Bhubaneswar: In a significant move towards digital transformation in education, the Odisha government has announced the establishment of 32 AI-enabled smart classrooms across 16 higher education institutions (HEIs) under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA).
For this initiative, the higher education department has selected degree colleges in Angul, Balangir, Boudh, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Balasore, Bhadrak, Hindol, Nayagarh, Puri, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, and Nabarangpur. In Bhubaneswar, two smart classrooms will be set up at Ekamra College, while Jawaharlal Nehru College in Cuttack will also receive one AI-enabled classroom. Kantabanji Vocational College in Balangir will host the highest number of six classrooms.
On Tuesday, the department issued a call for bids for the design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of these smart classrooms using a turnkey approach. This initiative is aimed at enhancing educational infrastructure and improving teaching and learning outcomes by integrating advanced technologies into the classroom environment.
Officials indicated that the AI-enabled smart classrooms will feature modern ICT-based teaching tools, interactive learning solutions, and AI-powered content platforms to foster greater classroom engagement and personalized learning experiences. They emphasized that this initiative is part of the state government’s broader strategy to modernize higher education institutions and keep them in line with emerging technological advancements.
Earlier this year, the school and mass education department also announced plans to implement AI-powered virtual classrooms and digital assessment systems in 5,370 government and government-aided schools, aimed at helping students achieve conceptual clarity through engagement with AI and digital content.
Source: The Times of India
