Kolkata, October 12, 2026 

In a significant step towards democratising quality education and strengthening India's digital learning ecosystem, the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, as part of its Platinum Jubilee celebrations, organised the National Launch of NDLI-FERMI Learning Enabled AI Tutor & Free Online Preparatory Platform for GATE-JAM at the IIT Kharagpur Research Park, Rajarhat, Kolkata.
The two landmark initiatives were launched by Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Union Minister of State for Education, in the presence of Prof. Suman Chakraborty, Director, IIT Kharagpur, distinguished academicians, Deans, faculty members, technology innovators, teachers, students from various schools and other invited dignitaries.
The Chief Guest, the Union Minister of State for Education, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, addressed the gathering and formally launched both platforms.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Majumdar emphasised the importance of responsible technology in shaping India's educational future.
The Union Minister said, “The true power of Artificial Intelligence lies not in providing instant answers, but in nurturing the ability of young minds to think, question and discover solutions independently. As IIT Kharagpur celebrates its Platinum Jubilee, this pioneering initiative, developed in collaboration with alumni-led Fermi AI and integrated with the National Digital Library of India, marks a significant step towards democratising personalised education. Aligned with the vision of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji and the National Education Policy 2020, it brings quality academic support closer to every learner, whether in a metropolitan city or a remote village. Technology must empower our teachers, strengthen conceptual understanding and ensure that opportunity is never limited by geography or circumstance. I congratulate IIT Kharagpur and the Fermi team for this remarkable contribution towards nurturing confident, independent thinkers who will shape the future of Viksit Bharat.”
Highlighting the national significance of the two initiatives, Prof. Suman Chakraborty, Director, IIT Kharagpur, said: “India's educational future must be built on a simple but powerful principle: excellence should never be limited by access. As the country's first IIT celebrates its Platinum Jubilee, we believe our responsibility extends far beyond our classrooms and campus. Through the NDLI-FERMI AI Tutor, we are bringing personalised learning support closer to every student, while our free GATE-JAM preparatory initiative seeks to ensure that financial or geographical limitations do not stand between talent and opportunity. Artificial Intelligence should not replace the process of thinking; it should empower young minds to think deeper, question better and learn independently. These two initiatives represent our vision of transforming institutional excellence into national educational impact. IIT Kharagpur remains committed to building an inclusive, technology-enabled learning ecosystem that empowers India's next generation and contributes meaningfully to the vision of Viksit Bharat.”
Developed through a collaboration between IIT Kharagpur and Fermi AI, the NDLI-FERMI AI Tutor represents a significant advancement in making personalised academic assistance accessible to learners nationwide through the National Digital Library of India (NDLI), an initiative sponsored by the Ministry of Education under the National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT).
Unlike conventional AI tools that primarily generate answers, the Fermi AI Tutor is designed around the principle of learning through guided discovery. Grounded in the Socratic method, it encourages students to think independently, understand concepts and arrive at solutions through carefully structured questions, hints and contextual guidance.
Through its innovative Scan & Ask functionality, students can seek assistance with problems in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology. The platform helps learners identify errors, understand underlying concepts and progressively develop problem-solving abilities, rather than simply providing ready-made solutions.
The initiative has been developed in collaboration with Fermi AI, co-founded by distinguished IIT Kharagpur alumnus Shri Peeyush Ranjan, extending the Institute's academic legacy into the next generation of AI-enabled education.
With NDLI already serving over one crore learners and hosting more than 130 million learning resources, the integration of the AI Tutor marks an important evolution from providing access to knowledge towards enabling personalised and interactive learning experiences at a national scale.
The AI Tutor is accessible free of cost to registered NDLI users through www.ndl.gov.in.
Complementing the AI Tutor, IIT Kharagpur also unveiled its Free Online Preparatory Platform for GATE-JAM, a national academic outreach initiative aimed at making quality examination preparation accessible to aspiring students across the country.
The initiative seeks to reduce dependence on expensive commercial coaching and provide students, particularly those from rural, economically disadvantaged and non-metropolitan backgrounds, with greater opportunities to pursue advanced education and academic careers. The initiative reinforces the Institute's broader commitment to ensuring that academic potential, rather than financial capacity or geographical location, determines a student's access to opportunities in higher education. The programme commenced with a networking session involving students and teachers, followed by the ceremonial proceedings and an overview of the two national initiatives by Prof. Suman Chakraborty, Director, IIT Kharagpur.
By leveraging IIT Kharagpur's academic expertise and existing digital educational resources, the platform aims to develop a structured, accessible and high-quality preparation ecosystem for GATE and JAM aspirants.
Prof. Partha Pratim Chakrabarti, Former Director, IIT Kharagpur, presented insights into the NDLI-FERMI AI Tutor and conducted a live demonstration of its learning capabilities.
Shri Ranjan, Co-founder, Fermi AI, addressed the gathering, highlighting the vision behind the development of the AI-powered learning companion.
Prof. Haimanti Banerji presented insights into the Free Online Preparatory Platform for GATE-JAM, accompanied by a live demonstration of the initiative.
The inaugural session concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Dr. Plaban Kumar Bhowmick, followed by the National Anthem. The programme also featured a panel discussion titled "Every Learner, One Tutor Away", bringing the focus to the future of personalised education and the transformative possibilities of technology-enabled learning.
The event also witnessed the participation of Deans, faculty members, distinguished guests, teachers, students from various schools and other stakeholders from the academic and educational ecosystem.
By combining artificial intelligence, trusted digital educational infrastructure and free academic preparation, IIT Kharagpur seeks to contribute towards a future in which every learner, irrespective of background or location, has a meaningful opportunity to learn, grow and succeed.

 

 

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