India pushes balanced AI rules for education

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes deeply embedded in classrooms, assessments, and learning platforms, policymakers and educators in India are calling for a balanced, enablement-first approach to AI regulation in education. Given the sector’s high sensitivity, experts caution that AI-driven decisions, from learning progression to admissions and assessments, can have lifelong consequences for students. 

India’s education ecosystem is marked by wide diversity in institutional capacity, language, digital readiness, and learner preparedness. Global policy frameworks and research have highlighted similar challenges. Experts argue that regulatory models designed for smaller or more homogeneous systems cannot be directly applied to India.

India needs a ‘light-but-tight’ approach, one that encourages innovation while firmly safeguarding public interest. This aligns with the National Education Policy and India’s broader AI strategy.

A proposed AI governance framework for education would span the entire value chain, including curriculum design, assessments, tutoring, teacher development, and administrative systems. Key pillars include risk-based regulation, where high-impact applications like automated assessments face greater scrutiny; controlled experimentation through education-specific AI sandboxes; and minimum trust standards covering data use, transparency, and human oversight.

Capacity building is also critical. Teachers, administrators, and regulators must be equipped with AI literacy to responsibly interpret system outputs and protect student well-being. Importantly, AI adoption should advance national priorities like inclusion, language diversity, and equitable access.

Over the next two years, India has an opportunity to shape a contextual, public-interest-driven AI governance model for education, one that enables innovation while ensuring transparency, accountability, and fairness.