'Ma'am, aap hi samjha do': Why teachers aren't worried about AI taking over classrooms yet

Published 10 June 2026 · tech

AI as a support tool, not a replacement AI helps teachers save time on routine task, allowing them to focus on student interactions Staying updated

AI as a support tool, not a replacement AI helps teachers save time on routine task, allowing them to focus on student interactions Staying updated in a rapidly changing environment Why students still turn to teachers Students still rely on teachers for learning and explanations Expanding access to education AI helps bridge learning gap for students who don't have access to help The risk of shortcut learning Rethinking homework and assessment Teaching students to use AI responsibly Rather than pretending AI does not exist, teachers focus more on making students aware to use it responsibly Schools still finding their approach Future of AI in education Walk into almost any school staffroom today and you will find two worlds sitting side by side.In one corner are the familiar symbols of teaching that have barely changed in decades: stacks of notebooks waiting to be checked, lesson plans being prepared, and teachers discussing the daily challenge of keeping students engaged.In the other corner are laptop screens glowing with AI-powered tools capable of generating worksheets, writing assessments, solving equations and answering questions in seconds.The arrival of artificial intelligence in education has sparked intense debate around the world. Will AI make learning more accessible? Will it transform teaching? Could it eventually replace teachers?Yet, rather than resisting the technology or embracing it unquestioningly, many educators are taking a more measured approach. They are experimenting with AI, testing its strengths and weaknesses, and developing their own rules for using it responsibly.What emerges from conversations with teachers is that AI is nowhere close to replacing them. Instead, it is changing how they work and forcing them to rethink what learning should look like in an age where information is available instantly.For Gauri Chanda, a physics teacher with years of classroom experience, AI has become a practical tool rather than a revolutionary force.She describes it as a support system that helps reduce the burden of routine work. AI can help generate worksheets, suggest examples and organise lesson material, allowing teachers to spend more time on the aspects of teaching that require human judgment."It helps me save time on routine tasks and allows me to focus more on interacting with students and making learning meaningful," she says.In subjects like physics, where students often struggle to connect abstract concepts with everyday life, AI can also serve as a useful brainstorming partner.

Teachers can ask for real-world examples, analogies and applications that make complex theories easier to understand.Yet Chanda is careful to draw a clear boundary."I never rely on it blindly," she says. "I cross-check information and use my professional judgment before taking anything into the classroom."While AI can generate content quickly, it has no understanding of a particular classroom, a student's learning style or the emotional and intellectual needs of individual learners. Those decisions, she argues, still require a teacher.The same pattern is visible beyond traditional schools.Mrinalini Sharan, who teaches students from primary to middle-school grades through private tuition classes, has also integrated AI into her work. For her, one of the biggest advantages is staying updated with changing curricula and examination patterns."It helps me stay up to date with students' curriculum," Sharan says. "It helps me understand changes and explain them better."Like Chanda, however, she does not treat AI as an authority. When solving problems, particularly in mathematics, she already knows the concepts and methods involved."The responses are widely satisfying," she says. "I don't rely on it for the primary solution. It just helps sort things out better for students."For many educators, AI is not replacing expertise. It is helping them work more efficiently.Popular assumptions often portray young people as enthusiastic adopters of technology who would happily replace teachers with AI tutors. Yet many educators report a different reality.Students may use AI tools regularly, but when they genuinely struggle to understand a concept, they often return to a teacher.Sharan sees this repeatedly during tuition sessions."Some students jokingly claim they can learn everything from ChatGPT," she says. "Rather than arguing, I occasionally hand them my phone and ask them to follow the AI-generated explanation."The outcome, she says, is surprisingly consistent."Even when the explanation is technically correct, students frequently hand me the phone back after a few moments saying, 'Ma'am, aap hi samjha do'."For both teachers, that reaction highlights one of AI's biggest limitations. It may provide information, but understanding often requires interaction, context and trust.A teacher can recognise confusion, rephrase an explanation, slow down, draw a diagram or connect a concept to a student's interests. Educators say those interactions remain difficult to replicate through technology alone.Yet dismissing AI entirely would be a mistake.Both Chanda and Sharan acknowledge that the technology offers significant benefits, particularly for students who lack access to educational support.In many parts of the country, quality education remains unevenly distributed.