The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Maharashtra, in collaboration with Kotak Education Foundation (KEF), has launched AI Saathi for Educators, a state-wide online training programme that will prepare teachers to integrate artificial intelligence into classroom teaching.
The programme was inaugurated by Maharashtra School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse in the presence of senior officials from the School Education Department, SCERT Maharashtra, the Maharashtra State Examination Council, and representatives from Kotak Education Foundation.
AI Saathi is the first online course to be made compulsory under Maharashtra’s teacher professional development policy. Recognised as a four-hour certified programme, it forms part of the state’s mandatory 20-hour annual online training requirement. The initiative will cover approximately 7.5 lakh teachers and education department officials serving students from Classes 1 to 12 across the state. According to SCERT, the course was selected after an evaluation process involving ten proposed training programmes.
To ensure wider accessibility, the entire course has been created in Marathi and will be delivered through the DIKSHA digital learning platform. Teachers can complete the self-paced programme using videos, reading resources and assessments, while SCERT will monitor participation and completion through an online tracking system.
The curriculum has been organised into three learning stages. The introductory module familiarises educators with AI concepts and demonstrates how technology can support lesson planning, classroom assessments, educational content creation and effective prompt writing. The second stage explores practical classroom applications, including inquiry-based learning, project work, personalised instruction and strategies to improve student engagement. The final level is designed for educators who wish to lead AI-driven initiatives within their schools and encourage wider adoption of technology in teaching.
Education Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh said the programme has been designed to help teachers and education officials use emerging technologies more effectively in their everyday academic responsibilities. SCERT Director Dr. Hemant Vasekar noted that the initiative reflects the increasing importance of digital tools in modern education and aims to strengthen teachers’ ability to adapt to changing classroom needs.
Speaking on the collaboration, Ganesh Raja, CEO of Kotak Education Foundation, said the programme focuses on empowering teachers with practical AI skills while reinforcing their central role in the learning process. Jayasree Ramesh, COO of the foundation, added that the training also promotes responsible and ethical use of AI, helping educators adopt new technologies with confidence.
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The programme has been developed in line with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the UNESCO Teacher Competency Framework. Along with introducing AI tools, it places strong emphasis on ethical considerations such as privacy, fairness, transparency and responsible technology use in education.
Kotak Education Foundation, the education-focused CSR initiative of the Kotak Mahindra Group, has been working with schools and teachers for nearly two decades. Its collaboration with SCERT Maharashtra builds on earlier teacher development programmes and AI-focused workshops, leading to the creation of AI Saathi as a state-wide capacity-building initiative. Beyond teacher training, the foundation supports digital learning, school improvement, scholarships and skill development programmes across several Indian states.
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