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AI for the Next Billion in India
AI for the Next Billion in India

August 9, 2025

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We are growing rapidly. Our economy’s growth, measured as GDP is 6.4%. From early reliance on public sector units, to the dotcom driven growth at the turn of the 20th century, and the last 2 decades as the most viable, scalable global back office, India’s growth has driven by rapid, technology adoption.

 

We are now at the cusp of the next 20 years of technology evolution, initiated by the AI leap forward. Unless we embrace it, our collective growth will be challenged over the next few years. Embracing AI is not just about policy making at the highest level. It has to encompass and holistically address the skill gaps of those who will drive our growth – the next digital billion of India, starting with the students in our country.

 

An article, “Education for All in India” estimates approximately 26.5 Crore students in India, of which 54% are in public schools and the rest in public schools. Despite the enormous volume of students, the global industry, and industry leaders in our own country, highlight the gap between skills versus education. Having a good education doesn’t guarantee possessing or acquiring good skills. What that leads us to, is an environment where students’ expectations from their careers are high, but the employees do not see sufficient value in them, leading to a point of contention. AI has a significant role to play in bridging this gap.

 

As an educator and teacher with over 30 years of experience, and being at the forefront of embracing technology in both, professional and personal capacities, I see the following as a framework to drive growth from and for the current generation of students, who are our economy’s future

 

  1. Areas of Growth – relying on government statistics, global, national and state priorities, identify where the next drivers’ of economic growth is heading
  2. Current Readiness – India needs a vocation-based approach to skills assessment and not just rely on examinations and tests to assess it. AI can play a significant role in crafting such tests to assess where our gaps are, to meet the Areas of Growth. This could be in the form of interactive tools, application of these tools to assess readiness, using AI to complement, and in many geographical areas, supplement our teachers who can conduct the assessment
    1. In the process we will have standardized, in an Indian and Global context, the skills required to meet our growth targets
  3. Execution Excellence – using AI in classrooms to engage students in the most practical way. Once again, AI’s role is to enhance the human (teacher) and not to replace them.

 

As the ACE framework above indicates, the need of the day for us as a growing economy, is embracing technology, led by AI, to capitalize on opportunities, and do so at a national scale. The right approach to AI embracing will ensure we get there in double quick time.

 

To achieve the scale above, it is unfair to place the burden on the teachers and government alone. India needs to accelerate and increase multi-fold, its public-private partnership. AI leaders like Google, Microsoft and AWS have a large focus on the public sector, and through their CSR initiatives also contribute more directly to society’s adoption of technology and AI. It is our role to engage multi-nationals, and home-growth companies, product and service companies alike, to not just rely on CSR for such activities, but to make it commercially viable for them to participate as well.

 

We need to also introduce a robust framework across the nation, which addresses the skills gap, and upskilling that adults require. SkillsFuture Singapore is a successful initiative, from a public enterprise, in this case the Government of Singapore, to create a national framework and movement for upskilling of its population. Along with private partnerships like the ones mentioned earlier, they provide a platform for upskilling the citizens in AI among other digital needs.

 

While the challenges of India are much larger and diversified, we can take inspiration from such global initiatives in AI, learning from emerging and developed nations. In today’s world where governments budget for issuing of digital devices like laptops and tablets to its students in the public education sector, and the ubiquity of these devices in private education sector, it is a missed opportunity if we don’t leap forward with AI. Perplexity, a global AI tool, made itself available to all Airtel customers through a partnership at a national level. It is these kinds of initiatives in the private sector, in our own country that we should seek to emulate, for our students and education sector in the space of AI.

 

Finally, a word of caution – while AI has been positioned as the solution to all problems in mainstream media, collectively we need to be aware of its best usage and prioritize based on the impact it can create. As a country, we should also show the highest regard for data, especially when our younger generation is involved, to protect their privacy.

 

This is India’s century, and AI will play a critical role in ensuring we own our accelerated growth for the next 100 years. The future is ours for the taking.

 


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LANKA DURGA PRASAD
SCHOOL ASSISTANT (ENGLISH)

I am working as teacher in English. I am in teaching field for the past 40 years. I am an Orator

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