The Indian education system is often the subject of debate over outdated curriculum, rote learning, rising cost, poor quality of teachers and lack of infrastructure. On the positive side, our country boasts of world-class institutes such as the Indian Institutes of Management, Indian Institutes of Technology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences and Jawaharlal Nehru University. We are also one of the largest and oldest education systems in the world.
Formal education in India is still based on a traditional model or brick-and-mortar classes. Students have to attend schools and colleges to complete their education. While this is the commonly accepted mode of formal education across the world, the education fraternity is opening up to online education or e-learning.
Everything is going online. And, so is education.
Scope of e-learning
Online education goes beyond the realms of secondary, post-secondary and tertiary education. It also includes courses and modules for competitive exam preparation, professional skill enhancement, and other non-academic subjects.
According to a report the size of India’s e-learning market was $247 million, comprising 1.6 million users in 2016. The market size is likely to grow eight-fold to $1.96 billion and the user base will grow six times to 9.6 million users by 2021. In fact, India’s e-learning market is the second-largest after the US, which is forecasted to exceed $48 billion by 2020.
Drivers of e-learning growth
Online education in India is evolving at a swift pace owing to the following factors:
1. Growth in Internet and smartphone penetration
The number of Internet users is likely to reach 730 million by 2020, almost double from today’s 432 million. India may replace China to have the second-largest number of users after the US.
India is also the world’s third-largest smartphone market with the number of users estimated to reach 369 million by 2018. Also, mobile Internet users will likely cross 300 million by the end of 2017 from 159 million users at present.
The Internet offers huge accessibility to enrol for distance courses for the young demographic (15-40 years). They are the most active consumers of smartphones and the Internet, and it is they who will be looking for online learning modules to fulfil their educational requirements without having to move out of home, office or city, and spending exorbitantly. The Internet also makes diverse courses, degrees and certifications from around the world easily accessible to urban as well as rural, and mentally or physically restrained populations.
2. Cost of online education is low
A 2015 survey by the National Sample Survey Office reveals that there has been a 175% rise in the average annual private expenditure for general education (primary level to post-graduation and above) between 2008 and 2014. During the same period, the annual cost of professional and technical education increased 96%. Parents spends Rs.36000/- on secondary education in government schools for six years, and Rs 3,96,000 in private schools. If the kids are studying in boarding schools, the cost is close to Rs 18 lakh. Graduate and post-graduate degrees in engineering, medicine, science and commerce are very expensive.
Online education providers can reach out to the masses without setting up physical infrastructure or incurring administrative costs such as staff salaries, stationery and books. Hence, the cost savings are passed to the users.
3. Traditional model unable to fulfil demand
The aim of the government is to raise gross enrolment ratio to 30% by 2020. India will have the world’s largest tertiary-age population and second-largest graduate talent pipeline by the end of 2020. However, the existing educational infrastructure is not equipped to meet the additional requirements. E-learning can supplement the conventional model, and bridge the gap to a considerable extent.
Rural areas are not that much available to E-learning.. Although Govt is issuing equipment and all for E- learning many people are using it for other purposes and I request govt to conduct boot camps in many rural and some of the urban areas about E- learning . So that they can easily adapt to those situations.. I hope next time u write a blog on success of E-leaning in Rural areas.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your patience of reading the article.Meet you next time with the request you mentioned.Hope for a better India
Deletewhen will u write about success one??
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