Adil Meraj is the founder of Gurucool, or rather the guru behind GuruCool. He hails from Siwan, Bihar and did his schooling in Hamdard Public School. He is a passionate poet and a writer and has a tendency to not only broaden his own knowledge horizon, but other’s also.
Education technology is the combined use of hardware, software, practice, and educational theory for the overall development of students. Ed-tech refers to those companies and organizations which are indulged in creating educational technology. It combines computer-based training, online learning, mobile- learning, and much more. It is the due process of incorporating technology into education in such a way that it gives positive and constructive outcomes. In addition, it also promotes a diverse learning environment for students of all age groups and places.
Ed-tech trends in India
India has emerged to be among the top three countries in the world after China and USA, to get the most venture capital funding in the ed-tech sector. India holds a very important place in the global education industry. It holds one of the largest networks of higher education institutions in the world, with 260 million students enrolled in more than 1.5 million schools and approximately 39,000 colleges, majorly dominated by the private sector, overall presenting itself as a lucrative opportunity for monetization and also social development.
After the pandemic hit the world we saw a boom in the ed-tech startups which has brought a revolution in the education sector. With schools, colleges, and coaching institutes shut for days and months, it was educational technology and online education which kept the learning unhindered.
According to reports, by 2026, the online education industry is set to grow upto 11.6 billion. These numbers suggest that ed-tech is not just a temporary adjustment due to the COVID times but has come to mark itself as a permanent solution to all the issues which the education sector has endured in the past.
Education has apparently only become more achievable with the advent of online education and education technology. It is ever-expanding and reaching new heights every day. Anyone with a smartphone and internet connection can gain knowledge for online education has no bar of demography.
Now, many prestigious foreign universities have tied up with Indian colleges and universities and are offering a variety of courses online thus saving students from the cumbersome process of relocating to another country and paying hefty education loans. Students from the comfort of their homes can now get an easy and world-class education.
Ed-tech creating job opportunities:
With the help of education technology and investment in online education, education can reach every nook and corner of the country. Since geography is no bar now, any willing student or learner living in the remotest area can have access to quality education. Now every parent and child can fulfil their aspirations to have a better future.
Because of online education, the demand for educators is also increasing. The advent of many learning platforms growing and expanding every day, requires an ample number of well-qualified teachers. Hence, education technology and online education solves two major problems in the Indian Education System i.e Educating the maximum number of students in the country along with providing better job opportunities to the teachers or learners.
Ed-tech promoting personalised learning:
Online education also provides students with an opportunity to interact with the learners in a one-on-one way and get their doubts cleared, so this also improves the quality of education. Education technology and online education also give the learners an opportunity for customization.
Future of Ed-Tech:
Ed-tech is one of the fastest-growing industries in India these days. According to reports, in the last five years, the industry has gained an investment of around $4 billion and it is estimated to expand by around $30 billion in the next 10 years. With such a huge level of investment, the future and prospects of this area are vast.
There is a lot of work being done in making Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and extended reality(XR) to make these courses online more cost-effective and reliable. The job prospects of students pursuing these courses will be in the high-paying domains and this will also revolutionise the entire education system.
Cause of exponential growth of Ed-tech in India?
- The lower cost involved in the dissemination of online education.
- Indian government’s keen interest and initiatives in promoting online education, which includes programs like SWAYAM and DIKSHA.
- The increasing number of education-based startups.
- Increment in the internet user base.
These can be considered some of the reasons why this sector is already booming and will grow more and more in the future as well.
The online education system is a sector where growth and development will work for the betterment of many sectors in one go which includes educating learners, increasing job opportunities for educators and technical teams.