CHENNAI: In the wake of growing global enthusiasm for Artificial Intelligence (AI), political parties in Tamil Nadu have made bold promises to integrate AI into the state’s educational framework. From establishing an AI university to introducing AI across all academic programmes, these high-tech proposals are being hailed as the future of education.
However, behind these ambitious plans lies a stark reality — Tamil Nadu’s state-run universities and colleges are grappling with chronic infrastructure deficiencies, severe faculty shortages, and outdated facilities and this has triggered concern among academicians.
The buzz around AI has reached a fever pitch in Tamil Nadu’s political circles, with major parties promising to transform the state into a global hub for AI research and development. TVK chief Vijay, speaking at a rally in Kanniyakumari, laid out an ambitious plan to form a world-class AI university, attract international tech firms, and create an AI city in Tamil Nadu.
Similarly, the DMK’s manifesto vows to introduce AI as a compulsory subject across all degree courses, targeting the training of eight lakh graduates in AI within the next three years. Similarly, AIADMK vows to restructure the curriculum to teach computer science as a sixth subject along with the existing five subjects for classes 6 to 10 to ensure students excel in AI.
But the optimism surrounding these futuristic promises contrasts sharply with the reality faced by the state’s educational institutions. According to available data, majority of the state universities are currently operating with a staggering 40% to 50% of teaching vacancies unfilled. The state has more than 180 government colleges, but reports indicate that nearly 40% of them still operate with outdated computer labs, limited internet connectivity, and insufficient research facilities.
Adding to this, as many as 15 state universities, of the total 22, have been facing leadership voids for years as they are functioning without vice-chancellors, further hindering administrative functions. The financial condition of the state universities is also in shambles as many of them are struggling to pay salaries and pension on time. Meanwhile, faculty salaries remain dismal for many guest lecturers, with over 8,000 working on precarious contracts for a meagre Rs 30,000 a month.
E Balagurusamy, former vice-chancellor of Anna University, raised serious concerns about the feasibility of such AI-driven promises. “While the idea of AI integration is forward-thinking, the state’s education system is in no position to implement it effectively. Ironically, none of them are talking about resolving the existing crisis in the higher education sector,” he said. “Without addressing these critical issues, such ambitious promises could end up being empty rhetoric,” he added.
Echoing similar sentiments, V Thangaraj, state president of the All Tamil Nadu Government Colleges UGC-Qualified Honorary Lecturers’ Association said, “Over 8,000 guest lecturers are working in place of permanent staff. Instead of focusing on training teachers for AI, the government should focus on filling the vacancies,” he argued.
Registrar of a state university said before making such lofty promises the parties must assess the real problems of the higher education sector and rectify them. “TN has highest GER in the country but that doesn’t mean all is well. Our state universities are crumbling, quality of research works is deteriorating,” the registrar said.