Capital to have 21K smart classrooms in 4 yrs: Sood

Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Monday urged students to become a fusion of Indian values and modernity to address the country’s emerging challenges, including climate change, ethical use of artificial intelligence and resource shortages.

Speaking at the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Modern School, Vasant Vihar, where he was the chief guest, Sood also called for patriotism to be reflected in everyday discipline such as cleanliness, following traffic rules and respecting others’ rights.

The minister congratulated the school Principal, Trustees, President, Secretary, parents and students on completing 50 years, describing the institution’s journey as “a half-century-long voyage filled with hard work, dreams and values” that had shaped thousands of responsible citizens.

He noted that the milestone coincides with India’s 79th Independence Day, calling it an occasion for introspection on what students can contribute to Delhi and the nation.

Sood highlighted several upcoming initiatives in the Capital’s education sector under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, including the creation of 21,000 smart classrooms in the next four years, AI-based language labs, facial recognition-based attendance and greater use of artificial intelligence for tasks such as paper checking.

He said the Chromebook model would be introduced to strengthen technology in schools and that the government aims to make facilities in government schools on a par with private institutions by incorporating best practices from both.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi’s words, “Be the change you want to see in the world,” Sood said true patriotism lies in making such change a habit. He also mentioned that the Delhi Government has launched the “Each One Clean One” campaign in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call, encouraging students to contribute through consistent cleanliness and civic responsibility.