Punjab has become the first state in the country to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a mainstream subject from Class I to XII, said education minister Harjot Singh Bains, Wednesday.The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) will roll out the curriculum in a phased manner under the ‘Sarbat.AI’ project, making it one of the country’s largest statewide AI education missions, Bains said.ਪੰਜਾਬ ਨੇ ਰਚਿਆ ਇਤਿਹਾਸ – ਸਕੂਲੀ ਸਿੱਖਿਆ ਵਿੱਚ ਲਾਜ਼ਮੀ ਵਿਸ਼ੇ ਵਜੋਂ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਕੀਤੀ ਏ.ਆਈ.ਸਿੱਖਿਆ ਮੰਤਰੀ @harjotbains ਨੇ ਸੰਬੋਧਨ ਕਰਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਸਾਂਝੇ ਕੀਤੇ ਵੇਰਵੇ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਹਰਵੀਂ ਜਮਾਤ ਤੱਕ ਲਾਜ਼ਮੀ ਵਿਸ਼ੇ ਵਜੋਂ ਹੋਵੇਗੀ ਏ.ਆਈ. ਦੀ ਪੜ੍ਹਾਈ ਚੀਨ ਅਤੇ ਦੱਖਣ ਕੋਰੀਆ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਏ.ਆਈ. ਨੂੰ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਤਰਜੀਹ ‘ਤੇ ਪਾਈ ਰੌਸ਼ਨੀ… pic.twitter.com/wgV3wJ3tT2— AAP Punjab (@AAPPunjab) July 22, 2026At an event in Chandigarh to launch AI as a subject, Bains said, “Artificial Intelligence is now a core subject in every PSEB school. Every child will learn the skills the world’s leading nations are racing to teach theirs. Punjab moves first, again — becoming the first state to make AI a mainstream subject from Class 1 to Class 12. This is the Punjab Arvind Kejriwal envisioned and CM Bhagwant Mann is building on the ground, every single day.”“We are moving from leading the Green Revolution to leading the Artificial Intelligence Revolution,” he added. “This initiative will equip our students with future-ready skills while fostering innovation, ethical AI, entrepreneurship and responsible digital citizenship. We want every child in Punjab to be prepared not only for the jobs of tomorrow but also to become creators and innovators in the technology-driven world,” he said. Former Delhi minsiter Manish Sisodia (in pink shirt) and Punjab minister Harjot Singh Bains (in yellow turban) interact with school students at the event, on Wednesday. (Express photo)“The curriculum has been developed after studying international best practices from Singapore, Finland, the UAE and the United States. It has been aligned with UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) ’s Ethical AI Framework to ensure that our students learn the responsible, safe and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence while meeting global standards,” said Bains.Must Read | Centre weighs curbs on AI autonomy, consent rules for deepfakes under new law“Phase I will begin with Classes VIII to XII by integrating AI into the Computer Science curriculum in government and affiliated private schools. Students will learn through live online classes, recorded lectures, project-based learning, continuous assessments and a dedicated Learning Management System. In Phase II, AI education will be expanded to Classes I to VII, ensuring that every child in Punjab receives age-appropriate AI education from the foundational years,” said Bains.“The programme builds on the success of PSEB’s AI Pilot Programme conducted in collaboration with FA-AI, which culminated in a statewide AI Hackathon. The programme will be implemented technologically by Neeev AI and strengthened through strategic collaborations with Google, Intel, Canva and FA-AI to enhance AI literacy, teacher capacity building, innovation and workforce readiness,” he said, adding that it will benefit 25,172 schools and nearly 31.5 lakh students. In Phase I, 12,424 Computer Science teachers will lead implementation, while more than two lakh teachers across all disciplines will be progressively trained to integrate AI into teaching, learning and assessment,” said the minister.“While countries like China and South Korea have already embedded AI in their primary school curricula, Punjab has chosen to lead India in this direction. Today, Punjab ranks first in education in the country. We are moving beyond outdated software drills to impart genuine future-ready skills,” said Bains.Story continues below this adFormer Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia, who was also at the launch, said, “Punjab has scripted history with the launch of this project and has established itself as a national benchmark for AI education. This initiative reaffirms the state’s commitment to preparing students not merely to use Artificial Intelligence but to innovate with it, create with it and lead in the technology-driven future.”Sisodia also expressed concern over the recent examination paper leaks in the country and the ongoing protests in the national capital. He stressed the need to strengthen examination integrity through technology-driven reforms and robust educational systems.PSEB chairman Amarpal Singh said, “Artificial Intelligence has now been integrated as a core part of Punjab’s compulsory Computer Science curriculum. Learning outcomes in Computer Science will now be reflected on students’ board certificates. The question is not whether AI will shape education, but how we shape it with responsibility and foresight.”