How Microsoft is quietly bringing AI to classrooms across India through real-world tools and partnerships

Microsoft

Not long ago, lesson plans were scribbled on notepads, and doubt over digital tools ran deep. But now, in classrooms from small-town Uttar Pradesh to busy Bengaluru, teachers are trying something different. A new tool suggests lesson outlines in minutes. Students open their apps to find revision quizzes shaped by their own learning pace.

And behind many of these early experiments is Microsoft. The tech giant is working with public institutions, edtech platforms, and non-profits to bring AI into Indian classrooms in a way that feels useful, not overwhelming. The whole idea is not to replace teachers or reinvent the classroom overnight, it is  to offer tools that simply make learning a little better, more accessible, and more personal.

Physics Wallah, for instance, one of India’s most popular learning platforms, has built a new suite of AI tools called Alakh AI that uses Azure OpenAI services. It uses the same GPT-4 technology that powers ChatGPT. With it, students get personalised help, lessons that adapt to their pace, and smarter content recommendations.

Microsoft is also working with upGrad, helping them offer AI training and certification to STEM learners using Microsoft Cloud. The whole idea is to prepare students for an AI-first job market, one that increasingly values not just degrees, but digital skills.

Back in the classroom, tools like Shiksha Copilot, which has been developed by Microsoft Research and the Sikshana Foundation, are quietly transforming how teachers work. And in multilingual regions, an AI translation tool called Anuvadhini, powered by Microsoft’s language tech, is breaking language barriers, helping students engage more deeply. In some schools, that’s already led to a 45% increase in participation.

This isn’t a flashy tech overhaul. It’s thoughtful, steady change — a lesson plan written faster, a concept better understood, a student who doesn’t get left behind. Microsoft’s role may be behind the scenes, but its impact is visible on the ground.

The company aims to skill five lakh learners by 2026, in partnership with national institutes and educators. But more than numbers, it’s the everyday difference that stands out: a teacher with more time, a student with more confidence, and a classroom that feels just a little more equal.