Tender for The Impact of AI-Assisted Learning in Telangana: RCT Survey

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The Office of the Chief Economist for South Asia (DECSA) of the World Bank Group (WBG), in collaboration with the EkStep Foundation and the Government of Telangana, intends to conduct a Randomized Control Trial (RCT) study of the impact of artificial intelligence-assisted learning technology in Indian schools. Foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) remain critical challenges in India. In response to this challenge, this study explores whether incorporating AI-based tools into the learning process can improve literacy and numeracy for children in primary schools. The study will examine the impact of AXL, a personalized adaptive learning (PAL) tool developed by the EkStep Foundation. AXL is a software that diagnoses children-s initial level and thereafter provides tasks delivered through a computer that are tailored to individual student needs. Students in the treatment groups will receive 15-30 sessions (each 30 minutes long) per subject for two subjects—Telugu and Math — over two semesters, held every 2-3 days during school hours. The intervention targets children in grade 3. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted with three study arms starting in July 2026 and through to likely February 2027:Control group (C): No additional practice tool, standard education.Practice-only group (T1): Access to basic AXL tool with limited personalization.AI-assisted group (T2): Access to full version of AXL tool augmented with AI and advanced features, including a companion tool for teachers.The impact of the treatments (T1 and T2) will be estimated by comparing the learning outcomes of students in the treatment arms to those in the control arm after the study period concludes. In the control arm (C), students will receive regular classroom instruction. In the treatment arms (T1 and T2), students will be selected by teachers to use the AXL tool as an alternative to regular classroom instruction. These students will be drawn from 600 schools across 12 districts (200 p...