New Delhi: A dedicated textbook development team has been set up to design syllabi and textbooks on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Classes 11 and 12, by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
The Ministry of Education informed in parliament, about the integration of AI into school education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, the ministry said the move is aligned with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023.
As part of the same effort, "NCERT has also included a project on Animation and Games in the vocational education textbook for Grade 6. This project includes the use of AI tools," the ministry said.
The Centre has reiterated that AI and Computational Thinking are key pillars of future-ready education. According to the government, AI education will be rolled out across all schools from Class 3 onwards beginning the 2026-27 academic session, in line with NEP 2020 reforms.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has already prepared a draft curriculum on AI and computational thinking for students from Classes 3 to 12. Official sources said the framework aims to introduce basic AI concepts in early grades, while making advanced computational thinking and AI mandatory subjects for Classes 9 and 10.
To support this transition, the government has launched SOAR (Skilling for AI Readiness), a national programme aligned with NEP 2020, the National Programme on AI Skilling Framework, and the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. The initiative focuses on building AI awareness among students from Classes 6 to 12 and strengthening AI literacy among teachers.
The Education Ministry said SOAR is designed to reduce the digital divide by ensuring equitable access to AI education across regions, contributing to inclusive and future-oriented skill development.
Under the programme, students will undertake four progressive modules aligned with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). For Classes 6 to 12, there will be three micro-credentials offered, AI to be Aware, AI to Acquire, and AI to Aspire, each spanning 15 hours, taking the total learning time to 45 hours.
