SURVEY RESEARCH PROJECT REPORT

On
“A Study of Innovative EdTech Start-Ups & Businesses in the
Emerging Markets and Economies”
With Special reference of Covid-19 Pandemic

FOR THE PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE

AWARD OF DEGREE OF

MASTER OF COMMERCE
(Session: 2022-2023)

SUBMITTED TO DEAN

Submitted by: Submitted to:

Rahul Vishwakarma Dr. S. K. Shukla
(Professor, Business
M.Com 2nd Semester
Environment)
Roll No 10023685084
KA2K23/100685084

Faculty of Commerce & Management

MAHATMA GANDHI KASHI VIDYAPITH

VARANASI

221002

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 A Project Report On

“A Study of Innovative EdTech Start-Ups & Businesses in the

Emerging Markets and Economies”
With Special reference of Covid-19 Pandemic

Project Report submitted to the

Faculty of Commerce & Management

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of

MASTER OF COMMERCE

Submitted by
Rahul Vishwakarma
M.Com – Second Semester
Roll No.-10023685084

Under The Guidance of

Dr. S. K. Shukla
Professor, FCM

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 CERTIFICATE FROM GUIDE

This is to certify that the Final research project report entitled, “A Study of Innovative EdTech Start-
Ups & Businesses in the Emerging Markets and Economies” - With Special reference of Covid -19
Pandemic in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Master of Commerce (M.Com)
is a record of original research project report undergone by Rahul Vishwakarma, Roll No.-10023685084
during the year 2022 - 2023 of his study in the Faculty of Commerce & Management, Mahatma
Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi under my supervision and the report has not formed the basis for the
award of any degree or other similar title to any candidate of any Institution.

I wish him all the best for bright future ahead.

Signature of Guide

Dr. S. K. Shukla
(Professor, Business Environment),

MGKVP University

Place: Varanasi

Date: / /

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 DECLARATION

I, Rahul Vishwakarma, hereby declare that the Final Research Project Report, entitled, “A Study of
Innovative EdTech Start-Ups & Businesses in the Emerging Markets and Economies” - With Special
reference of Covid -19 Pandemic, submitted to the Faculty of Commerce & Management in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Master In Commerce is a record of original research
project report undergone by me during the period July 31st - August 10th, 2023 under the supervision and
guidance of Dr. S. K. Shukla (Professor, Business Environment), MGKVP University and it has not
formed the basis for the award of any degree or other similar title to any candidate of any Institution.

RahulVishwakarma

Signature of the Student

Place: Robertsganj (Sonbhadra)

Date: / /

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 Undertaking

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 PREFACE

A Professional course in Master of Commerce is incomplete unless the theoretical knowledge required in
the class room is backed up by practical exposure as theories alone do not give perfection to any discipline.
The gap between theory and practiced is bridged by the market research report, which has been an integral
part of the syllabus. This present research project report is an image of what I have done and observed
during my final research project in “A Study of Innovative EdTech Start-Ups & Businesses in the
Emerging Markets and Economies” - With Special reference of Covid -19 Pandemic.

I have tried my level best to be as a systematic as possible and to avoid plagiarism.

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 ABSTRACT

One of the most important aspects of technology in education is its ability to level the field of opportunity
for students. Technology can be a powerful tool for transforming learning. It can help affirm and advance
relationships between educators and students, reinvent our approaches to learning and collaboration, shrink
long-standing equity and accessibility gaps, and adapt learning experiences to meet the needs of all learners.
Our schools, community colleges, adult learning centers and universities should be incubators of exploration
and invention. Educators should be collaborators in learning, seeking new knowledge and constantly
acquiring new skills alongside their students. Education leaders should set a vision for creating learning
experiences that provide the right tools and supports for all learners to thrive. However, to realize fully the
benefits of technology in our education system and provide authentic learning experiences, educators need
to use technology effectively in their practice. Furthermore, education stakeholders should commit to
working together to use technology to improve education. These stakeholders include leaders, teachers,
faculty, and other educators, researchers, policymakers, funders technology developers, community
members and organizations, and learners and their families and of course, Ed-Tech Start-Ups.
Implementing methods and strategies that would lead to progressions of the system of education is one of
the important goals of individuals, particularly the ones, who are in leadership positions. In urban and rural
communities, it is essential for the leaders to put into practice the approaches that would lead to up-gradation
of the system of education. Innovation and educational technology are regarded as vital aspects that would
lead to progression of the system of education. In educational institutions at all levels, instructors are making
use of technologies to impart information to the students in terms of academic concepts. Furthermore,
students are encouraged to make use of technologies to prepare their assignments and projects. The members
of the educational institutions need to augment their competencies and abilities that would enable them to
carry out their tasks satisfactorily. The main concepts that have been taken into account in this research
paper include, significance and meaning of innovation in education, benefits of innovation and educational
technologies, barriers to innovation in education, and shaping of innovation by human capital. It is necessary
to promote innovation and educational technology.

