Parliament Question: Introducing Artificial Intelligence Subject in Schools in Tamil Nadu

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 116 ANSWERED ON 20/07/2026 Introducing Artificial Intelligence Subject in Schools in Tamil Nadu 116. Shri Mani A: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has taken steps to introduce contemporary subjects such as Artificial Intelligence, Design Thinking, Environmental Education and other emerging technologies in schools in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu, if so, the details thereof; (b) the number of schools in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu, where Artificial Intelligence and other technology-oriented courses have been introduced, alongwith the number of students enrolled in such courses during the last three years and the current year; (c) the number of teachers, head teachers and educational administrators from Dharmapuri district in Tamil Nadu, who have undergone training in digital pedagogy, Artificial Intelligence and other technology-enabled teaching programmes during the said period; (d) whether the Government proposes to strengthen digital infrastructure, establish AI laboratories and enhance teacher capacity in schools in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu; and (e) if so, the details thereof including the funds allocated and the timeline for implementation? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) and (b): As per information received from the State Government of Tamil Nadu, the Tamil Nadu Schools Programme for Al, Robotics and Knowledge of online Tools (TNSPARK) for students of Classes 6 to 9 was introduced in the academic year 2025-26 to promote digital literacy, coding, Artificial Intelligence, robotics and computational thinking. The curriculum covers computer fundamentals, digital tools, internet safety, coding (Blockly, TurtleArt, Scratch and Python), AI concepts, robotics and project-based learning. The programme is implemented through existing Hi-Tech Labs in Government schools of Tamil Nadu. The details of the schools and the number of students covered under the ArtificialIntelligence education initiative implemented through TNSPARK in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu are as follows: - Academic Year No. of Schools No. of Students 2025-26 183 12538 2026-27 (Current Year) 183 12111 (c): As per information received from the State Government of Tamil Nadu, under the TNSPARK initiative, teachers are provided orientation and capacity-building programmes on digital pedagogy, coding, Artificial Intelligence and technology-enabled teaching methodologies. The details for Dharmapuri District are as follows: Category Number of Teachers trained Teachers 234 Head Teachers 183 Educational Administrators 137 (d) and (e): As informed by the State Government of Tamil Nadu, expansion of TNSPARK initiative and other ICT- enabled interventions has been undertaken in a phased manner. In 2025-26, TNSPARK has been implemented in 5,000 Government schools (Phase I & II), benefiting around 3.54 lakh students in the state of Tamil Nadu.