Centre keeps up push for AI, tech integration in education sector

BENGALURU: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement in the Union Budget 2026–27 on Sunday about the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education is not the Central government’s first effort to integrate emerging technologies into the sector. In the Budget 2025–26, the Centre allocated Rs 500 crore for the setting up of a Centre of Excellence for the purpose.

The government wants the integration of AI and other emerging technologies into the curricula, supported by large-scale rollout of e-content labs. The Union government has been working on promoting AI across various sectors in the past five years.