Students turning to AI for tasks, teachers see it as supportive tool

While artificial intelligence has made learning more accessible, providing intelligent tutoring systems, teachers at schools feel that the technology must aim to compliment traditional learning rather replacing it.

Hands-on experiments, critical thinking and human interaction, according to the teachers, remain essential for instilling confidence among students. Kabir Patel, a Class X student at Rosary Senior Secondary School, Radio Colony, uses AI for school projects.

“I use AI for almost everything...homework, projects, even practice questions. It is so quick and easy, I don’t really feel the need to do much on my own,” he adds.

Patel is not alone. Many students like him are turning to AI tools for their daily studies. From completing assignments to generating new ideas, AI is steadily becoming a part of school life in India. But as classrooms embrace this technology, students, teachers and parents are responding to it in different ways.

While some students rely heavily on AI for their academic tasks, others use it more cautiously. “I like using AI to help me with homework or get new ideas. It is really useful, but I still make sure to try things on my own so I actually understand them,” Riya Sharma, also a Class X student at Rosary School, said.

Similarly, Sushil Khanna who studies in Class XI at Sant Nirankari Senior Secondary School, said, “AI makes projects and research faster and more interesting, but I still try to do experiments and read books too, because that helps me understand better.”

Teachers, meanwhile, see AI as a supportive tool rather than as a replacement for traditional teaching. “AI does make certain parts of my work easier, like preparing notes or checking grammar. But teaching is about building a bond with students, and that is something no machine can do,” Ritu Sharma, an English teacher at Rosary School, said.

Amit Attri, who teaches Mathematics at Sant Nirankari Senior Secondary School, said he had advised students not to be dependent on AI.

“I use AI once in a while, especially for quick solutions or practice questions. But I always tell my students, do not depend on it. First try to solve problems on your own, make mistakes, and learn from them. That is how real confidence comes,” he said. Echoing the sentiments of Attri, science teacher Neha Singh stressed that experiments and hands-on learning must remain at the core of education.

Parents remain divided. Rajesh Mehta, whose son is in Class IX, worries that kids relying on AI for their studies would not learn to think for themselves. Anil Khanna whose son is in Class XI differs. “I do not mind my child using it for guidance, but real learning still comes when he tries things on his own,” he elaborated.