Karnataka is preparing to expand artificial intelligence training in government schools from Class 9 to Class 6, with the Information Technology department and private partners expected to support the exercise, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said at a review meeting on Monday.
Shivakumar directed officials to examine how AI education can be introduced for younger students across the state’s government-school system. The Chief Minister’s Office said Google had expressed interest in providing AI training in schools, and officials had been asked to study the company’s initiatives in Telangana as part of the planning process.
AI training has already begun for Class 9 students in Karnataka government schools, according to the statement attributed to Shivakumar. The proposed expansion would extend the programme to students from Class 6, although the statement did not specify the curriculum, number of schools covered, delivery model, teacher requirements or implementation cost.
The decision was taken during a review of the government’s 100-day programmes, recruitments and priority schemes. The meeting also included a direction to identify land for establishing an AI university in Karnataka. The statement did not provide a location, funding structure, proposed academic programmes or construction timeline for the institution.
The proposed school-level expansion comes as the state is also working to strengthen staffing in government schools. Officials were directed to recruit 956 teachers on an outsourcing basis, according to the Chief Minister’s Office. The statement did not specify whether these appointments would be linked to AI instruction or to broader staffing needs in the School Education Department.
The review covered other school infrastructure and educational programmes. The government plans to develop 1,000 Karnataka Public Schools, with preparations for foundation stones to be completed by November 14. Deputy commissioners have been authorised to approve detailed project reports and tenders for these schools, a measure the government said would simplify implementation.
The state also plans to develop 100 Karnataka Public Schools through corporate social responsibility funding. Companies have shown interest in supporting 60 of those schools, according to the statement. The government did not release details on the locations, project costs or the standards that would govern the proposed CSR-funded developments.
Officials were additionally directed to organise visits for Class 9 and Class 11 students from 941 urban schools to progressive farmers’ fields. The programme is to include overnight accommodation for students in village community halls and hostels, and private schools have also been directed to implement it. The government said the programme should be completed by December.
The AI training proposal therefore sits within a wider effort involving school expansion, staffing, private-sector participation and administrative delegation. Its implementation will depend on how the state defines the learning content, prepares teachers, provides equipment and connectivity, and ensures that students in government schools can access the programme consistently. The Chief Minister’s Office did not announce a detailed rollout schedule for extending AI training to Class 6.
Officials have been asked to examine Google’s Telangana initiatives and work with the Information Technology department and private partners on the proposed expansion. Further details on the curriculum, participating schools and implementation timeline are expected as that exercise progresses.
