In what ways are investments enhancing the Indian Education Market

Education is the primary requirement for a nation to facilitate social mobility, create awareness and empower people. The Indian education system has been evolving with the introduction of new policies and ideologies. However, the gap between an increasing population of students and shortage of teachers, as well as infrastructure, was always a causeof concern. Of late, there is a consorted effort on the part of the Government and the private sector to revamp the education machinery by pooling investment. With industry leaders joining hands in this mission, the education market is indeed flourishing to offer more conducive, effective and inclusive learning alternatives. The following are ways by which investments are enhancing the Indian education industry:

Educational institutions: Schools, colleges and universities together form the foundation of a nation’s education matrix. These establishments are the makers of the future citizens of the country. They must deliver comprehensive education, nurture students’ interest and talent, cater to their learning needs and have teaching professionals who’ll mentor them in the most effective possible way. More funding will enable a range of possibilities like:

• Number of institutions: Investments will catapult the opening of new educational institutions to meet the growing number of prospective students at all levels of education. It’s an opportunity to reach education to remote areas that harbour a huge segment of potential learners who cannot avail formal education for various personal, situational and in some cases societal bindings. More private institutions in the likes of Amity, Manipal and Bits Pilani will have the scope to thrive in the educational space and offer a competitive edge to the market. This will not only boost their performance, but will provide greater learning options to students.
• Infrastructure: We had been lacking in infrastructure, one of the core reasons being the vast disparity between supply and demand. Private players from related sectors and industries are collaborating with educational institutions to offer various field specific solutions in terms of technology, space and logistics. The requirement has also created many innovative start-ups like event management firms organizing activities from excursions to cultural events, dance/sports academy partnering with schools and colleges to train students etc.
• Faculty: Quality education considerably rests on the shoulders of good teachers. To meet the learning needs, provide guidance and deliver subject knowledge, a small teacher student ratio is imperative. However, not too many aspire to take teaching as a profession in India. The dearth of experienced and qualified teaching staff is detrimental for the education system. There is a great demand for teachers with relevant skills, subject mastery and experience. Teacher education is a sector that needs a fresh lease of life and can be a lucrative area for investment.

Education and technology: Edtech start-ups have created a positive stir in the Indian education setting. They are using technology to optimise learning. The edtech firms are offering unique, standardized and interactive solutions tailored to the learning needs of niche audience or learners. They have on their platter an array of educational items like learning apps, games, online courses, web-based learning, Instructor-led courses and many more that will enable users to self-learn and enjoy the learning. This new-age education industry is attracting foreign as well as leading investors for its potential growth and revenue generation. Byju has drawn a staggering $140million investment for its innovative and highly popular offering. Edtech is currently one of the most promising fields of investments. It allows for a lot of diversity and experimentation since it can achieve educational objectives via sophisticated technology. From rendering solutions for adult learning, skill development courses to K-12 education, edtech firms can explore various alternatives and platforms like mobile learning, MOOC courses, customised webinars, interactive e-books to list a few.

Vocational training institutes:The ‘Skilled India’ campaign of the Government reinforces the significance of vocational education in our country. In the past, the emphasis was more on academic achievements than skill development. However, this mindset is changing with the proliferation of diverse specialised skill based job opportunities like Fashion Designing, Hotel Management, Hospitality etc. The area of vocational training and skill development in India has room for improvement and calls for investments. A greater number of well-equipped vocational and field specific institutions will be the wind beneath the wings for many talented students. Lovely Professional University (LPU), a private organisation,tends to blur the divide by offering both academic and vocational courses.

The education market openly welcomes offers to revolutionize how we learn and promises to make the learning enriching, engaging and fruitful. A steady flow of funds and investments will enable the education system of our country to enlighten and empower the whole nation.

This article has been authored by Vibha Kagzi, Founder and Chief Education Officer, Reachivy.com