CHENNAI: A personalised-learning module designed through AI for govt middle school students, a ‘TN-Arivu curriculum’ for students to develop entrepreneurial skills and analytical thinking, an AI-based higher education guidance app/platform for govt school students and the Mathichudar scheme to give students exposure to higher-order thinking skill (HOTS) and competency questions are among the key schemes planned for revamping the school curriculum. Announcing the demands for grants for the school education department in the assembly, minister A Rajmohan said the department focused more on the methodology of teaching and student wellbeing, making them future ready. “No more will students be called slow-learners,” he said.On this front, the govt has set aside Rs 70 lakh under a ‘Personalised Adaptive Learning (PAL)’ scheme for classes 6-8 students of 500 govt middle schools on a pilot basis.“Every student learns at their own pace. The current (education) system only assesses students through monthly or weekly tests, through which it is not entirely possible to keep track of what a student has understood well and what he/she hasn’t. Under the PAL scheme, after every chapter, a student takes an assessment designed by AI and the AI system will identify the concepts where he/she falls behind and gives more practice sums to help the student improve,” school education secretary B Chandramohan told TOI.The department will implement this on a hybrid model, where assistance will be offered by teachers too, in the first phase. Hi-tech labs will be used to train the students.Further, to impart analytical and logical reasoning skills in students, the TN Arivu curriculum will be implemented in all schools in the state from 2027-28 academic year. The department, however, is yet to specify the allocation for this scheme.The curriculum will be implemented on a class-wise basis and modules — ‘Arivu Foundation’ for Classes 1 to 5; ‘Arivu Discovery’ for classes 6 to 8; and ‘Arivu Edge’ for classes 9 to 12. For high and higher secondary classes, the curriculum will offer life -and-employment-oriented skills.Under the Mathichudar scheme, classes 6-12 school students will be trained in competency-based questions and problem-solving skills through assessments and classroom sessions. The scheme will be implemented at a cost of Rs 18.01 crore in state’s govt schools.Further, the TN Spark scheme, launched in Jul 2025 to introduce AI and robotics lessons for govt school children, will be expanded in three stages at an allocation of Rs 2.72 crore.For classes 6-8, the curriculum will be designed in a foundational stage; classes 9 and 10, intermediate stage; and as an elective subject for classes 11 and 12. “For higher secondary classes, students can learn about any one discipline under AI or robotics or VR and gain skills in that. Steps are also being taken to train the teachers,” an official with the SCERT said.The govt has also set aside Rs 22.36 crore under the ‘Vetri Paathai’ scheme to help prepare students of 172 govt higher secondary schools for national-level higher education entrance examinations and secure admission to leading institutions in the country.
