As India strengthens its digital public infrastructure and human capital strategy, artificial intelligence is emerging as a key tool to improve governance, teacher capacity and student learning outcomes.
During her recent visit to India for the AI Summit, Pia Rebello Britto, Global Director for Education and Adolescent Development at UNICEF, said AI has strong potential — if deployed responsibly.
“AI on its own is not a magic solution. It is a tool,” she said, stressing that technology must complement, not replace, teaching.
Predicting dropouts before they happen
One example she cited is from Gujarat, where AI systems analyse large datasets to identify students at risk of dropping out with nearly 73–75 per cent accuracy.
Instead of reacting after a child leaves school, authorities can now intervene early. “It becomes a prevention strategy,” Dr Britto explained.
However, she warned against force-fitting AI into problems that do not require it. Equity, human-centred design, child safety safeguards and data protection must remain central.
Supporting teachers, not replacing them
Dr Britto emphasised that AI’s most immediate benefit lies in reducing teachers’ administrative burden.
“When you ask teachers their biggest headache, they say they don’t get enough time to teach,” she noted. AI tools can streamline reporting and paperwork, allowing teachers to focus on instruction.
She cautioned against over-reliance on direct-to-student AI platforms. “Learning is a social endeavour. Children do not learn best sitting alone in front of a screen.”
India’s global role in SDG4
India’s progress is crucial to achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education. By the 2050s, India is expected to house nearly 15 per cent of the world’s children.
While primary enrolment is near universal, retention at secondary levels remains a challenge. Initiatives such as NIPUN Bharat and the upcoming Samagra Shiksha 3.0 reforms aim to address foundational literacy gaps and integrate AI-enabled governance tools.
UNICEF is collaborating with states including Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, as well as NCERT, to pilot AI models in secondary education.
Dr Britto concluded that AI’s promise will depend not on innovation alone, but on whether it reduces inequities and strengthens learning for every child.