India to Introduce AI and Computational Thinking in Schools from Class 3

India’s education landscape is set for a revolutionary transformation with The Ministry of Education (MoE) introducing a curriculum in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computational Thinking (CT) starting from Class 3 from the 2026-27 sessions.

Read on to know what this policy means and what to watch for in the Indian education sector.

Shift From Older Curricula

While the current educational model introduces AI and CT to students from class 6, this curriculum will introduce the same to students from Class 3 onwards to ensure better understanding and adoption of AI models.

This framework is being developed by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in collaboration with National Council of Educational Research & Training (NCERT), the KVS (Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan), NVS (Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti) and other stakeholders.

The curriculum will align with the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 (NCF-SE 2023), as AI literacy is beginning to be treated as a “basic universal skill”.

Benefits of AI and CT Curriculum

• By introducing AI and CT early (from around 8–9 years old), the policy aims to normalise using technology, critical thinking, and problem-solving in children before they reach high school. Younger the age, higher the ease of adoption.
• The curriculum will prepare the current generation for the future job-market, which will demand understanding data, automation, ethics and society.
• It also signals India’s ambition to be globally competitive in tech education and to ensure broad-based preparedness, rather than limiting such skills to elite schools or urban centres.

Potential challenges

With a drastic digital divide prevailing in the country, the introduction to the AI and CT curriculum can bring in certain challenges.

• Teacher capacity & training: Wide variation in teacher readiness and digital infrastructure could impact uniform rollout, especially in rural or underserved areas.
• Curriculum overload: Introducing new content from Class 3 could increase the burden on young learners unless the overall curriculum is changed.
• Infrastructure & access: Schools will need adequate devices, connectivity and labs for effective hands-on learning. Without these, the curriculum might remain theoretical.

The Bigger Picture

The initiative is more than just adding a “tech subject”. It reflects an educational philosophy shift: from rote learning toward building young minds capable of thinking about data, algorithms and technology right from primary school. If implemented well, this could help India cultivate a generation that doesn’t just use AI but understands and shapes it.

As the rollout approaches, the coming months will indicate if India is capable of universally implementing the curriculum and how it navigates through the potential challenges to pose as an AI-literate nation.