CBSE, NCERT roll out AI and computational thinking curriculum for Classes 3-8

The Centre is set to introduce a new school curriculum focused on computational thinking and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for students from Classes 3 to 8, with teacher training programmes scheduled during the summer vacation, School Education and Literacy Secretary Sanjay Kumar said.

The curriculum has been jointly prepared by the National Council of Educational Research and Training and the Central Board of Secondary Education as part of a broader effort to introduce technology-oriented learning in schools at an earlier stage.

“NCERT and CBSE together have already brought out the new curriculum for computational thinking and Artificial Intelligence from Classes 3 to 8. That has already been introduced. We are going to train the teachers this summer. So, as and when the classes begin after the summer vacation, we start teaching,” Kumar said.

He added that new AI textbooks for higher classes are also being developed.

“AI books are being made by the NCERT for Classes 9, 10, 11 and 12,” he said.

The development signals a wider shift in India’s school education system, where digital learning, coding skills, and technology-based subjects are increasingly becoming part of mainstream classrooms. Officials believe introducing students to computational thinking at a young age can help strengthen analytical ability, logical reasoning, and problem-solving skills before they enter higher education or specialised professional courses.

The initiative also aligns with the vision outlined in the National Education Policy 2020, which encourages experiential learning and greater integration of technology into classroom teaching.

Apart from curriculum reforms, the government is also planning to expand innovation infrastructure in schools through a large-scale addition of Atal Tinkering Labs.

“There is a budget announcement and we are in the process of 50,000 more ATLs,” Kumar said.

The labs, launched under the Atal Innovation Mission of NITI Aayog, are intended to expose students to practical innovation and experimentation. Schools selected under the programme receive equipment related to robotics, electronics, sensors, coding, and 3D design to encourage hands-on learning.

Education observers say the expansion of AI-focused learning and tinkering labs reflects growing recognition that future workplaces will increasingly demand familiarity with automation, data systems, and emerging technologies.

Policymakers also see such programmes as a way to bridge the digital divide by extending advanced learning opportunities beyond metropolitan schools.

The government has not yet announced a detailed rollout timeline for the higher-class AI textbooks or the new batch of Atal Tinkering Labs.