Curriculum: How should AI be taught to children?

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently launched artificial intelligence and computational thinking curriculum for classes 3 to 8. The minister said the launch of the curriculum will formally introduce structured AI education into the school ecosystem.

The CBSE had constituted an expert panel to develop the curriculum for artificial intelligence and computational thinking. So far, CBSE used to offer AI as a 15-hour skill module from Class 6 onwards. AI is also offered as an optional skill subject to students in classes 9-12.

Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary said education must now prepare young minds not just for a changing world, but for a world that will change in ways we cannot yet predict.

Aligned with the vision of “AI for Education, AI in Education”, Mr. Pradhan said that it marks a decisive shift towards augmented learning — nurturing critical thinking, design orientation and a culture of innovation among young minds.

Experts say the CT curriculum for Classes 3 to 5 is, at its core, a literacy instrument. A child who cannot read at grade level will not experience it as a thinking exercise. They will experience it as a reading barrier. The NIPUN Bharat mission is incomplete as of the latest available data. The CT curriculum has been launched in the same year the foundational literacy goal was supposed to have been met. That gap between promise and reality is the risk worth examining carefully.

To discuss the topic, The Hindu will host a webinar titled, ‘Curriculum: How should AI be taught to children?’, on April 11, 2026. At 5:00 p.m. The panellists include Aasif Iqbal J., Author and Educator; Viplav Baxi, Founder, AmplifiU; Bhanu Potta, Founding Partner, ZingerLabs. Tne webinar will be moderated by M. Kalyanaraman, who heads the education vertical at The Hindu.

Register now for free to ask questions and interact with the panellists. The three best questions will receive a free online subscription to The Hindu.

Panellists

Bhanu Potta, Founding Partner, ZingerLabs

Bhanu Potta is a global CXO Leader in digital/phygital/tech/IoT/AI products, ecosystem development, venture building, social and impact investments in education and skilling, the future of work, agriculture and livelihoods, health and well-being, and sustainability sectors. At multinationals like Gray Matters Capital, Worldreader, Microsoft, Nokia, Perot Systems, NIIT, and Informatics Group, Bhanu led global product growth and ecosystem development across the for-profit, social enterprise, non-profit / CSR contexts in EdTech, SkillTech, HealthTech, AgriTech & JobTech, and GreenTech sectors.

Viplax Baxi, Founder, AmplifiU

Viplav is the founder of AmplifiU, a content creation platform for teachers that leverages AI to improve efficiency and effectiveness, and Edulyst AI, a company focused on driving transformative digital transformation in the Higher Ed sector using AI. He is also the author of WhatIfEdu, a book that consolidates over 3 decades of extensive experience in strategy, pedagogy, content, digital transformation, product design, and engineering across K12, Higher Ed, Publishing, Corporate eLearning, Digital Library, and Test Preparation sectors, both in startups and with known leaders in the edTech space.

Aasif Iqbal J., Author and Educator

Aasif Iqbal J. is an author and educator with fifteen years in education and technology. During this time, he has worked with children, parents, and professors. As Co-founder and COO of iamneo.ai (acquired by NIIT in April 2025), he helped build and scale an EdTech company from the ground up. He holds a Graduate Certificate in Technology and Public Policy from The Takshashila Institution. His first book, Doomscroller to Reader, helps people reclaim attention in an age of endless scrolling.

(For any feedback or suggestions, reach out to us at education@thehindu.co.in

Published – April 06, 2026 02:02 pm IST