Over half of Indian HEIs adopt AI policies as Gen AI transforms teaching and learning: EY-Parthenon & FICCI Report

• Around 60% of HEIs have identified AI as a strategic priority and allocated dedicated resources toward it
• 53% of HEIs use Gen AI for learning materials, 40% use AI-powered tutoring and chatbots
• The report calls for a coherent framework to transform institutions into AI-ready campuses through supportive policies, continuous faculty development, and strategic partnerships 

NEW DELHI: As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to reshape education systems globally, Indian higher education institutions (HEIs) re keeping pace with accelerated adoption. According to the latest report released by EY-Parthenon, in collaboration with FICCI, titled Future-Ready Campuses: Unlocking the Power of AI in Higher Education, over 56% of Indian HEIs have already implemented AI-related policies, with 60% of HEIs permitting student use of AI tools, including generative AI applications in tutoring.

The report is based on a survey of 30 leading HEIs across India,examining AI adoption across core academic and operational functions— examining usage patterns, governance readiness, curriculum innovation, and faculty development.It introduces a diagnostic maturity model and actionable roadmap to accelerate system-wide adoption of AI.

The EY-Parthenon - FICCI report highlights the most common applications of AI in higher education today. Over half of HEIs (53%) are using generative AI to develop learning materials, while 40% are deploying AI-powered tutoring systems and chatbots. A further 39% have introduced adaptive learning platforms, and 38% are leveraging AI for automated grading.These findings highlight how AI is already impacting curriculum design, assessment models, and classroom engagement strategies.

Dr. Avantika Tomar, Partner and Education Sector Leader, EY-Parthenon India, said,To unlock the full potential of AI, India must move beyond experimentation to scale—by integrating AI tools across teaching and campus operations, embedding AI literacy across subjects, investing in robust digital infrastructure, and strengthening faculty capacity and governance frameworks. These steps will help position India’s higher education system at the forefront of AI-enabled knowledge and innovation worldwide.”

As adoption deepens, the focus must now shift to building the enabling conditions needed to support and sustain this momentum. The report underscores that increased student interaction with AI must be supported by clear classroom policies, thoughtful curriculum design, and updated institutional governance frameworks. In addition, the report highlights that progress across critical enablers — including technology capabilities and faculty readiness for AI integration — remains uneven. Without deliberate attention to these foundational areas, there is a risk of fragmented adoption and unregulated use, which could undermine learning outcomes and academic integrity.

The EY-Parthenon - FICCI report calls for a phased, student-centric, and collaborative approach to ensure broad-based impact. It emphasizes the need for robust policy and governance frameworks to guide responsible integration, strategic investments in technology capabilities to enable equitable access across geographies, and structured faculty training programs to build institutional readiness. It also underscores the importance of strengthening public–privatepartnerships to scale innovation, support research commercialization, and drivedigital transformation across institutions. With deliberate action anchored in sound policy, skilled talent, and strategic collaboration, India can position its higher education institutions as globally competitive, innovation-led knowledge ecosystems.

About EY-Parthenon

EY-Parthenon teams work with clients to navigate complexity by helping them to reimagine their eco-systems, reshape their portfolios and reinvent themselves for a better future. With global connectivity and scale, EY-Parthenon teams focus on Strategy Realized — helping CEOs design and deliver strategies to better manage challenges while maximizing opportunities as they look to transform their businesses. From idea to implementation, EY-Parthenon teams help organizations to build a better working world by fostering long-term value. EY-Parthenon is a brand under which a number of EY member firms across the globe provide strategy consulting services. For more information, please visit ey.com/Parthenon.

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