CBSE Collaborates With IBM to Launch AI-based Curriculum in 200 Schools Across India

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thursday announced a partnership with tech giant IBM to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) curriculum for classes 11 and 12 in about 200 high schools across 13 states in India. Developed in collaboration with IBM, the curriculum is part of CBSE's Social Empowerment through Work Education and Action (SEWA) programme.

The curriculum is structured around a course framework for students consisting of base strands of knowledge (basics, history, applications), skills (design thinking, computational thinking, data fluency, critical thinking) and values (ethical decision making, bias) in AI. "The objective of our exciting collaboration with CBSE is to help address some of those challenges by designing one of the most accessible and comprehensive gateways for students to begin their AI journey," Sandip Patel, General Manager, IBM India/South Asia said in a statement.

According to the company, it is further made robust with problem-based learning outcomes and assessment methods for teachers, to build foundational skills of AI in students making them not just consumers of AI, but creators as well. To meet CBSE's requirements for class 11 and 12, the curriculum was co-developed with Australia's Macquarie University and Indian implementation partners - Learning Links Foundation and 1M1B.

"With support from IBM, we are proud to lead the way for the nation by developing such an innovative training-based learning approach for students and teachers," said Manoj Ahuja, Chairperson, CBSE. The IBM AI curriculum was launched in collaboration with CBSE in September 2019 with an aim to impart AI skills to 5,000 class 11 students and 1000 teachers across India.

Meanwhile, IBM and CBSE also announced the '2020 IBM EdTech Youth Challenge' to encourage teams of students and teachers to leverage emerging technologies including cloud, AI, blockchain to solve existing or imminent problems facing society. Final winners stand to get a two-week internship and mentorship experience from senior leaders at IBM as well as opportunities to participate in national or international hackathons or conferences, the company said.