CII Pushes for Inclusive AI Literacy through Closer Industry-Academia Linkages

Building Inclusive AI literacy through a strong partnership with industry and academia is the need of the time, said Mr Pradip Agarwal, CEO, Heritage Institute of Technology at the second edition of the Educators Conclave organised by CII in Kolkata today. Referred to the increasing influence of AI in the society, he advocated for promoting responsible and ethical use of AI.

He further emphasised that, in today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, teachers need to move beyond their traditional role as mere transmitters of knowledge and increasingly serve as facilitators who guide, engage and empower students in the learning AI.

Speaking about Picasso, Mr Madan Mohanka, Chairman, Tega Industries Ltd, recalled the enduring belief that “every child is an artist.” He highlighted how the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 seeks to harness and nurture students’ critical thinking, curiosity and imagination, encouraging a more creative approach to education.

Prof. (Dr.) Samit Ray, Co-Chairman, CII Eastern Region Education & Skill Development Subcommittee and Founder & Chancellor, Adamas University, spoke about the broader purpose of education and highlighted the evolving relationship between knowledge, learning and educators in a rapidly changing world.

Ms Natasha Agarwal, Group Director, OmDayal Group, emphasised that the focus should be on creating a “human-first classroom”, with AI serving as an enabling tool rather than the central focus. She stressed the importance of nurturing independent human judgement and character development among students. Summing up the approach, she said the goal should not be an “AI-first classroom”, but a human-first learning environment that embraces AI thoughtfully and responsibly.

The conclave witnessed the masterclass by Mr Nikhil Saraf, Founder & CEO Freadom Edu about how the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is reshaping teaching, learning and institutional management, making it essential for educators to develop practical confidence and informed AI skills.
More than 200 foots of major industry stakeholders found their way in the conclave.