In AI Era, Teachers Must Be Mentors, Not Just Instructors: Governor Deka

Governor Ramen Deka and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai address the State-Level Teacher Honour Ceremony at Chhattisgarh Mandapam, Lok Bhavan, Raipur, on Teachers’ Day, September 5, 2026. Deka urged teachers to guide students towards the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence, while Sai described teachers as builders of the new generation-Photo Credit:primelookindia.com via CG/DPR

CM Vishnu Deo Sai calls teachers architects of the next generation as 63 educators receive Governor’s Award at State-Level Teacher Honour Ceremony

Raipur: At a time when Artificial Intelligence can answer questions within seconds and digital platforms have placed an unprecedented volume of information at students’ fingertips, Chhattisgarh Governor Ramen Deka on Saturday said the role of a teacher has become more important, not less.

Addressing the State-Level Teacher Honour Ceremony at Chhattisgarh Mandapam, Lok Bhavan, on Teachers’ Day Saturday . September 5, 2026 . Governor Deka said teachers must increasingly become mentors who help young people distinguish between simply accessing technology and using it intelligently, responsibly and in accordance with human values.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, who presided over the ceremony, placed teachers at the heart of Chhattisgarh’s long-term development journey, describing them as builders of the new generation whose influence extends far beyond classrooms.

The ceremony recognised educators from across the State for their contribution to teaching, innovation and student development. Sixty-three outstanding teachers were conferred the Governor’s Award for 2025-26, while four educators received State Teacher Honour Memorial Awards.

School Education Minister Gajendra Yadav also announced the names of 64 teachers selected for the State Teacher Honour for 2026-27.

‘AI Should Be Our Assistant, Not Our Controller’

Governor Deka devoted a significant part of his address to the rapidly changing relationship between education and technology.

He said both teachers and students need to understand emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, but technological familiarity must be accompanied by judgement and responsibility.

“AI should become our assistant, not our controller,” Governor Ramen Deka said.

The Governor said teachers have a crucial responsibility to ensure that students use technology for acquiring knowledge, encouraging innovation and developing their personalities rather than becoming excessively dependent upon it.

Google and digital technology, he observed, have opened access to an enormous universe of information. Yet information by itself cannot substitute education.

“Technology can give us information, but values, sensitivity, discipline, inspiration and the right direction in life come from a teacher,” Governor Deka said.

He cautioned that excessive dependence on technology could weaken independent thinking and intellectual development. Referring to the wider debate over students’ use of smartphones and social media, Deka said the challenge before education is not to reject technology but to teach young people how to use it wisely.

That distinction, he suggested, makes the teacher indispensable even in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Teacher’s Role Extends Beyond the Classroom

The Governor said the National Education Policy-2020 has provided a foundation for making education more practical, skill-oriented, multilingual and student-centred.

As education changes, teachers must continuously update their own knowledge and skills. They must also recognise the individual interests and abilities of students and guide them towards appropriate subjects and careers.

Counselling, according to Deka, should therefore become an important dimension of a teacher’s role.

“Teaching is not merely a job; it is a great and dignified responsibility,” Governor Ramen Deka said.

Students, he said, learn as much from a teacher’s conduct as from lessons delivered in a classroom. Teachers are often regarded as role models, placing upon them a responsibility to work with commitment, sensitivity and integrity.

Outstanding educators are honoured during the State-Level Teacher Honour Ceremony at Lok Bhavan, Raipur, on September 5, 2026. Sixty-three teachers received the Governor’s Award for 2025-26, while four educators were presented State Teacher Honour Memorial Awards in recognition of their contribution to education-Photo Credit:primelookindia.com via CMO

Recalling his own years as a student, Deka spoke about the traditionally deep relationship of trust, respect and affection between teachers and pupils. Earlier generations of teachers often worked with limited resources, he said, but their commitment towards shaping the lives of students remained extraordinary.

The relationship between a teacher and student, Deka emphasised, cannot be confined to the classroom. A teacher has an important role in identifying a student’s interests, abilities and special talents and in helping that student choose the right direction in life.

The Governor also referred to transfers in government service as a normal administrative process and said responsibilities should be accepted wherever they are assigned, with commitment and a positive approach.

Teachers Are Builders of the New Generation: Sai

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai used the occasion to underline a broader philosophy of education — one in which schooling is expected to produce responsible citizens rather than merely degree-holders or job-seekers.

Paying tribute to former President and renowned educationist Bharat Ratna Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Sai said India has inherited a rich educational tradition in which knowledge and character have historically gone together.

