India launches AI literacy mission to train 1 million teachers by 2027

India has unveiled a nationwide Artificial Intelligence training initiative for school teachers, aiming to equip more than one million educators with AI skills by 2027 as part of a major push toward technology-driven classrooms.

The program, titled AI Literacy for Teachers, was launched by Bodhan AI, a Centre of Excellence in AI for Education incubated at IIT Madras.

The announcement was made by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during the IIT Madras Technology Summit held at Bharat Mandapam on May 5, 2026.

AI Integration in Daily Teaching

The initiative seeks to make Artificial Intelligence a regular part of classroom teaching instead of limiting it to occasional digital use.

Under the program, teachers will receive training to use AI for lesson planning, creating academic content, conducting student assessments, and managing feedback systems.

Officials associated with the initiative said the larger objective is to integrate AI into everyday teaching practices across schools nationwide and simplify academic workflows for educators.

Speaking at the launch, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the initiative represents an important step toward preparing India’s education system for the future.

“As we move from vision to execution, initiatives like the AI Literacy Program for Teachers are pivotal. By integrating AI into everyday classrooms, we are not merely introducing technology; we are empowering our teachers to become architects of a future-ready India,” Pradhan said.

He further said that training one million teachers is not only a large-scale exercise but also part of building a responsible and ethical AI ecosystem aligned with India’s long-term educational goals.

Focus on AI-Enabled Classrooms

According to IIT Madras Director Professor V Kamakoti, India’s scale and diversity require adaptable technology solutions, and improving AI literacy among teachers is essential for effective classroom adoption.

Officials said the program is expected to support better teaching quality and learning outcomes while helping teachers manage growing academic and administrative responsibilities more efficiently.

Dr Mitesh Khapra, Principal Investigator at Bodhan AI, said the initiative aims to position AI as “a trusted co-pilot for every teacher in India” by reducing workload and improving classroom engagement.

Features of the Initiative

The program plans to introduce several AI-enabled systems and classroom support tools, including:

• AI-supported lesson planning and content generation
• Automated evaluation of typed and handwritten answers
• Multilingual translation assistance
• Administrative workflow support
• AI-powered student tutoring systems

The initiative aims to create a connected AI classroom ecosystem instead of relying on standalone digital tools.

Implementation Timeline

The rollout will take place in multiple phases, beginning with pilot programs over the coming months. The first public training cohort is expected to launch on Teachers' Day, Sept 5, 2026.

Authorities plan to rapidly expand the program afterward with a target of training more than one million teachers by 2027.

The initiative will be implemented in partnership with the Union Ministry of Education, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, state governments, and several institutional collaborators.