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 INDEX

Chapte Title Page

r

1. Certificate From Guide 3

2. Declaration 4

3. Preface 6

4. Abstract 7

5. Introduction 11-12

6. The Industry 13-22

7. Objective and Scope of the Study 23-27

8. Literature Review 28-33

9. Research Methodology 34-36

10. Data Analysis and Interpretations 37-47

11. Findings & Conclusion 48-51

12. Recommendations & Limitations 52-58

13. References or Bibliography 59

14. Key Words 60

LIST OF FIGURE OR CHARTS

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 Figure No. Name Page

Figure No. 1.1 Fitting the pieces together 12

Figure No. 2.3.1 Byju 16

Figure No. 2.3.2 Toppr 16

Figure No. 2.3.3 Vedantu 17

“A
Figure No. 2.3.4 Meritnation 18

Figure No. 2.3.5 Unacademy 18

Figure No. 2.3.6 UpGrad 19

Figure No. 2.3.7 PW 20

Figure No. 2.3.8 Khan Global Studies 21

Figure No. 2.3.9 Magnet Brains 21

Figure No. 2.3.10 Adda247 22

Figure No. 3.1 Animated Image 23

Figure No. 3.1.1 Essential objective of EdTech 24

Figure No. 5.2.1 Research Methodology Phases 34

Figure No. 6.1 Overview of Education System in India 37

Figure No. 6.2 Online Education Ecosystem 38

Figure No. 6.6 M & As in EdTech 41

Figure No. 6.8 Online Test Preparation Market (India) 43

Figure No. 6.9 EdTech Market at a Glance 45

Figure No. 6.10 United Nation report Image of school 47

closures (as of 26.03.2020)

Figure No. 8.1.1 Social Distancing Animated Image 53

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“Study of Innovative EdTech Start-Ups & Businesses in the Emerging Markets and
Economies” - With Special reference of Covid -19 Pandemic

By

Rahul Vishwakarma

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 INTRODUCTIONS
“Engaging and Empowering Learning Through Technology”
To be successful in our daily lives and in a global workforce, Students need pathways to acquire
expertise and form meaningful connections to peers and mentors. This journey begins with a base of
knowledge and abilities that can be augmented and enhanced throughout our lives. Fortunately, advances in
learning sciences have provided new insights into how people learn. Technology can be a powerful tool to
reimagine learning experiences on the basis of those insights. Historically, a learner’s educational
opportunities have been limited by the resources found within the walls of a school. Technology-enabled
learning allows learners to tap resources and expertise anywhere in the world, starting with their own
communities. For example:
 With high-speed internet access, a student interested in learning computer science can take the
course online in a school that lacks the budget or a faculty member with the appropriate skills to
teach the course.
 Learners struggling with planning for college and careers can access high-quality online mentoring
and advising programs where resources or geography present challenges to obtaining sufficient face-
to-face mentoring.
 With mobile data collection tools and online collaboration platforms, students in a remote geographic
area studying local phenomena can collaborate with peers doing similar work anywhere in the world.
 A school with connectivity but without robust science facilities can offer its students virtual
chemistry, biology, anatomy, and physics labs—offering students learning experiences that approach
those of peers with better resources.
 Students engaged in creative writing, music, or media production can publish their work to a broad
global audience regardless of where they go to school.
 Technology-enabled learning environments allow less experienced learners to access and participate
in specialized communities of practice, graduating to more complex activities and deeper
participation as they gain the experience needed to become expert members of the community.

