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Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari said artificial intelligence should support teachers rather than replace them. He highlighted AI’s potential to enhance classroom learning, personalize education, and improve teaching efficiency while stressing that human guidance and values remain essential to education.
Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari has called for a balanced approach to artificial intelligence in education, saying technology should be used to support teachers rather than replace them. Speaking at the opening session of a two-day state-level workshop and reflection session at Adhiveshan Bhavan in Patna on Sunday, Tiwari emphasized that the growing use of AI in classrooms must remain rooted in ethics, human values, and the role of teachers in shaping students.
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly accessible to students, educators are facing a new challenge: teaching children how to use technology thoughtfully rather than allowing technology to do the thinking for them. Tiwari said one of the most important priorities for schools should be helping students learn how to ask the right questions. In an environment where AI tools can quickly generate answers, he suggested that education must continue to develop curiosity, critical thinking, judgment, and the ability to understand problems independently.
The minister's comments reflect a broader shift in how education systems are approaching AI. While artificial intelligence can help teachers prepare learning materials, identify areas where students may need additional support, and provide access to educational resources, it cannot fully replicate the human relationship between a teacher and a student. Teachers understand classroom dynamics, recognize when a student is struggling emotionally or academically, and provide encouragement and guidance that technology cannot easily reproduce.
Tiwari also highlighted Bihar's progress in expanding digital education. Educational content based on textbooks for students from Classes I through XII has been developed under the PM e-Vidya initiative, with video-based learning resources being made available to support classroom education. The state is also preparing educational material in local languages, an important step toward making digital learning more accessible to students from different linguistic backgrounds.
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At the same time, the minister stressed that technology alone cannot improve learning outcomes. He pointed to the importance of workbooks, unit tests, teacher diaries, and other established academic practices in helping schools track student progress and strengthen teaching quality. The emphasis suggests that digital tools should complement traditional teaching methods rather than push them aside.
The state is also expanding its network of model schools. According to Tiwari, 551 Saraswati Vidya Niketan schools have already been established, while another 142 are expected to be added. Maintaining academic standards and ensuring consistent quality as the network grows will remain critical, particularly as Bihar seeks to strengthen learning opportunities for students across different regions.
Technology is also being used to improve education administration. An integrated software system and command-and-control center have been strengthened to monitor teacher and student attendance, while efforts are underway to improve grievance redressal mechanisms for teachers, students, and parents. Such systems could give education officials better visibility into school operations while helping institutions respond more quickly to concerns raised by the education community.
The two-day workshop brought together 322 participants, including Bihar Education Service officers and principals of District Institutes of Education and Training. The discussions are expected to further examine ways to improve teaching, administration, digital learning, and educational outcomes across the state.
Bihar's approach highlights a central question facing education systems everywhere: how can schools benefit from powerful technologies without losing the human element of learning? For Tiwari, the answer lies not in choosing between teachers and AI, but in using technology responsibly to make teachers more effective while ensuring that students continue to develop the curiosity, judgment, creativity, and human values that education is ultimately meant to nurture.