Over 70% of Indian Teachers Now Use AI Tools, But Misconceptions Persist: CENTA Survey of 5,000 Educators

Centre for Teacher Accreditation (CENTA®) has released findings from two nationwide surveys exploring how AI tools are being used in Indian classrooms and the persistent misconceptions surrounding artificial intelligence in education. CENTA, the world's largest professional platform for teachers, serving

2 million teachers, surveyed over 5,000 teachers across India, covering a wide range of experience levels, school fee segments, and regions.

CENTA’s survey on classroom usage found that over 70 percent of teachers are already integrating AI tools into their teaching practices. Teachers with more than three years of experience show even higher adoption rates, with nearly 75 percent reporting active use of AI resources. The surveys revealed that lesson planning is the number one activity for which teachers use AI, with close to 60 percent of respondents choosing it as their primary use case. This trend holds consistent across both experience levels and school fee segments, highlighting AI’s role as a planning and productivity tool across varied teaching environments. Additionally, around 26 percent of teachers use AI to generate activity ideas for their classrooms, reinforcing its value as a creative aid in lesson delivery.

While 67% of respondents rated their expertise with AI at 6 or higher on a 10-point scale, and the average self-rating was 7 out of 10, only 57% could correctly answer a basic misconception question on AI posed by CENTA. The percentage of teachers who achieve CENTA's certification on 'AI in Teaching' is much lower. This reveals a clear gap between perceived expertise and actual understanding. Despite widespread adoption, there remains a significant need for structured training and skill development to help teachers use AI tools confidently and effectively.

“AI is rapidly becoming part of the modern classroom, but there remains a clear gap between adoption and genuine comfort among teachers,” said Ramya Venkataraman, Founder & CEO, CENTA. “Our surveys highlight both the enthusiasm for technology and the urgent need for structured training and clear communication to help educators make the most of AI.”

The survey also focused on perceptions and misconceptions about AI among a broader group that included educators, parents, and students. Findings revealed that 84 percent of respondents expressed concerns about AI. Specific worries included fears about AI’s accuracy (cited by nearly 23 percent of respondents) and concerns around AI replacing human jobs in education (34 percent). Other notable concerns related to AI’s impact on creativity, transparency, and misuse.

The surveys gathered responses from a diverse range of stakeholders, including teachers, school leaders, teacher educators, parents, and students. Participants represented schools across different fee segments and regions, from no-fee institutions to those charging above INR 25,000 per month, reflecting a broad socio-economic spectrum.