Karnataka government schools to teach artificial intelligence from Class 6

BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday directed officials to explore means to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) training in government schools from Class 6, with support from the Information Technology department and private partners. He issued these directions at a review meeting on the progress of his government's 100-day programmes, recruitments and priority schemes.

"AI training has already started for Class 9 students in government schools. The officials were asked to work toward extending it to students from Class 6," Shivakumar said.

Google expressed interest in providing AI training in schools, and officials were asked to examine the company's initiatives in Telangana as part of this exercise, according to the CMO statement. Shivakumar also directed officials to identify land for establishing an AI university in the state.

Steps are being taken to recruit 956 teachers on an outsourcing basis, it said. Reviewing the School Education Department, the chief minister directed officials to organise visits for Class 9 and 11 students from 941 urban schools to progressive farmers' fields. The students should be provided facilities to stay overnight in villages, including community halls and hostels, and private schools should also mandatorily implement the programme, he said.

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1,000 KPS

The programme should be completed by December. On the development of 1,000 Karnataka Public Schools (KPS), Shivakumar directed officials to complete preparations for laying the foundation stones by November 14. The implementation process has been simplified by authorising deputy commissioners to approve detailed project reports and tenders for KPS, he said.

"The government also plans to develop 100 KPS schools through corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds, with companies having already shown interest in developing 60 schools." Reviewing the Agriculture Department, the chief minister said 25 lakh SMS messages had been sent to farmers under the CM Raitha Chaitanya Agritech Mission. He directed officials to also send video messages explaining the scheme in a simple manner. Integration of a chatbot is under way, while preparations are being made to invite tenders for drone and satellite-based crop estimation and digital crop surveys.