The Bihar Education Department has partnered with 11 information technology (IT) companies, including Google Education, to train government schoolteachers in information technology and artificial intelligence (AI), as the state steps up efforts to integrate technology into classroom teaching.

The training will be conducted in batches at the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) campus. School principals will nominate teachers for the programme, which will include practical IT instruction, according to reports. The Union government’s skill development department will also support the initiative.

Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari said the programme would place particular emphasis on AI, with the aim of improving teaching quality. The department is targeting January to put the training arrangements in place.

The initiative is part of a broader plan to expand technology use in government schools. Bihar is preparing to make computer education compulsory from Class 6 in the next academic session. It also plans to introduce smart classrooms in 700 model schools before extending the facility to other government schools in phases.

In a separate development, the state’s Department of Science, Technology and Technical Education signed a Statement of Intent with Google on September 29 to strengthen AI-enabled teaching and digital infrastructure.

Under the proposed collaboration, Google will offer teacher training in Hindi and English through its Google AI Educator Series. The programme is expected to familiarise teachers with tools such as Gemini and NotebookLM, with applications including lesson planning, classroom instruction and administrative work.

The agreement also envisages support for digital identities for teachers and advice on developing information and communication technology labs, connected classrooms, digital libraries and language laboratories.

Bihar has also announced plans to train faculty members at state universities and constituent colleges in AI applications, including lecture planning, question-paper preparation and evaluation of answer scripts. That initiative is linked to the University Grants Commission’s Guru Dakshata faculty development programme.