In a country where millions of students struggle to reach even grade-level learning, lose interest without understanding the root of their difficulties, attend classes irregularly, or disengage from certain subjects, Personalized Adaptive Learning (PAL) is essential.
PAL solutions have the ability to change classrooms from a rigid, one-size-fits-all model into one that recognizes that no two students are the same. By assisting students in comprehending their actual learning gaps, pointing them in the right direction, and allowing them to advance at their own pace, PAL improves learning outcomes. Education becomes more effective and more equitable when it meets each learner where they are rather than treating all students the same. Evidence from the Andhra Pradesh PAL Study is compelling.
Kremer’s team at the Development Innovation Lab, University of Chicago, evaluated PAL in 1,224 government schools in Andhra Pradesh. The PAL study’s findings are instructive: both his and a PAL study conducted in Andhra Pradesh demonstrated that PAL significantly accelerated learning. Students achieved the equivalent of 1.9 years of schooling in just 17 months—nearly double the progress made through traditional methods. Most strikingly, students at the bottom of the class recorded the greatest gains. The capacity of PAL to raise the lowest-performing students is nothing short of transformative in a system where the weakest students frequently fall further behind. Kremer explains that, “PAL works by adapting lessons to each student’s level. If a child struggles with subtraction, the program reinforces it before moving to division. If another is ready for advanced problems, it challenges them appropriately. Our findings suggest that this helped students wherever they were because it went to meet them. It automatically adjusts to meet the student where they are. This is exactly what effective education should achieve for every student. It should make sure that students don’t feel overwhelmed in subsequent lessons if they forget fundamental concepts. Education must be adaptive, meeting learners where they are and guiding them toward their full potential.
Kremer further emphasized:
However, the success of PAL is a result of teachers as well as technology. He stated that “critical teacher involvement and real-time engagement checks” And that is exactly what PAL software achieves: it enhances the role of teachers rather than replacing them, enabling teachers to focus on mentoring, monitoring, and ensuring that every student truly benefits from a personalized learning experience.
Even though the Andhra Pradesh study focused on 1,224 government schools in Classes 6 to 9, Kremer emphasizes that PAL is useful for younger grades as well. For a country such as India, where classroom diversity is vast and educational inequities are widespread, PAL is not just an innovation – it is a necessity for an education system long plagued by learning gaps and missed opportunities.
Kremer’s message is clear and urgent: India cannot afford to ignore personalized adaptive learning.
The PAL study clearly demonstrates that PAL is effective; however, the current focus needs to shift to how urgently it needs to be heard, comprehended, and implemented so that every student in every classroom can benefit from learning that is tailored to their specific needs. PAL, on the other hand, must be carefully implemented if it is to be effective. It is not enough to adopt the technology in order to make Personalized Adaptive Learning truly effective, whether at the school level or for statewide PAL integration. Understanding how PAL is implemented in classrooms is critical to achieving the meaningful improvements in learning outcomes highlighted by Michael Kremer. Evidence from Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan shows that while the PAL software itself drives learning, its success hinges on structured, programmatic intervention such as:
Enable PAL Solution That Promotes Student Learning Without Judgment
The PAL solution chosen for implementation must go beyond creating personalized learning paths, it should actively motivate students to stay engaged in remedial learning. The design should allow learners to progress seamlessly, without realizing they are being taken back to previous grade levels. Remedial content should be integrated naturally into their journey, accessible as part of their learning path rather than as a separate or stigmatized activity.
Such an approach is crucial for schoolwide/statewide PAL adoption. When students know they can revisit concepts without fear of judgment or comparison, they are more likely to embrace the system, reflect on their gaps, and work to close them. The solution should also ensure that all content is synced with the curriculum so that learners remain aligned with grade-level expectations, regardless of how much remedial material they access. Finally, the system must give students the time and flexibility to cover historical learning gaps at their own pace, without pressure, so progress feels natural, continuous, and empowering.
Experiential Training for Teachers and Students
Experiential training is a critical intervention to ensure PAL adoption and to drive meaningful outcomes from school- or state-level PAL implementation. It must go much further than simply transferring software-loaded devices. Instead, training should be designed as a hands-on, student- and teacher-centric experience that builds confidence, clarity, and ownership.
