Education Ministry Updates: Open Schooling, NCERT, AI & PM Shri Schools

Date: 6 January 2026

• The Ministry of Education is expanding the Open Schooling system in India. Currently, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) has around 6 lakh registered students, while CBSE schools have 2.5 crore students. This initiative aims to provide educational opportunities to students who are unable to complete school due to socio-economic reasons or academic failures.

• The new Open School model will allow students to study while working, easing financial burdens. NIOS and CBSE will collaborate to reintegrate school dropouts into the education system. Industry collaboration will also be encouraged to provide skill development and employment opportunities alongside education.

• NCERT has been granted deemed-to-be-university status. According to the Secretary of School Education, this process will be completed in the next two weeks, and UGC approval will formalize it. NCERT will offer global-standard courses in school and teacher education, including curriculum design, psychometric assessment, and educational sciences.

• AI in Teacher Education: Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that AI will be permanently integrated into teacher education programs, following the National Education Policy 2020. The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) will implement new standards that include AI as a compulsory feature.

• PM Shri Schools Initiative: Under the "Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India" scheme, 13,700 schools have been selected for upgrading infrastructure, educational quality, and student outcomes. The goal is to expand this benchmark to 1.27 lakh schools nationwide, improving learning outcomes and supporting the vision of a developed India by 2047.