In IITs, IIMs, and universities across the country, the use of AI sits in a grey zone. Earlier this year, IIM Kozhikode Director Prof Debashis Chatterjee said that there was no harm in using ChatGPT to write research papers. What started as a whisper has now become a larger question: not whether AI can be used, but how it should be.

Students and professors alike are now open to using it. Many already do, but without clear guidelines. The real issue now isn’t intent, but the lack of defined boundaries that need to be set.

Across India’s top institutions, including IITs, IIMs, and others, the debate is no longer theoretical. It’s practical; real; urgent. From IIT Delhi to IIM Sambalpur, from classrooms to coding labs, students and faculty are confronting the same reality: AI is not just here. It’s working. And it’s working fast.

“There’s no denying AI is here to stay, and the real question is not if it should be used, but how. Students are already using it to support their learning, so it’s vital they understand both its strengths and its limits, including ethical concerns and the cognitive cost of over-reliance,” said Professor Dr Srikanth Sugavanam, IIT Mandi, responding to a question to India Today Digital.

“Institutions shouldn’t restrict AI use, but they must set clear guardrails so that both teachers and students can navigate it responsibly,” he further added.

INITIATIVE BY IIT DELHI

In a changing but firm step, IIT Delhi has issued guidelines for the ethical use of AI by students and faculty. The institute conducted an internal survey before framing them. What they found was striking.

Over 80 percent of students admitted to using tools like ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, Perplexity AI, Claude, and Chatbots.

On the other hand, more than half the faculty members said they too were using AI — some for drafting, some for coding, some for academic prep.

The new rules are not about banning AI. It is more about drawing a line that says: use it, but don’t outsource your thinking.

ON CAMPUS, A SHIFT IS UNDERWAY

At IIM Jammu, students say the policy is strict: no more than 10 percent AI use is allowed in any assignment.

One student put it simply: “We’re juggling lectures, committees, and eight assignments in three months. Every day feels like a new ball added to the juggling act. In that heat, AI feels like a bit of rain.”

They’re not exaggerating. There are tools now that can read PDFs aloud, prepare slide decks, even draft ideas. The moment you’re stuck, you can ‘chat’ your way out. The tools are easy, accessible, and, for many, essential.

But here’s the other side: some students now build their entire workflow around AI. They use AI to write, AI to humanise, AI to bypass AI detectors.

“Using of plagiarism detection tools, like Turnitin, which claim to detect the Gen-AI content. However, with Gen-AI being so fast evolving, it is difficult for these tools to keep up with its pace. We don’t have a detailed policy framework to clearly distinguish between the ethical and lazy use of Gen-AI,” said Prof Dr Indu Joshi, IIT Mandi.

NOT WHAT AI DOES, BUT WHAT IT REPLACES

At IIM Sambalpur, the administration isn’t trying to hold back AI. They’re embracing it. The institute divides AI use into three pillars:

• Cognitive automation – for tasks like writing and coding
• Cognitive insight – for performance assessment
• Cognitive engagement – for interaction and feedback

Students are encouraged to use AI tools, but with one condition: transparency. They must declare their sources. If AI is used, it must be cited. Unacknowledged use is academic fraud.

“At IIM Sambalpur, we do not prohibit AI tools for research, writing, or coding. We encourage students to use technology as much as possible to enhance their performance. AI is intended to help enhance, not shortcut,” IIM Sambalpur Director Professor Mahadeo Jaiswal told India Today.

But even as tools evolve, a deeper issue is emerging: Are students losing the ability to think for themselves?

MIT’s recent research says yes, too much dependence on AI weakens critical thinking.

It slows down the brain’s ability to analyse, compare, question, and argue. And these are the very skills institutions are supposed to build.

“AI has levelled the field. Earlier, students in small towns didn’t have mentors or exposure. Now, they can train for interviews, get feedback, build skills, all online. But it depends how you use it,” said Samarth Bhardwaj, an IIM Jammu student.

TEACHERS ARE UNDER PRESSURE TOO

The faculty are not immune any more. AI is now turning mentor and performing stuff that even teachers cannot do. With AI around, teaching methods must change.

The old model — assign, submit, grade — works no more. Now, there’s a shift toward ‘guide on the side’ teaching.

Less lecture, more interaction. Instead of essays, group discussions. Instead of theory, hackathons.

It is all about creating real-world learning environments where students must think, talk, solve, and explain why they did what they did. AI can assist, but not answer for them.

SO, WHERE IS THE LINE?

There’s no clear national rule yet. But the broad consensus across IITs and IIMs is this:

• AI should help, not replace.

• Declare what you used.

• Learn, don’t just complete.

Experts like John J Kennedy, former dean at Christ University, say India needs a forward-looking framework.

Not one that fears AI, but one that defines boundaries, teaches ethics, and rewards original thinking.

Today’s students know they can’t ignore AI. Not in tier-1 cities. Not in tier-2 towns either.

Institutions will keep debating policies. Tools will keep evolving. But for students, and teachers, the real test will be one of discipline, not access. Of intent, not ability.

Because AI can do a lot. But it cannot ask the questions that matter.

– Ends