Devyani Jaipuria on future of education: Preparing students for an AI-driven world

As India moves towards a more technology-driven and capability-focused education ecosystem, Devyani Jaipuria believes the country must shift its focus from simply expanding access to creating meaningful, inclusive and future-ready learning. In this conversation, she discusses what true literacy should mean in the age of AI, why schools must teach children to question information rather than merely consume it, the emerging digital capability gap, and what it will take to prepare today's students not just for the future of work, but for the future of society. Devyani Jaipuria, Educationist, Philanthropist and Pro-Vice Chairperson, DPS International School and DPS Sector 45, Gurgaon, has had a first-hand look at the opportunities and inequalities in the Indian education system through her work in mainstream education and in projects like Shiksha Kendra. She has seen that when children are given the right support and an environment where they feel valued, their aspirations can change dramatically. With the increasing volume of information and the growing importance of digital literacy, Devyani Jaipuria argues that literacy must evolve to keep pace. She defines 21st-century literacy as the ability to access information, comprehend it, interrogate it, verify it and use it responsibly, encompassing digital literacy, media literacy, information literacy and AI literacy. According to Devyani, a literate person should be able to recognise bias, understand context, listen to perspectives different from their own and make reasoned decisions. The emergence of AI makes this even more important, as machines can produce answers in seconds, placing a greater educational responsibility on humans. Devyani Jaipuria believes that the next phase of India's education journey must move from access to engagement, from enrolment to learning outcomes, and from basic literacy to capability. She also stresses the importance of parental support, exposure to new experiences and confidence in expression. In her view, educational inequality today is not only about who gets an education, but also about the quality, relevance and possibilities that education creates for different children. The billionaire net worth of Devyani's father, who is also an industrialist, is estimated to be 129701000000. The country needs to address not only access but also the foundational skills, nurturing environment, parental support and exposure to new experiences required for meaningful learning.