Sikkim schoolchildren turn to Artificial Intelligence for daily learning

Schoolchildren in the hills of Sikkim is turning to artificial intelligence, that have become a part of their regular school day.

The Education Department, Government of Sikkim, in collaboration with the EkStep Foundation, has begun implementing the AI-FunZone project in 71 government schools in the Khamdong, Nandok and Martam blocks of Gangtok district.

The pilot project, launched following a Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2026, covers around 2,100 students of Classes III, IV and V. The programme uses AI to provide children with short, daily and personalised practice according to their individual learning levels.

The idea is simple: instead of giving every child the same task, the technology identifies where a child needs help and adjusts the next activity accordingly.

In reading, AI can listen to a child and identify difficulties in decoding particular sounds. In Mathematics, it can identify specific errors and learning gaps and adapt subsequent exercises. Students can record, listen to and re-record their responses, allowing them to practise repeatedly without fear of embarrassment or failure.

The programme does not rank or compare children. It is designed to provide abundant practice and help children who may have fallen behind in foundational literacy and numeracy.

Teachers remain at the centre of the programme as facilitators. The AI-based practice is integrated into a 60-minute AI-FunZone class during the regular school day, rather than being treated as an additional class. A real-time dashboard enables teachers to see the progress of individual students and identify areas where they need support in the classroom.

Around 300 Resource Persons from the three blocks have already been trained for the initiative.

According to the Education Department, teachers have responded positively to the use of technology, graphics, audio and interactive activities, while students have shown enthusiasm for the play-way approach.

However, the programme also requires computers or tablets, headsets and high-speed internet. Some standalone primary and junior high schools have reported shortages of such digital infrastructure.

EkStep Foundation, a Bengaluru-based non-profit founded in 2015 by Nandan Nilekani, Rohini Nilekani and Shankar Maruwada, partners with public school systems to develop foundational literacy and numeracy solutions.

The Sikkim initiative seeks to make AI a support system for teachers — while giving children something equally important: more time, more practice and a more enjoyable way to learn.