LUCKNOW, Sept 7: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday stressed the need to promote artificial intelligence (AI) literacy alongside basic and digital education, saying emerging technologies were creating new opportunities across sectors, including education, healthcare, agriculture, industry and employment.
In an open letter issued ahead of International Literacy Day on September 8, Adityanath said education should go beyond teaching children to read and write and should equip them with knowledge, values, discipline, confidence and an understanding of life.
“Today, technology is rapidly changing our lives. In such a situation, along with digital literacy, AI literacy is also the need of the hour,” he said in a post on X.
The Chief Minister said AI, deep technology and other emerging innovations were creating new possibilities in several areas and emphasised the importance of preparing students and young people to participate in the changing technological landscape.
Focus on technology and traditional knowledge
Adityanath said his government was working to combine India’s traditional knowledge systems with modern science, technology, innovation and skill development.
He pointed to the developing AI City in Lucknow and the expansion of drone and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology in Kanpur as examples of initiatives that could contribute to Uttar Pradesh’s technological growth.
Reflecting on the role of education, he said India’s ancient gurukul system provided students with holistic learning by combining academic knowledge with values, discipline and social responsibility.
“This spirit should continue to form the basis of our education even today,” he said, adding that knowledge becomes meaningful when it improves people’s lives and benefits society.
Government initiatives to strengthen education
The Chief Minister highlighted several state programmes aimed at improving educational outcomes, including Operation Kayakalp, Mission Prerna and the Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Yojana.
He said the government had also focused on strengthening school infrastructure, improving preparation for competitive examinations and expanding skill-development opportunities for young people.
According to Adityanath, these efforts had contributed to a reduction in school dropout rates and helped bring more children into the mainstream education system.
He also underlined the important role of teachers, describing them as key figures in developing curiosity, discipline, confidence and a sense of responsibility among students.
Referring to Teachers’ Day on September 5, the Chief Minister said he had the opportunity to honour 81 teachers and described educators as lamps that spread the light of knowledge and guide future generations.
Call for universal literacy
Adityanath said achieving universal literacy would require active participation from society and called on people to help those around them who lacked basic reading and writing skills.
He urged citizens to make a commitment on International Literacy Day to ensure that every child attends school, students receive quality education, young people gain access to skills and innovation, and citizens develop awareness of digital technologies and AI.
The Chief Minister said even a small effort to teach someone to read and write could expand that person’s access to knowledge, confidence and opportunities.