When ChatGPT made its debut, it came as both a revelation and a warning. It promised efficiency and innovation, but also threatened to undermine critical thinking if used as a way out. In Kolkata, schools are waking up to this double-edged reality and are working to ensure students learn to use Artificial Intelligence wisely, not blindly.
Satabdi Bhattacharjee, principal of The Newtown School, believes in teaching students ethical clarity. “Our school has taken a balanced stance, aggressively advising students on how to utilise AI responsibly. Through consistent mentoring and digital literacy programs, we’re helping them see AI as a tool to enhance creativity — not bypass it.” Bhattacharjee explains that the school incorporates AI into the learning process, but with solid boundaries in place.
The conversation is similar at South City International School, where Rupika Nath, principal, highlighted the importance of engagement over enforcement. “Rather than merely limiting the use of AI, we are helping students use technology responsibly. It’s impossible to monitor every homework assignment, so we focus on raising awareness about originality and ethical usage,” she said. The school encourages AI use in STEM and robotics programmes, turning it into a platform for innovation rather than replication.
Building awareness in the classroom
Schools are working to ensure students learn to use Artificial Intelligence wisely, not blindly
At La Martiniere for Girls, AI education is part of a larger curriculum aimed at digital citizenship. Principal Rupkatha Sarkar pointed out that the school hosts sessions on the ‘boon and bane’ of AI, with inputs from computer science teachers and even the Kolkata Police. “We are sensitising our students to be responsible users of AI. Awareness is the first step to appropriate use,” she said.
Seema Sapru, principal of Heritage International School said, “You can't wish AI away. Teachers do report that there's a lot of similarity in compositions written by students and they can immediately identify a piece written with the help of AI. We use plagiarism tools like Turnit.”
Some schools are taking a more hands-on approach. At Haryana International Academy in New Town, AI monitoring is done at the classroom level. Headmistress Mili Chakraborty explained, “Teachers familiarise themselves with students’ typical writing styles, vocabulary, and grammar to identify inconsistencies. This makes it easier to detect AI-generated work when compared to class submissions.” She says that regular one-on-one interactions allow teachers to maintain a close eye on student output, encouraging originality and discouraging dependence on generative tools.
What parents are thinking
Parents are having their own reckoning with AI, even as schools fine-tune their strategies
While schools fine-tune their strategies, parents are having their own reckoning with AI. A mother of a 16-year-old, at Garden High School, reflects on how the internet has changed the research landscape. “Growing up in the ’90s, we used libraries. Now kids are told to look things up online and that includes AI tools. Teachers may not use the word ‘AI’, but when students are told to research online, the implication is open-ended,” she said.
Despite these changes, she’s reassured that her son still uses his imagination when it comes to writing. “It gives me comfort knowing he’s not outsourcing creativity. Technology isn’t the enemy. But as parents, our job is to help children navigate this space not by resisting, but by teaching them responsible use.”
Another parent, whose daughter studies in Class VII at St. Teresa’s Secondary High School in Kidderpore, shares a similar sentiment. “AI is part of their syllabus and they’re encouraged to use it for research. But I always tell her to read the AI-generated content and then write it in her own words. That way, it becomes a learning tool, not a crutch,” she said.
Teaching ethics along with equations
As AI continues to evolve, so does the challenge of regulating its use in classrooms
A Class III student’s mother from Garden High School shared how she navigates her child’s use of AI. “At home, I encourage my son to see AI as a learning aid, not a shortcut. We talk about the importance of understanding concepts and thinking originally. I also regulate screen time and explain the pros and cons of technology, so he learns to use it mindfully and ethically from an early age,” she said.
As AI continues to evolve, so does the challenge of regulating its use in classrooms. Kolkata’s schools are not cracking down with bans, they are building bridges. They are inviting students to think critically, teachers to engage deeply, and parents to participate mindfully.