These opportunities expand growth possibilities for all students while affording historically disadvantaged
students’ greater equity of access to high-quality learning materials, expertise, personalized learning, and
tools for planning for future education. Such opportunities also can support increased capacity for educators
to create blended learning opportunities for their students, rethinking when, where, and how students
completely different components of a learning experience. Innovation and educational technology are
primarily concerned with making use of modern and scientific teaching-learning methods and instructional
strategies in the system of education. In the present existence, the use of technologies has acquired
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prominence. The instructors and students are making use of internet on a comprehensive scale to generate
information in terms of various aspects and augment their understanding. In addition, they are making of
computers to prepare their assignments and projects. The individuals are able to become well-equipped with
technologies with thorough practice. Apart from technologies the other innovative methods used in the
teaching-learning processes are, charts, maps, models, textbooks, and other reading materials. Through
making use of these technologies and materials, instructors are putting into operation various kinds of
instructional strategies that are necessary to augment student learning. The different kinds of instructional
strategies include, giving Power Point presentations, reading and providing explanations, providing
explanations through making use of charts, models and maps and so forth. Innovation and educational
technology can help in bringing about transformations in instructional strategies.

Figure 1.1

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 THE INDUSTRY

2.1 The Industry Scenario

Increasing penetration of internet in many regions across the globe is a major factor driving the market
growth. Growing adoption of cloud-based solutions coupled with huge investments by major market players
towards enhancing the security and reliability of cloud-based education platforms, is further increasing its
adoption among the end-users. Presence of a large number of service and content providers in the market is
bringing huge volumes of educational content online.

The global online education market is projected to witness a CAGR of 9.23% during the forecast period to
reach a total market size of US$319.167 billion in 2025, increasing from US$187.877 billion in 2019.
Increasing penetration of internet in many regions across the globe is a major factor driving
the market growth.

Declining hosting cost and growing need for accessing educational content is further fueling the adoption of
this technology, thus augmenting the market growth. Advancements in the field of artificial intelligence and
rapid growth of Internet of Things (IoT) will continue to enhance the user experience on these online
education platforms, which is anticipated to spur the market growth throughout the forecast period.
Increased effectiveness of animated learning along with flexibility in learning are some other factors
contributing to the growth of online education by academic institutions. Lack of competent staff in various
schools and colleges across the developing nations is also resulting in the adoption of online education by
the students. Support and funds from the governments is another major driver for the growth of the industry.
By type, the global online education market is segmented as online education by academic institutions and
by corporate sector. With the increasing number of students in academic institutions and regular need to up
skill and provide industry relevant training to the staff, the academic institutions as well as corporate need to
come up with the options that allow individuals to learn anytime from anywhere. With the increasing
number of the students and the cost effectiveness of online education many educational institutes are
integrating face-to-face learning with online learning at all levels of education. For instance, Berkeley
University of California recently partnered with edX to offer Data 8 course online for no cost which was
earlier limited to the few who got admissions in the institute.

Colleges and universities across the globe are frequently providing new MOOCs as well as distance learning
courses. An upsurge in tuition fees and high interest on education loans in both developed and developing

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countries has raised the cost of getting campus education which is continuously shifting the trend towards
online learning solutions, thus, positively impacting the demand for LMS across this universities and
colleges.

Online education industry will be a $1.96 billion industry by 2021 according to a research conducted
by KPMG, along with insights from Google search. The report finds that the paid user base will grow 6X
from 1.6 million users in 2016 to 9.6 million users in 2021.

There are five major categories of education with potential for significant online adoption. Reskilling and
online certification courses currently accounts for a significant part of the online education market in India
with a share of 38%. This is largely driven by a healthy adoption rate amongst the significant population of
IT professionals in India. However, with an estimated ~280 million students expected to be enrolled in
schools by 2021 and increasing adoption amongst this target audience, online primary and secondary
supplemental education is expected to be the dominant category of courses with a 39% market share in
2021. At the same time, online test preparation is expected to be the fastest growing category of online
education, estimated to grow at an impressive CAGR of 64% in the next five years.

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2.2 Well Known Players in India
India suffers from skewed pupil-to-teacher ratio, which is rising and it compromises a complete learning
experience for students in schools. And hence, these technology-driven learning apps are using gaming
elements, such as point-scoring and interaction with others, personalization, and data-driven insights to help
boost the learning process for students and sharpen their basics in various subjects. They are revolutionizing
the learning process and helping students in many ways to perform better in classrooms. EdTech start-
ups are emerging as a major business industry in India. The education sector in India is estimated at US$
91.7 billion in FY18 and is expected to reach $101.1 Billion in FY19. Let’s see some of the start-ups in
Education sector in India which are gradually emerging and changing the world regarding education scene
in India. Below is the list of best EdTech start-ups in India.

