India Launches National EdTech Mission: Free AI Tutors for Every Government School Student

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the National EdTech Mission — a ₹15,000 crore initiative that aims to provide every government school student in India with a free, personalised AI-powered learning assistant accessible via smartphones.

The AI tutors, developed in partnership with IIT-Madras and Bhashini (India's language translation platform), will be available in 11 Indian languages and cover the NCERT curriculum from Class 1 to Class 12.

"No child should be left behind because they couldn't afford a tuition teacher," said the minister. "This AI tutor will be available 24/7, patient and adaptive, adjusting to each student's learning pace."

Early pilots in Rajasthan and Karnataka showed a 34% improvement in learning outcomes for students who used the AI tutor regularly, with the most significant gains observed in mathematics and science.

However, concerns have been raised about screen time for younger students, digital infrastructure gaps in rural areas, and the potential displacement of human tutors. The ministry has committed to a hybrid model where AI supplements — rather than replaces — classroom teaching.