“The purpose of education has never been limited merely to obtaining a degree or securing employment. Education must make a person knowledgeable, cultured, capable and responsible,” Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said.

Congratulating the teachers honoured at the ceremony, Sai said the awards recognised their dedication, hard work, innovation and contribution towards shaping the future of children.

“Teachers are the true builders of the nation and the new generation. Their contribution does not remain confined to one student; its influence reaches future generations and society as a whole,” Chief Minister Sai said.

For Chhattisgarh, he said, this responsibility assumes even greater significance as the State works towards its development goals for 2047.

“Our goal is to build a developed Chhattisgarh alongside a developed India by 2047, and the role of the education department and our teachers will be among the most important in achieving this goal,” Chief Minister Sai said.

The children being taught today, Sai said, will eventually lead the State and the country. The knowledge, values and skills imparted to them now will consequently shape Chhattisgarh’s future.

‘Not a Single School Without a Teacher’

The Chief Minister said the State Government has taken a series of measures over the past two-and-a-half years to improve the quality of education and ensure better educational opportunities for every child.

Referring to the rationalisation exercise undertaken in the State’s school system, Sai highlighted its impact on teacher availability.

“After rationalisation, there is now not a single school in the State without a teacher,” Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said.

He said implementation of the National Education Policy-2020 is being accompanied by efforts to connect education with values, skills and employment.

The Government is also attempting to adapt education to Chhattisgarh’s geographical, social and linguistic diversity.

In Bastar, children are being introduced to early education through their local languages and dialects so that learning becomes more natural and accessible. Parent-teacher meetings in government schools are simultaneously being encouraged to increase parental involvement in children’s education and school activities.

341 PM SHRI Schools, Education Cities in Bastar

Sai said 341 schools in Chhattisgarh have been selected under the PM SHRI scheme and are being developed as centres equipped with modern facilities, improved educational environments and a stronger focus on quality learning.

Another 150 schools in the name of Swami Vivekananda are being started, while long-pending promotions of teachers have also been taken up on priority.

The Government is paying particular attention to children in remote and sensitive regions, the Chief Minister said.

Education Cities are being developed at Orchha and Jagargunda with the objective of ensuring that children in remote parts of Bastar receive access to quality education and improved opportunities to move ahead.

Sai said the Government’s educational initiatives are ultimately connected with the larger goal of preparing today’s students to participate in the development of Chhattisgarh and India over the coming decades.

AI-Based Smart Schools to Push Innovation

School Education Minister Gajendra Yadav said the State Government is working to expand the use of modern technology and innovation in education.

He said AI-based smart schools are being developed in Chhattisgarh, alongside activities intended to encourage creativity, good values and social responsibility among students.

“Continuous efforts are being made to place Chhattisgarh among the leading States in the field of educational innovation,” School Education Minister Gajendra Yadav said.

Yadav also announced the names of 64 teachers selected for the State Teacher Honour for 2026-27 and congratulated them on their selection.

Four Educators Receive Memorial Honours

Four teachers received special State Teacher Honour Memorial Awards during the ceremony.

Rajesh Kumar Prajapati of Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai district received the Dr Padumlal Punnalal Bakshi Memorial Award, while Kamta Prasad Jaiswal of Korba district was presented the Dr Baldev Prasad Mishra Memorial Award.

Pragya Singh of Durg district received the Dr Mukutdhar Pandey Memorial Award, while Priyanka Goswami of Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district was honoured with the Gajanan Madhav Muktibodh Memorial Award.

Another 63 outstanding educators representing different teaching cadres — including head teachers, lecturers, Lecturer-LB, Teacher-LB, assistant teachers and Assistant Teacher-LB — received the Governor’s Award for their contribution to education.

The dignitaries praised the innovative work of the award-winning teachers and called upon them to continue contributing towards improving the State’s education system.

School Education Department Secretary Dr Kamalpreet Singh delivered the welcome address, while Director of Public Instruction Rituraj Raghuvanshi proposed the vote of thanks.

Higher Education Minister Tank Ram Verma, Governor’s Secretary Dr C.R. Prasanna, School Education Department Special Secretary Santosh Dewangan, departmental officials, teachers from districts across Chhattisgarh and other dignitaries attended the ceremony.

The Teachers’ Day gathering ultimately reflected a changing reality of education. A machine may increasingly be capable of supplying an answer, summarising a chapter or explaining a concept. But deciding whether that answer is reliable, learning to think independently, developing empathy and discipline, and understanding how knowledge should be used remain profoundly human tasks.

And in that space between information and wisdom, both Governor Ramen Deka and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai placed the teacher firmly at the centre.