By Srinath Vanga
Education has been a cornerstone of India’s growth narrative despite an apparent lack of substantial investment in the sector. However, a significant disparity exists in the mastery of subjects between students in developing nations like India and those in developed countries. This gap can be primarily attributed to the level of individual attention each student receives. Technological advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), specifically in generative AI and language modelling, hold the potential to bridge this gap significantly. These cutting-edge innovations can revolutionise India’s educational landscape by enhancing the teacher-to-student ratio, accommodating diverse learning patterns, and universalizing access to high-quality education.
The teacher-to-student ratio is one of the critical metrics representing student attention in the classroom. Although this varies between institutions, developed countries have it around 1:15. In contrast, developing countries like India have it around 1:30. Enhancing the teacher-to-student ratio is one of the most effective ways of improving individual student attention.
Every student is different, and each has their way of learning. A famous study published in 1984 named 2 Sigma problem evaluated classroom teaching in 3 different settings: conventional teaching, mastery teaching, and tutoring. Tutoring and mastery teaching significantly improved students’ overall grasp of the subjects compared to conventional teaching. However, investing in education to enhance the teacher-to-student ratio is challenging for developing countries like India due to limited resources and constrained budgets. Advancements in AI, specifically in large language modelling(LLM), provide solutions to this problem.
Language models are sophisticated tools built using a technology called deep learning. These models are created from vast amounts of text gathered from the Internet and require powerful supercomputers. Even though this process can take several months, the outcome is remarkable. These models can power chatbots to engage in lengthy, human-like conversations without losing the context.
Language models are adaptable. Depending on the data on which they are trained, they can be used in diverse settings, including as personal tutors in an educational environment. If, for instance, the model is trained on a science curriculum, it can provide individualised attention to students through a conversational interface, helping them learn at their own pace. Frequent tests are an effective way to evaluate subject mastery, and they can generate personalised tests based on the student’s progress, a logistically challenging task in a traditional classroom.
People learn from various resources daily; LLM-powered chatbots can significantly improve this process. Instead of having to scour through copious amounts of resources to understand a topic, LLMs can make it more focused. LLM-powered chatbots can be a transformative tool in everyday learning by providing curated answers while combining ideas from various sources and having the ability to answer follow-up questions. Tools like chatGPT, Bard, and perplexity are already replacing some instances where one would have to painstakingly browse through links on web search to find relevant answers, and it shows that generative AI is already making a noticeable difference in learning.
The Internet is full of helpful content, but sometimes, language can be a barrier for the rural population to learn effectively. Advancements in generative AI can convert content from any language to many widely spoken languages, which can be a game-changer. This technology can enable broader access to high-quality educational content and improve learning.
India’s coming decades of economic growth hinge on transforming the nation into a knowledge powerhouse, and harnessing the potential of technology, specifically in Artificial Intelligence, is crucial to realising this vision. As advancements in generative AI and large language modelling reshape the educational landscape, they will help bridge the gap in subject mastery and make high-quality education accessible to all. When every Indian, regardless of their socioeconomic status, can access and benefit from this wealth of knowledge, India will firmly establish itself as a global powerhouse and an economic giant. Thus, India’s future lies in expanding its physical infrastructure and, more importantly, in enriching its intellectual capital.
The author is the Architect of Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning at o9 solutions.
