Prime Highlights
- IAS Saumya Jha initiated “Padhai with AI” to improve maths education in Tonk government schools, Rajasthan.
- The program brought Class 10 maths pass percentage to 96.4% within a period of six weeks of roll-out.
Key Facts :
- “Padhai with AI” was rolled out in 353 senior secondary schools of Tonk in September 2024.
- Class 10 students achieved a 5% increase in first division marks over the previous year.
Key Background
IAS officer Saumya Jha became the District Collector of Tonk, Rajasthan. On her visits to schools, she found there was strong math phobia among children, particularly rural and economically backward children. There was little time to study for most children as they were required on the farms for work, and even irregular attendances affected their understanding of subjects such as maths. Jha also acknowledged the necessity for an adaptable, technology-driven support system that would operate outside regular classroom hours.
Inspired by her own experience of using AI for UPSC study, Jha built “Padhai with AI” in September 2024. The bilingual AI education platform offered customized, real-time learning of Class 10 RBSE syllabus. Students were able to revise topics, practice and solve practice papers, and clarify doubts on their own. Teachers could create customized tests, monitor progress, and detect areas of weakness to focus on strengthening.
Its effect was tangible and quantifiable. Students such as Aman Gujar, who had struggled at the fundamental concepts level at first, showed growing confidence and grades. The program managed to bridge the gap considerably for students who had been out of school during peak seasons of agriculture. Teachers adored the AI tool for the range of question types, from fill-in-the-blank to multiple-choice, that textbooks were not able to provide.
In a span of just six weeks after its launch, “Padhai with AI” enabled an impressive improvement in examination scores. Tonk students of Class 10 registered a pass percentage of 96.4% in maths—3% above the state average. More significantly, first-division marks rose from 23% to 28.23%.
This pioneering use of AI for education not only empowered teachers and learners but also put Tonk on the path to becoming a model technology-infused public school district. English and science are to be included in the expansion of the model, an exciting vision for intelligent learning in rural India.
