Artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing how students are taught, assessed and eventually selected for higher education and jobs. From automated evaluation tools and adaptive learning platforms to screening systems used by universities and employers, AI is becoming embedded in the very structures that shape students’ academic and professional futures. Yet for most school students, these systems remain largely invisible – encountered in practice, but rarely understood in principle.
This gap between exposure and understanding has prompted a rethink of what schools should be teaching. As technology begins to play a decisive role in learning outcomes and career pathways, policymakers argue that students must develop foundational knowledge of how AI systems work, where they can fail, and how their use raises ethical and social questions. Such understanding, they say, cannot be left to informal exposure or post-school training.
It is this shift in thinking that now finds reflection in the school curriculum.
In a move aimed at making school education future-ready, the NCERT has constituted a dedicated team to develop textbooks and syllabi on Artificial Intelligence for Classes 11 and 12. The initiative seeks to align classroom learning with the technological realities students will encounter in higher education and the workplace, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the NCF-SE 2023.
Why NCERT Is Introducing AI Textbooks Now
The introduction of AI textbooks comes at a moment when India’s education system is undergoing wide-ranging reform under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023. Both frameworks emphasise experiential learning, interdisciplinary thinking, and the integration of emerging technologies into classrooms.
Artificial intelligence occupies a central place in this vision. AI is no longer confined to specialised engineering courses; it now influences fields as diverse as agriculture, finance, medicine, media, and governance. For students approaching higher education and employment, early exposure to AI concepts is increasingly seen as essential rather than optional.
Until now, AI learning in schools has largely been fragmented – limited to optional modules, short-term projects, or vocational add-ons. NCERT’s move signals an attempt to standardise AI education and make it accessible to a wider cohort of students across school boards that follow NCERT curricula.
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Who Is Developing the AI Textbooks
To ensure academic rigour and pedagogical relevance, NCERT has constituted a dedicated expert team tasked with developing AI textbooks and syllabi. While detailed composition of the team has not been publicly itemised, NCERT’s curriculum development process typically involves subject experts, educationists, curriculum designers, and pedagogical specialists.
The creation of a dedicated team – rather than assigning AI content as an extension of existing subjects – suggests an acknowledgment of the subject’s complexity and interdisciplinary nature. AI intersects with mathematics, computer science, ethics, social sciences, and even psychology. Developing textbooks that reflect this breadth requires careful planning and specialised expertise.
NCERT’s role as the national curriculum-setting body also means that these textbooks are likely to influence teaching not just in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools, but also in several state boards that adapt NCERT materials.
What Students Are Expected to Learn: A Student-Centric Approach
One of the most significant aspects of NCERT’s AI initiative is its focus on conceptual understanding rather than narrow technical training. The intent is not to turn school students into AI engineers but to help them grasp how intelligent systems work, where they are used, and what their implications are.
Students are expected to be introduced to foundational AI concepts in age-appropriate language. This includes understanding how machines process data, identify patterns, and make decisions, as well as recognising where AI is already present in everyday tools and services.
Rather than emphasising coding alone, the curriculum is expected to focus on problem-solving, logic, and analytical thinking. This approach aligns with NEP 2020’s emphasis on reducing rote learning and encouraging critical engagement with subject matter.
For students, this means AI will be framed not as a distant or intimidating technology but as something familiar, relevant, and open to questioning.
Classes and Academic Stages Covered
According to official communication, the AI textbooks being developed by NCERT are intended for Classes 11 and 12. This places AI learning at the senior secondary level, where students begin to engage with more specialised subjects and prepare for higher education or vocational pathways.
At the same time, elements of AI exposure are already being introduced earlier in the school system. NCERT has included a project using AI tools in a vocational education textbook for Class 6, offering younger students a practical, hands-on introduction without overwhelming them with technical detail.
This layered approach – early exposure followed by deeper engagement at the senior secondary stage – reflects an effort to build familiarity gradually rather than introducing complex concepts abruptly.
Ethics, Bias, and Responsible Use of AI
Beyond technical understanding, NCERT’s AI initiative places importance on ethical awareness and responsible use of technology. As AI systems increasingly influence decisions related to employment, credit, surveillance, and information access, understanding their ethical implications has become critical.
Students are expected to learn about issues such as algorithmic bias, data privacy, and the social impact of automation. Introducing these themes at the school level aims to encourage informed and responsible digital citizenship.
Rather than presenting AI as an unquestioned force for progress, the curriculum is expected to encourage students to ask critical questions: Who designs these systems? What data do they rely on? Who benefits, and who may be excluded?
This approach aligns with global education trends that stress ethics alongside innovation.
Supporting Teachers in the AI Transition
Introducing AI textbooks into classrooms also raises important questions about teacher preparedness. Many teachers currently working in schools may not have formal training in artificial intelligence or related technologies.
Recognising this, NCERT’s curriculum reforms are expected to be accompanied by teacher training and capacity-building initiatives. Without adequate support, even the best-designed textbooks risk being underutilised or poorly implemented.
Teacher readiness is particularly important to ensure that AI education does not become a superficial exercise limited to textbook definitions, but instead fosters meaningful discussion and engagement.
Assessment and Learning Outcomes
Another key consideration is how AI learning will be assessed. Traditional examination models focused on memorisation may not be well-suited to evaluating understanding of AI concepts.
While detailed assessment frameworks have not yet been outlined, the broader curriculum reform agenda under NEP 2020 emphasises competency-based evaluation, project work, and application-oriented learning.
For students, this could mean assessments that reward understanding, reasoning, and real-world application rather than rote recall of technical terms.
Accessibility and Equity Concerns
As with any technology-focused reform, the introduction of AI textbooks raises questions of access and equity. Schools vary widely in terms of infrastructure, teacher availability, and digital resources.
NCERT’s standardized curriculum aims to reduce disparities by ensuring that all students following its textbooks are introduced to AI concepts, regardless of school location. However, effective implementation will depend on parallel investments in teacher training and learning resources, particularly in government and rural schools.
Ensuring that AI education does not deepen existing educational inequalities remains a key challenge.
What This Means for Students’ Futures
For students, the introduction of AI textbooks represents more than the addition of a new subject. It signals a shift in how education views technology – not as an external skill acquired after schooling, but as a core area of literacy.
Understanding AI can help students navigate future workplaces, make informed career choices, and engage critically with the technologies shaping society. Importantly, AI education is relevant across disciplines, not only for students pursuing science or engineering.
By embedding AI within the school curriculum, NCERT aims to equip students with conceptual tools that remain valuable even as specific technologies evolve.
The Road Ahead
While NCERT’s decision marks a significant step, the full impact of AI textbooks will depend on how they are designed, taught, and updated over time. Artificial intelligence is a rapidly evolving field, and educational content must keep pace without sacrificing clarity or depth.
As textbooks are developed and rolled out, educators, students, and parents will be watching closely to see how effectively AI is translated from a complex technological domain into accessible classroom learning.
For now, NCERT’s move reflects a broader acknowledgment: the future is already here, and classrooms must prepare students not just to live in it, but to understand it.