Should AI Be Allowed in College Classrooms

Source: The post Should AI Be Allowed in College Classrooms has been created, based on the article “Is Artificial Intelligence affecting critical thinking skills?” published in “The Hindu” on 7th March 2025. Should AI Be Allowed in College Classrooms

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3-Science and Technology – developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

Context: The article discusses the use of AI tools in education. Experts argue about allowing AI in classrooms, its impact on critical thinking, and the need for ethical and responsible AI usage. They also highlight the importance of regulations and training for safe integration.

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Should AI Be Allowed in College Classrooms?

1. AI should be allowed in college classrooms as it is already widely used by students and teachers.
2. Experts argue that banning AI is impractical since students will use it anyway.
3. Over 61% of educators in India use AI tools, according to TeamLease EdTech.
4. AI’s use should depend on the course type. For coding courses, it can help evaluate and validate codes.
5. Ethical and responsible AI usage policies are essential due to the lack of government regulations.
6. Experts suggest that universities should create AI usage guidelines until formal regulations are in place.
7. Responsible AI use training is crucial to address potential biases and data privacy risks.

How Can AI Change Teaching and Learning?

1. AI is becoming part of daily tools like Microsoft Word and Adobe Reader, suggesting summaries and helping users.
2. Over 61% of educators in India already use AI tools, showing its growing role in education.
3. Both students and teachers use AI, making it necessary to adapt teaching methods.
4. In a copyright law course, students use AI to understand legal issues better.
5. Schools and policymakers support more AI usage, but ethical guidelines are needed to prevent biases and risks.

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Is AI Becoming Essential Educational Infrastructure?

1. Future Skills Requirement: The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 highlights AI and cognitive thinking skills as top requirements, signaling a shift in educational focus.
2. Practical Implementation: Institutions are already using AI to teach courses effectively, such as in comparative copyright law at Harvard Law School, where students explore AI’s capabilities and limitations.
3. Preparations Underway: Schools and governments are preparing for wider AI integration, emphasizing the need for secure and ethical usage policies.

Should AI Usage Be Regulated in Education?

1. AI should be regulated in education to ensure ethical and responsible use.
2. The Future of Jobs Report 2025 shows rising demand for AI-related skills, making regulations necessary.
3. Data privacy risks exist as AI tools can send user data to servers.
4. The European Union is already active in regulating AI, but India is still discussing it.
5. Experts suggests universities create AI guidelines until formal regulations are established.

Does AI Affect Critical Thinking Skills?

1. There are concerns that students may rely too much on AI, harming their critical thinking skills. 2. Some experts believe AI might reduce students’ critical thinking by encouraging them to accept information without analysis.
2. However, some argue that it depends on the skills institutions prioritize—whether practical or scholarly.
3. Others warn of over-dependence on AI, even among teachers, which might harm critical thinking.
4. Experts calls for responsible AI use education, focusing on understanding AI’s limitations.

Question for practice:

Discuss the potential impact of AI usage on critical thinking skills in college classrooms.