How to Stop Students from Using AI to Finish Homework | A Guide for Schools in India
Why students are using AI for homework?
Schools across the world are facing a new challenge: students using AI tools to complete homework and assignments.
With governments and educational boards in India actively introducing AI education in schools, this concern has only grown stronger. Many educators fear that teaching AI may further increase plagiarism and shortcut-based learning.
But is AI education really the problem — or could it actually be part of the solution?
In this article, we explore how schools can move beyond fear and control, and instead use AI education to promote ethical learning, transparency, and deeper understanding.
Is AI Education Encouraging Plagiarism?
When any new technology emerges, students are naturally curious to experiment with it. As AI becomes more accessible, it is expected that students will explore its capabilities — including using it to complete assignments.
Trying to suppress this curiosity or banning AI outright is rarely effective. Instead, a healthier and more sustainable approach is to educate students about AI, guiding them to use it as a learning aid rather than a shortcut.
When AI is introduced systematically, students begin to understand that:
- AI can make mistakes
- AI can carry bias
- AI is data-driven, and output quality depends on data quality
- AI is man-made and not infallible
This awareness changes how students approach homework. Even when they use AI, they are more likely to question, verify, and reflect on the answers rather than blindly submitting them.
When schools also provide programs that encourage students to use AI for creativity, exploration, and building projects, student curiosity naturally shifts toward positive and productive use.
Reimagining Homework in the Age of AI
The rise of AI makes it essential for schools to rethink how homework and assignments are designed.
Education is already shifting away from a knowledge and memorisation-based approach toward an application, analysis, and creation-based approach. Homework must reflect this change.
Assignments should require:
- critical thinking
- personal reasoning
- real-world application
- human judgement
Even if AI is used as an assistant, the core thinking must remain human.
A notable example comes from IIT Delhi, which recently piloted allowing ChatGPT usage in exams — with the condition that students submit the prompt used along with their answers. This approach promotes transparency rather than secrecy.
Schools can adopt similar practices by clearly defining what AI can be used for and what not.Such clarity builds student confidence to openly acknowledge AI usage, reducing dishonest behaviour and encouraging ethical learning.
Using AI to Enable Flipped Classrooms
Another effective way to channel AI positively is through flipped classrooms.
In a flipped classroom model students explore concepts independently before class and classroom time is used for discussion, clarification, and deeper understanding.
Earlier, implementing this model was challenging. Today, AI makes it far more practical. With the rise of Socratic AI tools (read more about Socratic AI tools here ) that ask guiding questions instead of giving direct answers, students can explore topics independently while still engaging in meaningful learning.
Classroom discussions then reinforce understanding, address misconceptions, and shift the focus back to learning rather than answer-finding.
Control Is Not the Answer — Education Is
Stricter rules, surveillance, or proctoring alone will never be a sustainable solution to AI-enabled plagiarism.
The real solution lies in:
- co-creating AI usage policies with students
- emphasising ethical and transparent AI use
- redesigning homework for critical thinking and application
- channeling student curiosity toward creativity and learning
When used thoughtfully, AI does not weaken education — it strengthens it.
inAI collaborates with schools across India to build responsible AI education programs that help students learn ethically, think critically, and prepare for the future.
