Yogesh Makkar is the Founder and Director of Kapdec, a leading online portal that delivers high-quality supplemental education at an affordable cost in mathematics and science. Enthusiastic about education, an ardent explorer, and a culinarian, his zest to create high-quality content to assist students in preparing for advanced mathematics competition and eliminating the fear of mathematics paved the way for developing an e-learning academy like Kapdec – a reliable team of 30+ employees. “Given our unique approach of combining technology, expert teachers, and compelling content in one offering, we offer a unique solution that is powerful enough to stay ahead of the competition,” says Yogesh. In a conversation with Higher Education Digest, Yogesh talks about Kapdec’s journey so far, its unique offerings, e-learning market in India and much more.
Please tell us about Kapdec, its journey and how it is aiming to become one of the leading e-learning platforms in India?
Kapdec is an academy for e-learning, helping students receive advanced supplemental study material and private coaching through online teaching, in the mathematics and science stream for K-12 students,
Kapdec saga began on October 10th, 2017, the day we began to draw the mission’s skeletal framework and the niche we wanted to be in. After we drafted the initial blueprint, the hard and smart work began to put content, technology, and expert teachers’ knowledge in one bundle to create one unique portal that could offer all that our educators and learners are looking for. After approximately three years, we were able to launch a beta version of the portal. Soon enough, we received a lot of positive validation, and the journey goes on.
Two critical gaps: first, the lack of validated content and guided coaching, and all of it at affordable prices making it hard for everyone and the second, the lack of a communication portal that could connect a learner with an educator. These critical and foundational level gaps in the educational system fueled our idea of creating ONE unified portal that could eliminate two keys issues: providing a communication channel between learners and educators and second by providing premium quality content.
Given our unique approach of combining technology, expert teachers, and compelling content in one offering, we offer a unique solution that is powerful enough to stay ahead of the competition.
Our mission is to make Kapdec an e-learning portal of choice. We are on a journey to address the most common issues surrounding educational content and delivery methods and connect educators and learners through technology.
Today, Kapdec’s niche is in mathematics and science that offers adaptive and advanced study content and guided and personalized learning support to students. The portal provides a way for teachers to use the content, teaching tools, and a wide array of features at their disposal. This is what is going to make us unique and stand above the competition.
What is the industry market size of the segment that you operate in? Who are your direct competitors?
E-learning is a thriving industry, and the Covid-19 pandemic forced people globally to stay home and find alternate means of studying. It raised awareness in academia worldwide, and the importance of e-learning was realized more than ever.
Some of the key statistics that can give an idea of the market size of the e-learning industry are stated as below:
- E-learning in India alone is growing fastest compared to anywhere else globally, and it is projected to unwind following a CAGR of over 46%. Such a growth rate is unprecedented, and no other industry reflects such exponential growth.
The prime reasons why India is slated to grow fastest in the e-learning space are –
- The volume of users – India has 280 million student’s population (the largest in the world)
- Internet Growth – the vehicle required for e-learning. India has witnessed the fastest growing internet users, 100% growth in internet users from 2015 to 2021, and is expected to hit internet users crossing the 500 M mark.
- And India offers the cheapest internet market.
As big as the market we see in the above projections, many small and big players provide many educational resources. Just in India alone, there are some good players in the ed-tech sector, such as Byju’s, Vedantu, Meritnation, etc. Even though they are providing good services, but still the services provided, are not complete enough to cater to the entire market’s needs. We will impact the e-learning market by offering a unique blend that is not yet available nor is provided by the current players.
Kapdec operates in the K-12 segment, in the math and science supplemental market delivering all the course offerings at very affordable prices and offering guided coaching through a unique platform designed to provide ease of use for educators and learners.
How are e-learning platforms preparing Students for the Corporate World via a technological approach?
In many ways, the use of technology helps learners be prepared for the corporate world. If we look at the skills required in any organization – whether a small or a big organization, the employees must have two necessary skills irrespective of their functions: –
- Ability to use a computer, use of various software and have necessary primary computer skills usage, AND
- Ability to communicate with teams situated globally or, if not globally, are sitting across different locations in different cities.
Early on in their learning journey, students adopt e-learning methods. It will force and prepare them to use computer and use of networking technology and tools and learn all around computers and mobile devices.
Clear evidence of the above statement can be given that – children in the current generation learn the use of technology much faster than people who are not exposed to computers as much.
Another advantage students gain is the development of communication skills. Students will have to quit fears and speak up while learning remotely to present their point of view. Critics may argue that communication skills are best learned when we interact face to face. However, on the flip side, when students cannot clearly show their body language, they are forced to select the words, sentences and speak effectively to communicate their point effectively. Participants will have no choice but to learn how to collaborate with teams remotely. This is a new skill – not yet described in the interview process but it will surely become a skill that employers will soon start asking.
So, using e-learning right from early on, will enhance a student’s ability to communicate more effectively in remote collaboration events in the corporate world in the future. Whether brainstorming with-in a team or whether presenting an idea.
Indeed, e-learning always prepares students to gain a hidden benefit of communicating effectively using technology with people who are working remotely. And hence be successful in their ongoing corporate journey.
What kind of experiential programs for students will help them to grow better?
In simple words, Experiential learning is “learning by doing.” Experiential learning applies theory and academic content to real-world experiences, either within the classroom, within the community, or the workplace. The learning programs which force students to practice what they have learned will help students grow.
Some examples –
- We learn the use of fractions and simple and compound interest early on in elementary schools. However, just watching videos and reading text, and practicing quizzes will only help gain theoretical knowledge.
The real growth will be when students apply those fundamentals in their daily life, such as – using fractions to solve how to find the unit price while shopping to gain the best deal while shopping—applying the discounting factor to calculate net worth after discounts, and then selecting the best deals.
- Applying the interest knowledge students gain in using how to save money and put it in a bank (instead of in a piggy bank) will teach students how to make a wise choice in money matters.
Above simple applications in real life help students grow.
What are your thoughts on e-learning? Why should students be exposed to it?
E-learning is the future of education. There are many benefits in the e-learning methods – summarized as below:
No Boundaries – Access to quality teachers: A student’s chances of attending a quality school with excellent teachers largely depend on where she lives, shaped by her parents’ financial means. Online learning could give all students, regardless of where they live, access to the best teachers. Anytime, anywhere model eliminates all boundaries.
Improved teacher’s flexibility: Also, online learning provides teachers with new career options and increasingly give teachers more freedom to instruct students in more productive ways.
Improved productivity and efficiency: Online learning can improve productivity and lower the cost of education, thereby reducing the financial burden on parents.
Other points, if any.
Integrating Learning Management Systems in schools’ way of modern teaching may soon become the norm. A school Learning Management System can offer all the tools students love about learning —social media-like features, video integration, gamification, or mobile support— as well as many, many more.
More About Yogesh Makkar
Yogesh, who began his career as an engineer and climbed up the corporate ladder as a senior executive in the corporate world in the US for over 24 years, the entrepreneurial journey took a turn for Yogesh as he encountered a lack of quality supplemental education for kids and realized a need for transformation in the education sector. Yogesh believes that the best leadership skills involve hiring people who have a positive and productive attitude towards work. He spotlights that while skills can be taught, attitude cannot be. Attitude and philosophy characterize individuals, what their identity is, and what they can accomplish. He envisions the e-learning industry to grow at least five times from the current scenario, and the global business will cross USD 1 trillion by 2027, which is 6.25x times as of 2019 market situation. Yogesh accepts that simplicity in the delivery methods and quality of world-class content make them stand out unmistakably from the rest of their contenders.