AI Labs, New CBSE Schools, and BMC’s ₹4,248 Crore Focus on Education

AI Labs: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has allocated ₹4,248.08 crore for its education department in 2026-27, a significant increase from ₹3,955.64 crore last year. Additionally, there are plans to set up artificial intelligence labs and expand its reach in national board schools.

Announcing the budget on Wednesday, Rajeshree Shirwadkar, the new chairperson of the BMC Education Committee, said the civic body intends to set up AI labs for municipal school students in the upcoming academic year. However, the cost of the AI ​​initiative is not included in the current allocation and will be brought forward as a separate proposal.

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AI Labs in All Schools at Once

Shirwadkar said this will begin in a rollout phase. He said, “It won’t be possible to launch AI labs in all schools at once. The plan is to start with at least three AI labs: one in the city, one in the western suburbs, and one in the eastern suburbs.”

The committee will also look at ways to address declining enrollment in Marathi-medium schools. Shirwadkar said, “If there are Marathi-medium schools that are consistently attracting a large number of students, we will study what they are doing to see if it can be replicated in other schools to increase student enrollment.” One of the key announcements in the budget is the opening of another CBSE-affiliated school in Andheri in the academic year 2026-27.

With this, the number of Central Board of Secondary Education schools run by the civic body will increase to 20. The BMC already runs three non-state board institutions under the ICSE, IGCSE, and IB boards. The budget also includes teacher training under the National Education Policy, increased financial assistance for meritorious Class 10 students from non-state board BMC schools, and educational trips for Class 9 students.

A new initiative called Environmental Conservation will be launched for students in classes 5 to 8. This program has been allocated ₹2.40 crore and will include activities such as making eco-friendly materials, recycling waste, making bricks, handmade paper, and creating herbal gardens. With increased spending and a focus on technology, board diversification, and experiential learning, the civic body’s emphasis on education signals a shift toward modernization, while also attempting to stem falling enrollment in its traditional Marathi-medium schools.

Also Read: EdTech in 2026: Why Google and YouTube Still Dominate Over AI