Bharat Edscape Weekly - 23 Feb 2026

Published On: 28 Feb 2026

The Indian EdTech sector is undergoing a strategic transition toward sovereign AI infrastructure and outcome-driven learning models. High-profile institutional entries by Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic—coupled with the launch of the ₹170 Cr ShikshaNext initiative—signal the normalization of AI within academic, assessment, and governance workflows. While 70% of senior students now integrate AI weekly into their routines, they continue to prioritize human interaction for high-stakes exam preparation. Venture capital is selectively returning to AI-native platforms like Arivihan, though the sector continues to navigate legacy financial headwinds, notably Aakash’s ₹2,443 Cr net loss driven by parent-linked exceptional items.

Funding & Acquisitions

  • AI Tutoring Platform Arivihan Negotiating a $10–12M Round : The AI-native tutoring platform Arivihan is in discussions to raise $10–12 million in a fresh funding round led by existing investors Accel and Prosus, marking a continued interest in AI-first business models that offer automated interactive lectures and instant doubt-solving for Class 12 and NEET aspirants. This proposed round follows a $4.17 million Pre-Series A raise in July 2025 and highlights a shift in venture capital toward technology-led platforms that promise improved efficiency and measurable outcomes over traditional, high-burn models.

  • upGrad Acquires Internshala in Strategic ₹100 Crore Transaction : upGrad has acquired the internship and job search platform Internshala in a 90% stock-swap deal valued at approximately ₹100 crore. The acquisition integrates Internshala’s 34 million registered users and 450,000 employers into upGrad’s ecosystem, filling a previous gap in automated organic traffic and allowing for the cross-selling of skilling certifications and degree pathways.

  • Beep Secures $850K Pre-Series A to Scale AI Career Ecosystem : Pune-based startup Beep raised $850,000 to bring its total funding to $1.5 million, with plans to scale to 5 million users and 150 new colleges within nine months. The platform utilizes AI career tools and hiring workflows to provide students in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities with industry-aligned mentorship and placement assistance.

  • Klassroom Files DRHP for BSE SME IPO to Strengthen AI Tech Stack : Hybrid learning startup Klassroom has filed for an SME IPO on the BSE, intending to use the proceeds to repay borrowings and strengthen its AI/ML tech stack. The company, which operates 30 offline centers and an AI-powered OTT app, reported a net profit of ₹4 crore on operating revenue of ₹12.4 crore for H1 FY26.

Partnerships & Strategic Initiatives

  • Anthropic and Pratham Deploy AI Assessment Tools in Indian Schools : Anthropic has partnered with the Pratham Education Foundation to utilize the Claude model for the “Anytime Testing Machine” (ATM), a system that grades handwritten student responses. Through iterative calibration, the tool improved its grading accuracy from 30% to 80% against expert benchmarks and is set to expand to 100 schools by the end of 2026.

  • OpenAI Embeds ChatGPT Edu into Elite Indian Higher Education Institutions : OpenAI is partnering with six premier institutions, including IIT Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad, to provide campus-wide access to ChatGPT Edu for over 100,000 students and staff. The initiative focuses on integrating AI into core academic workflows like research and coding, while separate collaborations with upGrad and Physics Wallah will offer structured AI training for early-career professionals.

  • Microsoft Outlines $50B AI Plan and National Teacher Skilling in India : Microsoft is on pace to invest $50 billion by 2030 to accelerate AI adoption in the Global South, with a goal of training 20 million Indians by the end of the decade. The “Microsoft Elevate for Educators” program has been launched in India to build AI capacity for two million teachers across 200,000+ schools and vocational institutes.

  • University of Bristol Opens Mumbai Campus with TCS AI Research Hub : The University of Bristol will launch its Mumbai Enterprise Campus in August 2026, featuring a global strategic partnership with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for AI research. Supported by a £1.5 million philanthropic gift from the Shanta Foundation, the campus targets an enrollment of 2,500 students in data science and finance by its fifth year.

  • SAP Targets 12 Million Learners with Performance-Based AI Skilling : SAP aims to equip 12 million people with AI-ready expertise by 2030, with India representing 26% of its global learner base. The initiative includes transitioning 61% of certification exams to performance-based assessments that require the use of AI tools like SAP Joule for real-world proficiency.

  • Xiaomi India to Skill 30,000 Youth in UP in AI and Cybersecurity : The ‘Xiaomi Edge – Next Gen Scholar Program’ aims to empower 30,000 college students in Uttar Pradesh with future-ready skills over the next three years. The initiative includes the establishment of an advanced Centre of Excellence at a government institution and targets 40% participation from women.

Policy & Government

  • ₹170 Cr ShikshaNext Initiative Launched to Scale AI for 13M Children : The Ministry of Education launched ‘ShikshaNext,’ a multi-donor initiative anchored by the Reliance and Gates Foundations, to improve learning outcomes for underserved communities by 2029. The program focuses on scaling proven EdTech solutions and supporting new India-centric AI innovations across diverse languages and learning contexts.

  • Maharashtra and OpenAI Launch ‘Shiksha Saathi’ AI Assistant for Anganwadi Educators : The Government of Maharashtra, in partnership with OpenAI and Rocket Learning, launched ‘Shiksha Saathi,’ a multilingual WhatsApp-based AI assistant. Designed for Anganwadi educators, the tool provides real-time guidance on developmental milestones and national curriculum-aligned practices, aiming to impact 50 million underserved children by 2030.

  • Bodhan.AI Developing “Bharat EduAI Stack” as Sovereign Digital Public Infrastructure : Incubated at IIT Madras and supported by the Ministry of Education, Bodhan.AI is building the “Bharat EduAI Stack” as sovereign Digital Public Infrastructure. The initiative is developing context-aware, multilingual AI foundational models—including child speech diagnostics and pedagogy-aligned language models—across 22+ Indian languages.

  • Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Launches ‘Teacher App 2.0’ : Dharmendra Pradhan launched ‘The Teachers App 2.0,’ developed by Bharti Airtel in collaboration with the CK-12 Foundation, to improve school governance and operational efficiency. The Minister emphasized that integrating AI into education is a national priority and expressed hope that large language models like BharatGen and Sarvam would soon be incorporated.

Financial Reports & Market Trends

  • Aakash Reports ₹2,443 Cr FY24 Net Loss Linked to Byju’s Exceptional Items : Aakash Educational Services posted a net loss of ₹2,443 crore in FY24, primarily due to ₹2,720 crore in exceptional items linked to its parent company, Byju’s. While operating revenue remained flat at ₹2,438 crore and the company reported a positive operational EBITDA of ₹307 crore, it wrote off ₹780 crore in loans extended to the related party.

  • US MBA Enrollments Fall 45% as Indian Students Pivot to Asia and Europe : Indian student enrollment at US universities fell by 45% in August 2025 due to administrative hurdles, stricter immigration policies, and currency volatility. Applications to Indian management programs rose by 25%, while East and Southeast Asian programs saw a 42% jump, reflecting a fundamental change in destination preference.

  • Study Finds 70% of Senior Students Now Use AI Weekly in Daily Routines : A survey of 910 CBSE students revealed that 70% of Class XI and XII students use AI tools at least once a week, with 19% using them daily. While AI is used heavily for information search and writing assistance, students still draw a clear boundary for high-stakes competitive entrance tests like JEE and NEET, where offline tuition and structured EdTech platforms continue to dominate.

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