List of Ed – Tech Companies of India

 Byju’s

 Toppr

 Vedantu

 Meritnation

 Unacademy

 UpGrad

 PW

 Khan Global Studies

 Magnet Brains

 Adda247

and many more like these.

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2.3 Brief Introduction about some Ed-Tech Companies in India

1. BYJU’S – Think & Learn Private Limited

Figure 2.3.1

BYJU’S is a EdTech start-ups in Bangalore, which was founded by Byju Raveendran in 2011. Its current
total equity is $5.4 billion. BYJU’S has also won many awards like CRISIL Emerging India Award and
Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Award, and is available on Android and iOS platform.
BYJU’S Classes is a learning app that provides coaching for competitive entrance exams like IIT-JEE, CAT,
UPSC, GMAT, GRE, Engineering & Medical, and supplement courses of grades 6 th to 12th. BYJU’S offers
online courses and tablet classes with multi-test and assignment solutions, personal feedback and in-depth
analysis. After the use of BYJU’S app, 93% of parents reported a marked improvement in their children’s
performance in grades, according to the company. BYJU'S has 15 million registered users with 9 lakh taking
annual paid subscriptions and an 85% renewal rate. The average app engagement rate, as reported by the
company, is 53 minutes per day.

2. Toppr – Haygot Education Private Limited

Figure 2.3.2

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Toppr is a Mumbai-based company founded by Zishaan Hayath in 2013. The Toppr app includes goal-based
learning, adaptive question practice, performance report, concept sheets and previous year question papers.
It also offers courses for medical and engineering examinations, board examinations, and Olympiads.
Toppr is an online exam preparation platform for K-5 to K-12 students focused on school curriculum
syllabus and entrance examinations like JEE, UPSC, NEET, SAT, etc. It offers structured courses that
feature interactive video lectures, practice question sets, doubt clearing by professionals and all India test
series.

3.Vedantu – Vedantu Innovation Private Limited

Figure 2.3.3

Vedantu is India’s leading Online tutoring company which enables students to learn LIVE with some of
India’s best-curated teachers. Vedantu’s USP is its quality of teachers. It has some 500+ teachers who have
taught more than 1 Million hours to 40,000+ students spread across 1000+ cities from 30+ countries.
Vedantu is founded by IITian friends who have been teachers themselves with over 13 years of teaching
experience and having taught over 10,000 students. Vedantu’s founders VMSI Krishna, Anand Prakash, and
Pulkit Jian did their first venture in education, Lakshya, in 2006 which later got acquired by a listed
company called MT Educare (Mahesh Tutorials) in 2012. As part of Lakshya, the founders taught and
mentored more than 10,000 students and trained more than 200 teachers between them.

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 4.Meritnation - Applect Learning Systems Private Limited

Figure 2.3.4

Meritnation is an online education start-up based in Delhi which was founded by Pavan Chauhan in 2008. It
has grown to be one the most useful websites for online education. They provide learning content for
students for classes 1st to 12th – CBSE, ICSE and leading state boards.
Meritnation provides its users with study material, tests, proficiency tests and Olympiad packs. It has a
complete social network experience for education and the app also tracks every student’s progress and
displays personalized recommendations along with analytical data reports to point out strength and
improvements areas.
Meritnation.Com was acquired by Aakash Educational Services for ₹500M on Jan 4, 2020.

5.Unacademy - Sorting Hat Technologies Private Limited

Figure 2.3.5

Unacademy is an EdTech companies in Bangalore which has online learning marketplace for courses which
was founded by Heemash Singh, Sachin Gupta and Gaurav Munjal. The YouTube channel was shifted to
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an online learning platform in 2015. Although you will still find many learning videos on their YouTube
Channel.
Started as a YouTube channel by Hemaash Singh in 2010, Unacademy is now a famous name in the
education technologies market of India. Unacademy is one of e learning start-ups in India. Unacademy has
provided lessons to more than 30,00,000 (3 million) students. They have tied up with some of the most
famous and experienced teachers to teach the students. You will find over 2400 online courses. Most of the
courses are free on this platform, however, you might have to pay for certification.
Unacademy has a goal of providing all the education in the world for free and it has ventured into numerous
fields like Banking, CA, CAPF, UPSC, CLAT, CAT, JEE, Pre-Medical and more. The video tutorials
are available in various languages and the students can follow tutors and get courses from them directly on
their homepage. Their majority of the business model runs on the Plus Subscription feature on their
platform.

