a future-ready, innovation-driven Bharat.”
Prof. B. Ravindran (Head, Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI, IIT-Madras) said, “India stands at a pivotal moment where empowering the next generation with AI literacy is crucial for realising our full potential in the digital era. Through AI Samarth, we are taking a decisive step to demystify AI for students and build the capacity of educators and parents to guide responsible engagement. The AI Samarth curriculum fosters critical thinking, ethical awareness, and confident use of AI. I strongly encourage education departments to mainstream AI literacy so our classrooms can become true incubators of innovation and leadership.”
