AI GOES TO SCHOOL

CODING AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN INDIAN CLASSROOMS

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INDIAN classrooms are changing fast. Alongside math and history, students are learning to write code and integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into daily life. These skills are becoming the new literacy, essential for careers in technology, research, innovation, and beyond. To keep up, CBSE has updated its curriculum, and state boards are catching up. But this shift raises big questions: How early should children start learning coding and AI? What's the best way to teach these concepts? And can schools keep up with technology that evolves daily?

Educators and experts argue that AI and coding are not just add-ons but are redefining education. The key difference lies in when and how these skills are introduced, especially to younger students.

CATCH THEM YOUNG Most educators believe Classes 3 to 4 are the right stage, often using play-based platforms with block programming or visual storytelling. "Children can start understanding the basics of coding as early as Grade 3 through play-based and visual platforms, and by middle school, they are ready for more complex structures," says Anju Soni, Principal of Shiv Nadar School, Noida. While it may seem complex early on, educators argue that children's natural curiosity makes these concepts easier to grasp.