Indian Edtech – Turning a million dreams into reality

For Brajesh who spends the day helping his father on the field, online classes are a doorway to daily education. So is the case for Naina who had to stop schooling owing to financial constraints. Imran who aspires to study in a global university relies on digital resources to prepare himself; India at 75 is home to many such stories where small town dreams of quality education are no more eclipsed by infrastructural or financial inadequacies. And technology has been the catalyst for this future ready transformation. EdTech platforms are slowly but steadily altering learning in India, even beyond the metros, making the right to quality education a reality for millions of students.

Indian EdTech witnessed a huge surge in the last two years after conventional schooling was forced to come to a halt. Though digital adoption in India saw a sloppy start in smaller towns and villages, tech enabled solutions were at least able to identify the gaps and make basic education available to students in metros and beyond. What followed next was a definitive shift in instruction delivery that transformed the way learning is pursued in India. In a survey by Brainly, over 70% of students today admit relying on online learning resources to supplement traditional schooling. Both parents and teachers are cognisant of the benefits of online learning over conventional education today and here’s why this trend must continue to grow.

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Technology’s biggest benefit has been its ability to democratize anything it taps into and education is not an exception. Dwarfing the economic and social divide in India, edtech companies are making quality learning possible in India’s remotest corners by clubbing all resources into a device. Reduced data costs have led to affordability and easy access enabling students from varying economic backgrounds pursue learning with the same zest. The government is also helping institutions in rural areas to adopt online modes of teaching to ensure continuity in education. So, for every boy who walked miles to attend the only English medium school in the city or for every girl who had to give up education due to no school in close proximity, learning is now possible within the comfort of their homes and in a quality, at par with standards in urban metros.

For India, whose schooling ecosystem is plagued by the one size fits all model, edtech has made learning available on demand along with tailor made resources to suit specific requirements. Students who learn at a slower pace don’t need to compete and struggle anymore with students whose grasp of information is faster. Personalisation in Edtech allows students, with varying skill sets, to learn as per their preferences, also enabling teachers to track student’s progress individually and cater to their unique needs accordingly. The power of flexibility particularly benefits India’s lower income households where children can’t give optimum time to education during school hours or the parents are not able to afford good quality conventional education. Cost effectiveness of edtech has not only induced more adoption but also made payments easier on these platforms. And for the ones who don’t choose to pay, a sizable chunk of information is also available for free consumption.

Customization in digital learning also spills over to language. For a culturally diversified nation like India, the importance of studying in your native language is paramount and edtech bridges the gap in alignment with the National Education Policy 2020. Students are free to pursue education in their language of preference and yet stay updated with world class information at their fingertips. On the Brainly learning app, its extensive knowledge base is available across Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi, and Sanskrit for Indian students.

And not to forget the global exposure that stems from online education. Geographical and cultural differences notwithstanding, a student in Ambala India can liaise with a student in Denmark today and propel a successful information exchange. Edtech platforms have opened access to a lot of readymade information, videos, audios and experts worldover, which can be leveraged to accomplish academic goals better. On Brainly India, students are open to an extensive knowledge base of 48 million questions along with a thriving community of experts, students and parents ready to help for doubt solving. Out of the 4000 odd edtech startups in India, many are trying to cement their international presence today or are tying up with global universities to widen the learning possibilities of Indian students.

Until a decade ago, this feat in education didn’t seem like a feasible possibility but technology has ushered in a new chapter in the learning ecosystem. As the inroads to Bharat begin to get clearer, the power of e-learning will increasingly fulfill the dreams of millions of aspiring Indians and make them ready for a future brimming with opportunities and growth.