In a remote Uttarakhand village, students learn from AI robotic teacher

PITHORAGARH: Students at govt primary school in Jajar Chingri, located 35 km from Pithoragarh near the Nepal border, are now learning with the help of an innovative robotic teacher named Eco.
This AI-powered educator, equipped with fifth-generation technology imported from China, has been integrated into the model school, which accommodates 52 students and a staff of five teachers.
Despite being in the digital age, this remote region still lacks access to basic technological infrastructure. Yet, the school is determined to provide its students with a modern, tech-enabled education.
"The idea of using a robotic teacher came up during a conversation with a friend who's an engineer in China. After discussing the potential benefits of such a system, I reached out to him for help. He arranged for the robot to be delivered in three separate packages. With his guidance over WhatsApp, I assembled the entire system at home," said Chandra Sekhar Joshi, the school's headmaster. The total cost of the robotic teacher was Rs 4 lakh, funded partly through local contributions and partly with the support of his friend.
Eco, which can operate in both Hindi and English, has quickly become an integral part of the classroom. "With this, students are exposed to extracurricular activities and modern technology. We haven't had a Mathematics teacher for three years, and now Eco fills that gap by teaching math to our students," said Prakesh Pant, a Hindi teacher.
Geeta Taradi, an English teacher, said, "The children are excited to interact with Eco. It answers their questions, corrects their mistakes, and motivates them to explore new ideas. It's helping them build a strong foundation in digital literacy, which is essential for their future."
"We ask Eco questions about general knowledge, stories, our syllabus, and poems, and it answers us! It's exciting to learn using technology," said Sunil Kumar, a class 5 student.