Educational players are disrupting industry and transforming the way students are learning

Education in India is undergoing its biggest disruption since the time it was established in the colonial era. Driving this disruption are new-age educational players who are teaching students practical skills and ensuring they become employable. Unlike in the past when the emphasis was solely on earning a degree, today, because of greater awareness and the need, the emphasis is on acquiring practical skills that make students employable.

Experts believe that new age educational players are not only causing disruption in the industry but also transforming the process students are acquiring knowledge and getting the jobs.

 Arman Ahmed, Co-Founder & CEO, EdYoda explained how the educational players are also forging relationships with industry partners allowing those enrolled in the programs to have opportunities with potential employers immediately after completion of the programs. The pedagogy used is also unique, they emphasise teaching practical skills over theory and skills over degrees. Students learn skills that are job relevant and make them employable. And because the curriculum taught by new-age educational institutes is designed after working closely with industry, recruiters value their graduates.

 “In India, education has primarily been a real estate play with educators more focussed on generating steady income than improving the quality of academia to dispense the skill gap and unemployment. Today, many new age players are entering and disrupting the higher education space with the much-needed pedagogical and technological innovations. These new contenders upped the ante by introducing outcome-based fee structures, incorporating automation and technology, remodelling the curriculum, focussing on reskilling and refining student evaluation and learning” said, Piyush Nangru, COO and Co-founder, Sunstone Eduversity 

 He further explained few ways in which the entities are coming up with new ways in order to disrupt the education and employment realm-

 Outcome-based fee structure

The fee in any education system has never been linked to the outcome. Many new players are challenging this by linking their fees to student success. This is not only a financial innovation but a complete paradigm shift where the education provider has no choice but to deliver high quality education focused on employability. Also, this completely eliminates the student risk.

Technological Innovations

This is another area where the newer entities are making a real impact. Through AI powered learning management systems, one can easily measure the student learning - even at micro level - and can pre-empt in real time for a remedial step. This also helps in creating a detailed skill map for each student which eventually helps in providing the right placements for all, thereby resulting in great recruiter feedback.

Reorientation of Curriculum

These new entrants have redesigned the curriculum to include skill-based education with an inclination towards experiential learning. Employers today look for candidates with an array of knowledge and skills required for survival in this dynamic industry.