 In 2018, Unacademy acquired WiFiStudy for $10 million, a Jaipur-based online exam preparation and
learning platform founded by Dinesh Godara in 2013.

 In March 2020 acquired Kreatryx, an online preparation platform for GATE and ESE.

6.UpGrad – UpGrad Education Private Limited

Figure 2.3.6

UpGrad is an online EdTech platform that provides higher education programs. They provide an immersive
learning experience with the latest technology and well-designed courses. UpGrad was founded in 2015 by
Ronnie Screwvala, Mayank Kumar, Phalgum Komapalli and Ravijot Chugh.
UpGrad began in 2015 with the conviction that in an ever-changing industry, professionals need to

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continuously upskill themselves in order to stay relevant. Since then we have always focused on building a
great online learning experience by collaborating with the right universities and industry partners. We then
steadily built a strong support system around our learners. Starting with our first program in
Entrepreneurship, UpGrad has created some of India’s largest online programs to help thousands of
professionals achieve their career goals in the areas of data technology, and management.

7. PW - Physics Wallah Private Limited

Figure 2.3.7

Physics Wallah Private Limited (commonly known as Physics Wallah; or simply PW) is an
Indian educational technology company headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. It was founded by Alakh
Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari in 2020. It became a unicorn in June 2022 after raising $100 million at a
valuation of $1.1 billion. Physics Wallah Private Limited, commonly known as "Physics Wallah" or
"PW", was founded in 2016 as a YouTube Channel by Alakh Pandey, an educator hailing from Allahabad,
Uttar Pradesh. Along with co-founder Prateek Maheshwari, Pandey developed an app specifically designed
for students aspiring to take the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Exam
(JEE) in 2020. In addition, Physics Wallah launched courses for School Prep, JEE, NEET, GATE, SSC,
UPSC, PSC, NDA, CA Foundation, CA Intermediate, CSIR NET, IIT JAM, MBA, NEET PG, and
CUET

 .As of January 2023, the Physics Wallah app has been downloaded more than 10 million times.

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 A 6-episode web series named Physics Wallah on the life of Alakh Pandey and his company was
released on 15 December 2022 on Amazon Mini TV.

8. KGS - Khan Global Studies Pvt. Ltd.

Figure 2.3.8

Khan Global Studies Pvt. Ltd. is popularly known as Khan Global Studies. . KGS is a leading Online (e-
learning) and Offline educational institution with the intention of providing qualified mentorship to IAS
candidates. KGS Provides structured programme in such a way that students from a variety of social and
educational backgrounds benefit each other, creating a subtle peer learning environment.structured in
such a way that students from a variety of social and educational backgrounds benefit each other,
creating a subtle peer learning environment. KGS is Best Coaching Institute in India For UPSC, UPPSC,
BPSC,BSSC, UPSSSC, SSC, Bank, Rly, Airforce, NDA, CDS, CPF and Other competitive
Examination. It was founded by Khan Sir on 15 July 2022. Its registered office is in Patna, Bihar, India.

9. Magnet Brains - India's Number 1 Online School Education Platform

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 Figure 2.3.9
Magnet Brains is a Private Limited Company with its office registered in Madhya Pradesh, popularly
known as Magnet Brains Education Pvt. Ltd.., Founded by Pankaj Agarwal. The company carries out its
major operations from Madhya Pradesh. Magnet Brains started as a Youtube Channel in 2019, with the aim
of providing free education to students across the india especially those from a humble background. It
crossed 4 million Subscribers on Youtube on Oct 2021. And started 100% free NEET and JEE from April
2022. Magnet Brains is Best Coaching Institute in India For CBSE English Medium, CBSE Hindi
Medium, MP Board Hindi Medium, UP Board Hindi Medium, Bihar Board Hindi Medium, Spoken
English, Vedic Maths, Olympiad, NTSE, CUET, IIT-JEE, NEET, UPSC, Banking, SSC, RRB, JAIIB /
CAIIB, etc.

