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Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
AI in education must align with Indian values, says Dharmendra Pradhan at PadhAI conclave
NEW DELHI: 'Artificial Intelligence is not just a technology but a force multiplier and a catalyst for innovation. It is a bridge between empathy and technology,' said union minister for education Dharmendra Pradhan while delivering the valedictory address at the concluding session of 'PadhAI: Conclave on AI in Education' on Wednesday. The two-day event was organised by the Center of Policy Research and Governance (CPRG) and saw participation from policymakers, educationists, and technology leaders. Pradhan highlighted several initiatives taken by the Government of India to advance AI integration in education. He referred to the establishment of Centres of Excellence in AI and the growing emphasis on developing AI tools in Indian languages. He noted that these steps are aiding a transition 'from chalkboards to chipsets,' indicating the shift towards technology-enhanced learning environments. He stressed that integrating AI in school education is now an essential component of modern pedagogy and called on experts to suggest policy-level recommendations for responsible AI adoption in classrooms. The conclave featured sessions that explored how AI can transform teaching and learning practices, address educational inequalities, and enhance administrative efficiency. The event also examined the challenges institutions face in adopting emerging technologies, such as lack of infrastructure, teacher training gaps, and policy coherence. In the opening session of the second day titled 'Future of Institutions: Learning in the Age of AI,' panelists discussed how AI is reshaping the role of traditional educational institutions. Pankaj Arora, chairperson of the National Council for Teacher Education, emphasised that the goal is not to control AI, but to ensure it aligns with India's pluralistic and inclusive educational values. 'Institutions will not disappear,' he said, 'but they must redefine their purpose with a focus on leadership, sports, and culture to stay relevant. ' Uma Kanjilal, acting vice-chancellor of IGNOU, advocated for 'mass scale AI literacy' to enable all stakeholders to understand and benefit from the technology. Professor Payal Mago of Delhi University added that while Indians are highly adaptable, structural and capacity-building measures are needed to support AI integration. Jaideep Gupta from the Railway Board remarked that AI can serve as an effective teaching assistant but cannot replace the ethical and human guidance provided by teachers. CPRG director Ramanand concluded the event by underscoring the importance of collaboration between academia, government, and the technology sector. 'We believe that collaboration, not silos, is key to meaningful technology adoption in education,' he said.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
‘AI Is for All': Ministers and experts chart ethical AI roadmap at PadhAI conclave
NEW DELHI: The two-day 'PadhAI: Conclave on AI in Education' organised by Center of Policy Research and Governance (CPRG) commenced on Tuesday with policymakers, academic leaders, and industry experts exploring how artificial intelligence can reshape India's education system while remaining socially inclusive and ethical. The conclave will conclude on Wednesday with a valedictory address by union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Jitin Prasada, minister of state for commerce and industry, and electronics and IT, delivered the keynote address, underscoring the government's commitment to democratising AI. 'Our government's intent is very clear: AI is for all. It cuts across government and society. We must ensure India leads not just in talent, but in conscience and compassion,' he said, lauding CPRG's international presence, including at the Paris AI Action Summit and the 2024 GPAI Summit in Serbia. Delhi education minister Ashish Sood emphasized that AI should augment, not replace, the human element in classrooms. The minister said: 'Our vision for Delhi is AI is for all. It is about using technology to democratise education, break barriers, and create opportunities for all students.' On the evolving role of educators, Vineet Joshi, secretary, department of higher education and UGC chairperson, posed a critical question: 'Are we truly ready to accept AI?' He stressed the urgency of rethinking curricula and assessments, urging teachers to become 'co-creators of knowledge alongside students.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Ramanand, director of CPRG, explained the philosophy behind the conclave's name, 'PadhAI is not just a blend of two words; it's a deeper integration of AI and society.' He emphasised the importance of aligning technological advancements with India's social realities through CPRG's 'Future of Society' initiative. The day featured two panel sessions -- 'Learning Beyond Classrooms,' focused on adaptive learning and equitable access, and 'Redefining Higher Education Through AI,' addressed curriculum innovation, ethical AI, and India-first approaches. Ready to empower your child for the AI era? Join our program now! Hurry, only a few seats left.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Terrorising hope: Pahalgam attack and the Pakistan army
