PNS|Vijayawada
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has underscored the need to include Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the curriculum, recognising its significance.
At a high-level meeting at the Camp Office on Thursday, the Chief Minister interacted with senior officials from the Education Department and Vice-Chancellors of Universities. He urged them to consider measures to bridge the gap between educational goals and achievements, in light of the evolving global landscape.
“Our history has seen us follow the advancements from steam engines to electricity to computers without actively participating in their creation,” stated Chief Minister Reddy.
He highlighted the ongoing fourth revolution in the form of AI, asserting the need for Vice-Chancellors to play a pivotal role in higher education by adopting a dual strategy. This strategy entails integrating AI into the education system to enhance teaching methods and learning outcomes, while also equipping students with AI development skills that should be part of the curriculum.
“Our aim should be to not merely follow but to create and lead this fourth revolution. By taking the appropriate steps at the right time, we can become contributors to emerging technologies. As AI advances, some will create while others follow, and we must position ourselves as creators,” he added.
Furthermore, Chief Minister Reddy shared insights from a recent meeting with the German Consulate General, who expressed concerns about Germany’s shortage of skilled human
resources. He noted that Western countries, as well as our own state and country, face demographic imbalances, with 70 percent of the population capable of working. He emphasised the need to provide comprehensive knowledge and skills training to guide the world effectively.
To accomplish this task, Chief Minister Reddy outlined several suggestions, including introducing multiple verticals within a single faculty, such as asset management, financial markets, risk management, and security analysis in disciplines like B.Com, mirroring practices in Western countries.
He also highlighted the importance of integrating augmented reality and virtual reality into the curriculum, promoting changes in medical education through the adoption of AI and robotics, and aligning syllabi with emerging technologies. Moreover, he stressed the significance of imparting modern agricultural methods to students and children, recognizing the pivotal role of technology in this sector.
Chief Minister Reddy proposed the incorporation of practical applicability and the adoption of emerging technologies in teaching methods, question paper preparation, and examination procedures within our curriculum, akin to practices in Western countries. He announced plans to establish a Board consisting of global experts to provide recommendations in pursuit of this vision. He further suggested the creation of separate boards for primary and higher education, aiming to revamp the entire system from the foundational level to higher education.
“To elevate my thoughts and suggestions, working groups will be formed with representation from four or five universities, including engineering, medical, and other faculties,” he announced.
The meeting was attended by Education Minister B. Satyanarayana, Chief Secretary Dr. KS Jawahar Reddy, Special Chief Secretaries MT Krishna Babu (Medical & Health) and Gopalakrishna Dwivedi (Agriculture), Principal Secretaries Praveen Prakash (School Education) and J. Syamala Rao (Higher Education), IT Secretary K. Sasidhar, School Education Commissioner P. Bhaskar, Higher Education Council Chairman K Hemachandra Reddy, I & PR Commissioner T. Vijayakumar Reddy, and Vice-Chancellors of Universities.