10. Adda247 - Metis Eduventures Pvt. Ltd.

Figure 2.3.10

Adda247 is India’s largest vernacular test prep platform catering to more than 50 million students
from Tier II and Tier III cities in India. Backed by marquee investors like Westbridge & Infoedge,
Adda247 is on a mission to take quality education to masses by providing online courses for all
major exams in more than 10 regional languages in India.

Adda247 was founded in 2010 in delhi as Career Power Coaching Centre by Anil Nagar (CEO).

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Adda247 Offered Online Live Classes For Banking, SSC And Others Govt Jobs., in different regional
Language.
 Acquired StudyIQ and secured Series B funding leb by Westbridge Capital in 2021

OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF THE STUDY

When we talk about technology in education, we recall the utility of technologies like audio-visual aids,
machines, and equipment such as TV, overhead projector, computers for education, etc. Technology is that
element of development which is almost found in every part of our culture, affecting how we live, play,
work and learn. With technological advancement in the world through the invention of mobile and wireless
devices, it has become really important for the education sector to get a hold of this technology in the
teaching-learning process. This FRP report will help get familiar with the list of essential objectives of
educational technology.

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 Figure 3.1

3.1 Understanding the Concept of Educational Technology

Educational Technology, also known as EduTech or EdTech, is the concept of teaching and learning through
the efficient medium of technology. It facilitates an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of
technology and its operations. There is a range of objectives of educational technology in order to help the
teaching-learning process yield the best possible results in an efficient and economical way.
Technology is an umbrella term for all the systematic applications of scientific knowledge placed on a
practical task. Similarly, educational technology is concerned with the following two aspects:

 Theoretical Knowledge produced from various academic disciplines such as Psychology,

Education, Communication, Philosophy, Sociology, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, etc.
 Experimental Knowledge elicited from educational practice and training.

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 Figure 3.1.1

3.2 Responsibility of Educational Technology Facilitators

Facilitators of an educational technology plan, design and develop productive learning atmosphere and range
of experience by assisted technology. Their responsibilities include:

 Plan learning environments and experiences with the use of technology to build efficient teaching
and learning environments.
 Design and develop appropriate technology-driven learning opportunities to support the diverse
needs of different learners.
 Evaluate the accuracy and suitability of technological resources.
 Manage technology resources within the context of learning activities and pedagogy.
 Build management strategies for students learning in a technology-enhanced environment.
 Identify instructional design principles to develop technological resources.
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3.3 Objectives of Educational Technology

 Macro Level
 Micro Level

3.3.1 Objectives of Educational Technology at the Macro Level

Owing to the increasing importance of technology in education, there are a multitude of objectives that this
phenomena fulfils at the macro level, some of which are:

 To identify the educational requirements and desires of the community.

 To understand the structure of education, board strategies, and its goals.
 To design and develop curriculums involving art, science and human values.
 To support strategies and human resources and material assets with the mission to achieve
determined goals.
 To create appropriate aids and instruments supporting educational purposes.
 To design educational technology models catering to improve the existing process of teaching and
learning.
 To identify and find remedies to tackle major environmental constraints.
 To expand and support educational opportunities for people around the world, especially the
neglected sections of the community.
 To manage the entire educational system starting from planning to execution, implementation, and
evaluation.

3.3.2 Objectives of Educational Technology at the Micro Level

 To discover and analyse the characteristics and educational requirements of every student.
 To determine and state the specific behavioural classroom objectives.
 To understand and organise the contents of instruction in a proper sequence.
 To recognize the existing teaching-learning resources and materials.
 To identify the nature of the interaction of sub-systems like teachers, students, the content of
instruction, teaching-learning material, and different methodologies.

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 To plan teaching strategies and utilize human resources and material assets for accomplishing
specific classroom objectives.
 To evaluate every student’s behavioural change and performance to determine the effectiveness of
classroom teaching.
 To provide essential feedback to teachers and students for any modification in the teaching-learning
operation.

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 SCOPE

The objectives of educational technology are process-oriented. The use of educational technology is not
restricted to teaching and learning methodologies and theories, but to provide in-depth assistance in the
development of an individual’s personality. Below is a list on the wide scope of education technology:

 Educational technology makes the teaching-learning process more efficient and process-oriented.
 Mechanical and electronic gadgets can be readily utilized for educational requirements.
 Educational technology has improved the learning process for students with the help of teaching aids
and programmed instructional material, etc.
 Traditional mediums like television, radio, tape-recorder, V.C.R, and computers can be used to
impart distance and correspondence education.
 The advancement of the internet has increased education dissemination all over the world with much
ease.
 Mechanism of feedback through the use of technology improves the quality of teachers training in
academic institutions.
 Technology-driven innovative analytical tools and instruments can help in solving educational
administrative problems.
 Educational technology serves to develop and understand the structure and nature of teaching.
 Best utilization of education technology supports the scientific foundation and new discoveries.