Associate Fellow, Center of Policy Research and Governance, New Delhi. Final Year Doctoral Candidate, Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. LESS ... MORE The terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir is not just an act of terror, it is a direct assault on the idea of normalcy. On April 22, 2025, when gunmen opened fire on tourists enjoying the meadows of Baisaran, they weren't merely executing an attack, they were sending a calculated message. The message was aimed not just at the state, but at society at large: that peace remains fragile, and that the symbols of progress are vulnerable. In recent years, the government has projected tourism and infrastructure as dual pillars of post-Article 370 Kashmir. The region, once characterized by conflict, was now being framed as a site of revival with record-breaking tourist arrivals (34 lakh in the year 2024 itself), infrastructure megaprojects, and even global visibility through events like the 2023 G20 summit in Srinagar. But these very successes have now become the targets. The TRF doctrine Militant groups, particularly The Resistance Front (TRF), have shifted strategy. Instead of focusing attacks on military installations or political leaders, they are going after soft civilian targets. The objective is no longer limited to damaging the state apparatus—it is about disrupting everyday life, eroding public confidence, and psychologically destabilizing communities. A case in point is the attack at the Z-Morh tunnel construction site in Ganderbal district on October 20, 2024. In this attack, six non-local labourers and one local doctor were killed. These individuals were not soldiers; they were contributors to a civilian infrastructure project meant to improve connectivity and economic opportunities in the region. By targeting a critical piece of infrastructure and those helping build it militants aimed to instill fear among workers, scare off future investments, and signal that even state-led development projects are not safe. This wasn't an assault on security forces; it was a direct strike on the idea that Kashmir can be rebuilt. TRF's tactical shift is neither spontaneous nor random. It has evolved over years. Emerging in the post-2019 landscape and widely considered to be a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, TRF has built a pattern of attacking civilians who symbolize recovery, coexistence, and reintegration. In October 2021, the group orchestrated the assassination of Makhan Lal Bindroo, a prominent Kashmiri Pandit pharmacist in Srinagar. He was a figure of quiet resilience—a returnee who had stayed on in Kashmir, committed to his work and his community. TRF's message was clear: no symbol of peaceful return would be spared. Through 2023, they expanded this pattern, targeting migrant labourers from other states who had come to Kashmir for construction, agriculture, and retail jobs. These labourers were building roads, bridges, and homes quite literally laying the foundation for a new Kashmir. By 2024, this strategy had matured into a consistent doctrine of terror that goes beyond the battlefield. In both the Pahalgam attack and the Ganderbal tunnel killings, the victims represented a hopeful trajectory. They were tourists, workers, and professionals—ordinary people whose presence signified progress. The violence directed at them was a calculated attempt to fracture that narrative. India must recognize that this is no longer a conventional security problem alone. This is narrative warfare. Militants are attacking not just lives but ideas – ideas of trust, of unity, of belonging. The notion that Kashmir is healing is what they seek to rupture. To meet this evolved threat, India needs an evolved response. Conventional counterinsurgency is no longer enough. What's needed now is a dual-deterrence doctrine—one that targets both the ideological ecosystem that sustains militancy and the tactical apparatus that enables it. Qualitative deterrence: Exposing the Pakistan Army's proxy empire India must adopt a doctrine of qualitative deterrence—not focused on battlefield metrics, but on the systemic erosion of legitimacy for Pakistan's military-jihadi complex. The Pakistan Army, which already struggles for legitimacy within its own borders, must no longer be treated globally as a professional force. Its self-assigned role as the 'guardian of Pakistan's ideology' has steadily mutated into an Islamist-authoritarian enterprise, where generals act as messianic clerics and ideological commissars, demands exposure. India must lead a strategic campaign to delegitimise this force, diplomatically, informationally, and symbolically. The aim is clear: strip the Pakistan Army of the legitimacy it holds in multilateral forums. A military that fuels jihad cannot enjoy the privileges of a professional force under Geneva Convention while advancing the politics of holy war. Qualitative deterrence is about making the ideology behind Pakistan's terror proxies a global liability—not just an Indian security concern. Quantitative deterrence: Imposing real costs India must simultaneously adopt a doctrine of quantitative deterrence – focused on imposing measurable, escalating costs on those who plan and execute terror operations. This means not just targeting proxy jihadi commanders, but also targeting the ISI regulars—the military planners and field operatives who enable, fund, and direct these attacks. India should be prepared to act both overtly and covertly, deploying calibrated strikes, surgical eliminations, and deep penetration intelligence missions. The goal is simple: make each act of terrorism operationally expensive and personally dangerous for its architects. While qualitative deterrence shatters the ideological facade, quantitative deterrence bleeds the system dry logistically, tactically, and psychologically. It sends a clear message: no terror plot will come without proportional consequence, and no uniform will guarantee immunity if it's worn in the service of jihad. Make deterrence a daily practice, and hope a national policy To make deterrence real, India must anchor it in everyday practice. This means smarter, intelligence-led policing, not just heavier deployments. It means treating worker colonies, tourist hubs, and construction sites as strategic spaces, protected through surveillance, emergency protocols, and civic coordination. And it means countering digital propaganda with local narratives that affirm resilience over fear. If deterrence is strategy, then protecting hope must be policy—and together, they are the only true counter to a terror that thrives on fear, not firepower. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
