In the village of Panna, Madhya Pradesh, a 14-year-old walks nearly two kilometres daily—not to get to school, but to catch a fleeting mobile signal to attend her online classes. Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, her urban peer accesses AI-powered personalized learning platforms from the comfort of home. This disparity is not just anecdotal; it reflects a persistent and growing digital divide that is shaping, and in some ways distorting, the educational landscape of India. India’s classrooms are undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift toward digital education, moving it from an aspirational ideal to a functional necessity. Government initiatives such as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 have reinforced this trend, advocating for the “extensive use of technology in teaching and learning through apps, online resources, and platforms”. Yet, the optimism around digital learning often masks the structural inequalities it inadvertently reinforces.

Promise and Paradox
India has made commendable advances in building digital education infrastructure. The government’s DIKSHA platform, launched in 2017, now offers over 2.4 million e-learning resources in more than 30 languages and is being used by over 10 million teachers and students. During the pandemic, PM eVIDYA integrated learning through digital platforms, TV channels, and radio to ensure wider accessibility. 

However, the digital divide remains stark. According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2023, only 29% of rural children had access to online classes, and just 8% received live online instruction. The National Sample Survey (NSS) 78th round reported that 41.8% of Indian households had internet access. In rural areas, the figure was even lower—just 32.1%. Urban private schools are piloting AI-based assessments, smartboards, and immersive reality, while over 70% of government schools lack functional internet and adequate computer labs, as per the Ministry of Education’s UDISE+ 2021-22 data. Over 43% of schools still don’t have electricity—a fundamental requirement before introducing any form of educational technology.

Toward a “Phygital” Future
The future of Indian education lies not in a binary choice between digital and physical, but in a blended "phygital" model. Hybrid learning environments, when thoughtfully designed, can enable both scale and personalization. But technology is not a replacement for teachers; it must be a tool in their hands. Yet this vision is hampered by a lack of teacher preparedness. UNESCO’s 2022 report notes that fewer than 20% of Indian teachers have received any formal training in digital pedagogy. A smartboard in a classroom is of little value if educators are unable to integrate it meaningfully into their lesson plans. Investments in hardware must be matched by investments in humanware—comprehensive teacher training, localized content creation, and ongoing digital literacy programs.

AI in the Classroom: Proceed with Caution
Artificial Intelligence promises personalized learning, real-time feedback, and performance analytics. However, its deployment in Indian classrooms must be ethical, inclusive, and transparent. Concerns around data privacy, algorithmic bias, and teacher displacement are not abstract. India urgently needs a National AI in Education Framework that governs data protection, sets guidelines for AI tool accreditation, and establishes standards for inclusive design. AI must serve to augment, not replace, the teacher. Its true potential lies in identifying learning gaps, supporting neurodiverse students, and automating routine administrative tasks. For this, we need a human-in-the-loop approach where educators retain authority over pedagogical decisions.

Equity over Elegance
Public-private partnerships can play a catalytic role, if recalibrated with equity at their core. Edtech firms must pivot away from urban-centric, subscription-driven models and develop solutions that work offline, in low-bandwidth settings, and in regional languages. Programs like EkStep have already demonstrated that scalable, open-source models are feasible. States like Kerala have successfully piloted low-tech digital classrooms using pre-loaded content servers and community television access. Moreover, digital infrastructure missions like BharatNet and Digital India need acceleration. Connectivity must be treated as a basic educational right, not a commercial convenience. The goal is not just digitizing textbooks but transforming how learning is delivered, monitored, and adapted to individual student needs.

In 2025, access to quality education should not depend on a child’s geography or gadgets. Technology in education must evolve from being a symbol of elite innovation to a vehicle of inclusive transformation. India’s classrooms do not need to be “smart” in the jargon-heavy, high-tech sense. They must be intelligent in design, empathetic in execution, and democratic in access. The question is no longer whether technology will change education—it already has. The real challenge is: Will it change it for everyone, or only for a privileged few? The blackboard and the byte must co-exist—not as competing ideologies, but as complementary tools in building a more equal and future-ready education system.

Naman Mishra is a Doctoral Researcher, Bennett University, Greater Noida. Palakh Jain is Associate Professor, Bennett University, Greater Noida, and Senior Visiting Fellow, Pahle India Foundation.
Views are personal, and do not reflect the opinions of the organizations.