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 LITERATURE REVIEW

The purpose of the following literature review will be to provide information that can be collected and used
for the discussion on how technology is making a change in education and what types of technology school's
and students of today are using.
Technology has changed the way students learn and how they interact with their professors for help and
questions. Making not only students change their method to learn but changing teacher’s method to teach.
This literature review provides information about the changes on educational technology with their main
events on how has change student’s way of leaning. It provides statistics on how much time students spend
on technology and their improvements. It recognizes positive and negative points of view about the topic
and how teachers are getting assistance for this technology.

4.1 The Benefits of Technology on Education: A review of the Literature

Technology has become part of our lives with the pass of the years, to the point most people will start
depending on this technology. One of the changes most people have notice is inside the classroom. Students
observe a variety of common tools to identify the major types of technology according to the human desires
most of them meet, and then fake initial definitions of technology. Students and teachers have seen the
advances, noticing how technology has expanded the opportunity to study. Starting, from the invention of
paper and pencil, to overhead projectors, all the way to having the opportunity of experiencing the new
touch technology era.

 What kinds of technology are used in the education field?

 How often students use technology on school and at home?
 What are the positive/negative effects on the Academic Performance and experience of the students?
 Are teachers receiving the adequate technology to prepare students for their future?
The following review on literature will focus on these questions and will include information about
positive/negative effects, the use of this technology and the types of technology.

4.1.1 What kinds of technology are used in the education field?

Adapting to technology is not an option, technology is changing constantly and people will learn every day
something new. Technology at schools has progressed on several ways starting with the invention of writing
on upon-stone, to metal sheet to what people know now paper and the use of pen or pencil. This happened
30,000 years ago and people are still and will keep using the invention of paper and pen for quite some more
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years. Technology has made a huge impact on all schools, jobs, hospitals etc. giving the opportunity of
having a higher education and accurate results. The role schools being were the skills and abilities of young
people are developing, school should be the place were technology can be introducing to the young
generation this way they will learn and control their advantage to this. Educational technology as on the
book The Educational Technology Handbook by Steven Hack Barth explains is a systematic process of
developing solutions to problems of teaching and learning. (Hack Barth, 1996) How technology has
transformed education by providing sophisticated tools were the whole educational system has changed. The
public were the only way of teaching was the professor talking with no way of having a visual example from
the teacher were students used paper and ink. One of the biggest inventions of all were the source of
research getting the first modern library by John Dury on 1651, having the advantage of books believed to
be invented by the Sumerians around 1300BC. Having chalkboards for teachers and chalkboards slates for
students till the 1700 and introducing the modern pencil Nicolas-Jacques Conte until 1795. Audio-visuals
Age 1930, where film strip projector was introduced on schools having the opportunity to what educational
videos and a year after 1940 the overhead projector was invented changing the way of teaching and students
learning. Technology was not constantly there for the use of the students, they started form the bottom to
where we are now. Having on mind the immense changes of technology and all these changes had been
done because of the necessities of the people and their education. Having greater education on technology
will show people what else can be invented to require a better knowledge.
Interactive whiteboards mostly know as smart boards introduced on 1991 have replaced the traditional
chalkboards, Smart-boards are the new way students and professors are interacting. This new technology
gives the advantage to keep their normal whiteboard and add a device which will make their normal
whiteboard to smart boards, where students can go to front and touch or write with their finger the answer on
the board taking physical ink from the whiteboard without the use of the projector making the environment
of the classroom friendlier to students. According to Chris Dede (2009) the number of computers inside the
classroom continues to increase making the computer the most important tool in school, making the internet
having big part of student’s life. Programs have been invented through the internet making turning in work
easier and fast, Blackboard could be one of the numerous program’s internet can provide to schools. For
some people using this technology can be easy but for others it will take longer on understanding how a
program works. Having the opportunity of finishing your work on a computer and turning it in right away in
the same device can come handy. Teachers post their lessons and future assignments under these programs
or send them to the student’s email, but sometimes people need to understand students have a tide budget
and they cannot afford a computer. They need to make a trip to their local library and borrow a computer.
Before students had the advantage of all this technology, they would have to write down their notes, use pen
or pencil to do their homework, go to teacher’s office hours to get tutoring etc. students did not have all their
assignments in a computer or USB. They would do double the work students do now, but considering the
work students do in this century is double on what other centuries used to give their students. Some high
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schools have programs about how students can borrow computers, laptops and the newest technology the
school can afford they provide. On 1868 Christopher Sholes invents the first typewriter with a QWERTY
keyboard, due to this shorthand classes were introduced in schools giving the students the privilege to learn
how to write the double number of words in half of the time. 1977 first personal computers were introduced
to schools, were 18% of United States public school had one computer for instruction only, 1991 computers
were in all school and were 1 computer for every 18 students and it kept going to increase the number of
computers to the year of 2000 were 1 computer for every 5 students in school were available. Adding to the
evolution of computers the first handheld calculator was invented by Texas Instruments in 1967, since that
year besides making the long process of getting an answer a machine would do it. Technology needs
education to work, this way by the education people have they will invent the new tools most people have in
their hands now a day. “Educational technology is not, and never will be, transformative on its own,
however. It requires the assistance of educators who integrate technology into the curriculum, align it with
student learning goals, and use it for engaged learning projects.” Technology would be taking most of our
knowledge today, but that doesn’t mean we need to rely on it most of the time. By people understanding
how technology would one day vanish the same way one day appeared, will make people be prepare by not
living traditional lessons aside.

