Tamil Nadu to roll out AI-focused ARIVU curriculum from 2027-28
Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Rajmohan on Monday announced in the Assembly that the State will introduce the TN-ARIVU (Analytical thinking, Reasoning, Innovation, Venture and entrepreneurship, Upskilling) curriculum with artificial intelligence and emerging technology from the academic year 2027-28.
The curriculum, based on a development framework, will be structured as ARIVU Foundation for Classes I-V, ARIVU Discovery for Classes VI-VIII, and ARIVU Edge for Classes IX-XII. The Minister said the framework is designed to provide a strong foundation at the elementary level, a deeper understanding at the middle level, and life, employability, and future skills at the higher secondary level.
Presenting the Demand for Grants for his department, Mr. Rajmohan announced a total of 31 initiatives, with AI and sports taking centre stage, under an estimated outlay of ₹44,527 crore.
Under the competency-based Mathichudar Scheme, to be implemented in 2026-27 at a cost of ₹18.01 crore, students in Classes VI-XII will undergo assessments aimed at improving conceptual understanding. The Vetripathai Scheme, with an allocation of ₹22.36 crore, will provide quality coaching, mock tests, and continuous educational guidance to students of 172 government higher secondary schools preparing for national-level entrance examinations.
The Minister also announced that government school students will receive dental, eye, and ear health check-ups in partnership with government and private hospitals.
A new PLAY initiative will ensure a dedicated period for sports, arts, and other co-curricular activities every day for school students. Under the Sports Plus scheme, 50 government high and higher secondary schools will be developed as centres for nurturing sporting talent, with sports infrastructure, expert coaching, and pathways to state, national, and international competitions, at a cost of ₹2.34 crore.
Coaching for chess and traditional games will be introduced in 6,980 government middle schools for students of Classes I-VIII at a cost of ₹20.17 lakh. The Minister also said sports uniforms would be provided to 23.4 lakh students in Classes IX-XII at government and government-aided schools in the next academic year, with a financial allocation of ₹81.89 crore.
On the Tamil language and culture, Mr. Rajmohan announced additional financial assistance of ₹5.75 crore to set up a Tamil Chair at the University of Houston in the U.S. Two Tamil scholars promoting the language online will receive a cash award of ₹25,000 and the 'Inaiya Tamil Chemmal' award. The works of five Tamil scholars — K. Jeevabharathi, Raj Gowthaman, Saranabaskaran alias T.M.M. Ahmed, S. Kandasamy, and T.M. Peer Mohammed — will be nationalised at a cost of ₹50.75 lakh a year. Students of Tamil University will be upskilled through training programmes, with national and international conferences held annually, and books useful for research will be procured for them.
The Minister also announced that a manimandapam (memorial) would be constructed for late filmmaker Bharathirajaa.
