"Technology should be slave, not master...": Radhika Gupta discusses AI's impact on learning at 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' 2025

New Delhi [India], February 13 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's eighth edition of 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' episode on Thursday focused on the role of technology in the lives of students, featuring guests Radhika Gupta, the MD and CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund and Gaurav Chaudhary, also known as 'Technical Guruji'.
The discussion, moderated by Sharat Bhattatiripad, centred around whether technology is a friend or foe to students and how it affects their preparation.

During the discussion, the guests shared insights on how and when technology should be used in education. Radhika Gupta stressed the importance of controlling technology rather than letting it control us.
"Professionally, technology should be used as a slave and not as a master... If you start using it for everything, your creativity and sharpness will fade away," she said.
She also highlighted the role of teachers in guiding students on the correct use of technology, saying, "The role of a teacher is to provide wisdom and experience. A teacher can use AI for demonstration. It has a good role in showing analysis. The teacher can use it as a slave though guiding it."
Adding to the discussion, Gaurav Chaudhary cautioned against excessive dependence on AI, noting its potential impact on creativity.
"Technology has made our lives easier, but over time, our dependency on it has increased. AI is affecting our creativity. We should step back from technology to experience life in its true sense," he said.
Recalling past habits, he added, "There was a time when I remembered the landline numbers of 25-30 of my friends. Now, our reliance on technology is causing us to forget important things. Our memory hasn't weakened; we are just not using it effectively."
Chaudhary, aka Technical Guruji, also addressed the growing trend of capturing every moment digitally rather than living it fully.
"Whenever we eat, people first take photos for social media. Meanwhile, the food is getting cold! Sometimes, we should put technology aside to truly enjoy life," he said.
When a student asked if AI makes a wrong decision, who should be held responsible? Chaudhary responded that AI should be treated as an assistant rather than an independent decision-maker. He advised, "AI can perform tasks, but we should only assign it work that won't lead to major losses. We should not give AI too much power."
Since 2018, PM Modi has hosted 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' to interact with students, teachers, and parents and provide guidance on managing exam stress.
The event is organized by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education.
The first three editions took place in New Delhi in an interactive town hall format. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fourth edition was conducted virtually. Subsequent editions resumed a physical format at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi.
The latest edition of 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' was broadcast on multiple platforms, including the Prime Minister's official X profile, PMO's X handle, and the PM's YouTube channel, reaching students and educators nationwide.