?Why is Distance Learning Business Taking off in India!

The distance learning market in India is expected reach 8.79 million ODL enrollments by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 10.16 percent.

India has become the second largest market for e-learning after the US. The distance education market in India is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of around 34 per cent# during 2013-14 to 2017-18. Moreover, the aim of the government to raise its current gross enrolment ratio to 30 per cent by 2020 will also boost the growth of the distance education in India.

At present, higher education sector witnesses spending of over Rs 46,200 crore (US$ 6.93 billion), and it is expected to grow at an average annual rate of over 18 per cent to reach Rs 232,500 crore (US$ 34.87 billion) in next 10 years.

The Union Budget 2017-18 has pegged an outlay of Rs 79,685.95 crore (US$ 11.952 billion) for the education sector for financial year 2017-18, up from Rs 72,394 crore (US$ 10.859 billion) in 2016-17—a 9.9 per cent rise.

There are many reasons for the business of distance education taking off in India, here are a few to help the aspiring edupreneurs and businessmen to consider before stepping on the line:

1.Affordability:

Major half of the population lives below poverty line and whatever basic education the government provides them for free is not enough to secure a right job, thus these students look up to distance education as their only option to cope up with the stiff competition in the long run.

Moreover the distance mode of education is affordable for the people, who cannot afford expensive education in other private institutes. As studying in private institutes is not only about paying high amount in the name of fees but maintaining the appearance to match up with the high class people, which sums up to quite an amount for a middle class person’s son or daughter.

2.Time saver:

Distance education focuses only on education for those, who only wants to study and no other disturbances, which are carried on the regular colleges.

One gets an entire slot of 24 hours for studies or other work, instead of wasting time in making to and fro motions to college every day.

Moreover no late comings or missing first lectures due to torturous traffic jams for hours.

One can actually make time for other important stuffs, which gets wasted in regular colleges such as roaming around, showing off bikes, fashion and unnecessary gossiping.

3.Convenience With Quality Assurance:

It is convenient for the edupreneurs to guide a particular set of students to guide in particular subjects, unlike in other institutes, where the students are forced to take unnecessary subjects and even pass them, which are now way related to the kind of job one is going to perform in future.

When the subjects are less, the quality will definitely improve. Moreover the edupreneurs pick the subjects, in which they are actually good at. Thus it helps both the knowledge giver as well as receiver to participate and make the class interesting and interactive.

4.Continuation of job:

Only one who has struggled enough to land himself/herself a job, values it. Thus those who choose to take distance learning are working class.

More than any other benefits, this one according to me is the best one. One can pursue his or her job, while continuing studies.

The sudden invasion of computer in our life drew an invisible line between the two generations, which merely had a difference of age by a couple of years.

For them the distance education, through which they could learn computers, helped them in preserving their jobs.

One can learn many skill development related courses, while being in the job and also can improve their qualifications.