Government Plans Nationwide AI-Powered Learning Ecosystem Through ‘Bharat Edu AI Stack’ from Next Academic Session
New Delhi: The Union government is preparing to introduce artificial intelligence–driven teaching tools across the entire education spectrum — from pre-primary classrooms to universities — beginning the next academic year, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced recently.
The initiative aims to transform learning methods, improve access to quality education in regional languages and assist teachers and administrators with real-time academic insights.
At the centre of this effort is Bodhan AI, a newly launched not-for-profit company set up at the Centre of Excellence in AI for Education hosted by IIT Madras.
The centre, announced in last year’s Union Budget with an allocation of ₹500 crore, will act as the technological backbone for the country’s future digital education infrastructure.
Bharat EduAI Stack: A Digital Public Infrastructure for Learning
Bodhan AI will develop the Bharat EduAI Stack, envisioned as a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for education — similar in concept to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) that revolutionised digital payments.
The platform is intended to offer scalable, interoperable services that schools, colleges, state governments and private education companies can easily integrate into their systems.
The focus will be on building AI models specifically suited for India’s linguistic diversity. Researchers will create tools such as:
- Automatic speech recognition in Indian languages
- Speech synthesis systems
- Language-understanding educational assistants
These foundational technologies will then power applications deployed in classrooms through partnerships with state governments and educational bodies.
Plug-and-Play Tools for Schools and EdTech Companies
According to Prof. Mitesh Khapra of IIT Madras, simply releasing open-source models is not enough; they must be hosted on sovereign infrastructure so developers can seamlessly integrate them into existing education platforms.
For example, if an edtech platform already evaluates English reading ability, a Hindi speech-diagnostics module created by Bodhan AI could be added instantly and distributed to Hindi-medium schools.
The aim is to make indigenous AI capabilities affordable and accessible rather than relying on global models.
Technology companies will build applications using these base models, after which the system will be tested through large-scale randomised trials in schools. Implementation at the grassroots level will rely on cooperation with central and state education departments.
Personalised Learning and Teacher Support
IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti explained that the project is designed to benefit students, teachers and administrators simultaneously.
For students, AI-based learning could include voice-interactive exercises on mobile phones or tablets, instant feedback in their mother tongue and customised worksheets based on learning gaps.
If a child asks a question, the AI assistant would respond in a conversational, multilingual format.
Teachers will receive performance reports and suggested interventions, while education authorities can analyse district-level data to identify weak learning outcomes and design policy responses.
The emphasis is on language-centric intelligence — enabling computers to understand and communicate naturally in Indian languages so children grasp concepts without linguistic barriers.
A Shared Ecosystem Model
Bodhan AI will function as a foundational technology provider and application aggregator. Edtech companies can build services on top of the infrastructure, and governments can deploy them across schools.
Funding beyond the initial allocation will come from participating states and start-ups using the system, making it gradually community-driven — similar to the evolution of the Linux operating system.
If implemented as planned, the initiative could create a nationwide, locally adapted AI learning network, offering personalised education at scale while strengthening India’s technological sovereignty in education technology.
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