India
Education
Implementing Organisation
EkStep Foundation
India, Karnataka, Bengaluru
Implementing Point of Contact
Jagadish Babu
CEO
Contributor of the Impact Story
Carnegie India
Year of implementation
2023
Problem statement
Many primary school students struggle with foundational literacy and numeracy due to varied learning levels, resource constraints, and limited personalised support. Traditional classroom methods often lack the capacity to provide adaptive, practice-based assistance for slow learners. AXL addresses this gap by providing AI-assisted interventions to support language and math learning at scale.
Impact story details
AXL is an education initiative of the EkStep Foundation, a philanthropic organisation dedicated to improving learning outcomes at population scale through technology and systems reform. AXL develops AI-enabled tools that support foundational literacy and numeracy in government school systems, particularly for students who require additional academic support. Working closely with state education departments and teachers, AXL integrates adaptive learning technologies, speech-based assessment, and personalised practice into classroom instruction. Programmes such as Kalika Deepa in Karnataka demonstrate how AXL’s tools are embedded within public education systems to strengthen classroom learning, engagement, and proficiency. AXL prioritises curriculum alignment, teacher enablement, and responsible AI deployment to ensure equitable access to quality education.
AI Technology Used
Key Outcomes
Access
Reach, Knowledge
Skills Impact, User Experience
Satisfaction, Accuracy
Quality Improvement, Inclusion
Equity
Narrative Outcome
AXL offers an AI-assisted approach to foundational literacy and numeracy that adapts to each student'ss level. This is particularly relevant for under-resourced classrooms where teachers cannot provide individualised attention to slow learners. The platform enables practice-based learning that traditional methods struggle to deliver at scale. It has already reached thousands of government schools across Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. In particular, its integration into Karnataka's Kalika Deepa programme signals a shift from pilot to systemic adoption, with projected reach extending to over a hundred thousand students. For government school students who might otherwise fall behind, AXL provides targeted support that complements classroom instruction rather than replacing it.
Impact Metrics
Number of Students and Schools Benefitted
Baseline Value
0 Number of Students and Schools
Post-Implementation
AXL has benefitted approximately 5,000 government schools across Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. Going forward, Karnataka’s ‘Kalika Deepa’ programme, which have embedded AXL as a tool, is projected to reach approximately 144,000 students across 1,145 government schools. Number of Students and Schools
Implementation Context
Indian government school systems in Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu.
Primary government school students from Class 3 to 7 in schools equipped with basic computer labs, engaging both urban and rural student populations
Key Partnerships
EkStep Foundation, AI4Bharat, Karnataka and Telangana State Departments of School Education
Replicability & Adaptation
1. The model is replicable in contexts with basic computing infrastructure. 2. Adaptation requires localisation of language content, teacher support mechanisms, and alignment with state education goals.
Supporting Materials
* The data presented is self-reported by the respective organisations. Readers should consult the original sources for further details.