4.1.2 How often students use technology on school and at home?

In the 21 century, teachers who use technology frequently in their classrooms remark greater benefits to
students learning, from teachers who are fewer regular users. That's one of the major findings from a K-12
technology study released by researchers. According Nagel (2010) explains the increase of the use of
technology:
 22 percent of those surveyed were considered frequent users of technology, spending 31 percent or
more of class time using technology to support learning.
 17 percent were defined as moderate users, those who spend, 21 percent to 30 percent of class time
using technology.
 26 percent sporadic users, spending 11 percent to 20 percent of class time using technology.
 34 percent infrequent users, who reported spending 10 percent or less of class time supporting
learning with technology.

The outcomes from K-12 study explain how most students use technology at school than at home having
more access to technology at school because of the computers, clickers, tablets, cell phones etc. most of their
material at school now a days involve more use of technology that just reading a book. For frequent,
moderate and infrequent users most of their times at school are using some kind of technology, while at
home parents can limit the access to their children and have a moderate use of technology.

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The Use of Technology
According to various survey approximately 77 % of preteens (ages 10-13) and 86% of teens (ages 14-17)
use the Internet when doing their school-work, how children don’t used the same amount as adult teen uses
technology, but children still have a huge percent of technology use and their time is more use on playing
games online, while the teens and adult teen use their time on e-mail provably talking to professor, getting
grades etc. and school work.
Some schools can provide the latest technology to their students, having this technology students and
teachers can understand why the increase on the use of technology inside the classroom. By spending time
on their laptops, others on their newest tablets can get great sources for their research on their projects.
Calculators and smart-boards can be led to these percentages on their use on technology. “Often students
are looking for a site where they can go to the quickest and the most information with minimal effort”.
What some teachers do when the time of researching on their given topics is that they will provide a list of
reliable web side were students could make their research and found great results besides relying on Google,
Wikipedia etc.
On the other side some students cannot afford these luxuries and stick with what their schools can provide,
some schools have programs where they provide some types of technology to students because of economic
need. These way students can have the opportunity to have a laptop and do their homework at home.

4.1.3 What are the positive/negative effects on the Academic Performance and experience of the
students?
On every change there has to be positive and negative results, sometimes students need to be aware of this
result because they will know if the changes are working or they are not improving in their learning. To let
directors and teachers know if it is worth it to give the advantage of computers and other technology to
students. By paying attention to the improvement of the students and how they are using this technology,
giving a sense of being worth spending thousands of dollars to the increase of computers to colleges and
local schools. According to Don Knesek explains the results of the addition of technology to education:

 The research findings presented in this brief demonstrate that technology is being effectively
integrated into teaching and learning and is having a positive impact on increasing student
achievement through test scores and the acquisition of 21st century skills. