– Arun Prakash, Founder & CEO of GUVI

India’s education system, rooted in its colonial past, has long prioritised rote, textbook-driven learning designed to supply clerical and industrial workers. While this model served its time, the global technological revolution demands a dramatic shift towards skills-based education that nurtures innovation, critical thinking and problem-solving.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics stand at the forefront of this transformation. AI, propelled into mainstream consciousness after the launch of ChatGPT, and Robotics, long a subject of research and industrial application, represent the twin pillars of tomorrow’s technology. Their convergence offers young learners both the abstract and physical dimensions of technology, making them powerful tools for reshaping K–12 education.

Why era-appropriate for India?
India’s IT boom in the late 20th century created giants such as Infosys, HCL and Tata Consultancy Services, cementing the country’s reputation as a global service hub. However, if India is to achieve its Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, it must progress from being a service provider to a creator and exporter of cutting-edge technologies. This requires cultivating original thinkers, not just coders and software operators. Embedding AI and Robotics into school curricula would foster such a shift, preparing students to innovate rather than imitate.

The potential impact
Globally, the focus is on developing Agentic AI—systems capable of making autonomous decisions—while robotics advances in designing and operationalising sophisticated machines. Integrating these into K–12 education can equip Indian students with practical, hands-on skills, complemented by critical thinking and creativity. With over 254 million students enrolled across 1.5 million schools, India has an unmatched opportunity to build the world’s largest base of future-ready innovators. Such an approach could also reinvigorate student engagement, replacing declining attention spans with experiential learning that sparks curiosity and entrepreneurship.

The road ahead
Realising this vision will demand robust collaboration between government, industry and academia. While NEP 2020 has set the groundwork, new policies must go further to embed AI and Robotics across the schooling system. A comprehensive SWOT analysis of Indian education—accounting for cultural and linguistic diversity—will be critical in designing a unified, future-ready framework.

By modernising education to integrate AI and Robotics from the ground up, India can equip its youth to not only match but surpass global peers, ensuring the country’s leadership in the technological revolutions of the next decade.

Also Read: How India can become a global hub for higher education