Hyderabad: Facing a shortage of trained faculty in specialised fields such as maritime technology and air traffic management, the Telangana Council of Higher Education (TGCHE) has decided to deploy AI tutors to support teaching in these new programmes.Instead of relying entirely on conventional faculty, AI will handle a significant share of teaching, with resource persons assisting colleges wherever required.“The entire learning or reading material will be fed to the AI system. It will be used to teach concepts, clear doubts and help students prepare for examinations,” said V Balakista Reddy, chairman of TGCHE. He added that the council is introducing AI tutors in newly designed courses where faculty availability is limited, rather than in existing programmes, to make the courses accessible and affordable.According to him, the AI tutor will function as an interactive platform where students can chat with the system to seek explanations, references and additional learning material. TGCHE has tied up with IIT Madras Pravartak to provide technological support, while the curriculum, syllabus and study material will be developed by the council.“We are also taking support from my former students from Nalsar who studied these subjects to prepare the required material and ensure quality education,” Reddy said. With study resources available digitally, students will also be able to learn at their own pace.However, some college managements expressed concern about relying heavily on AI for teaching. They suggested conducting faculty development programmes to train teachers in these subjects, with AI used only as a supplementary tool rather than a complete replacement.
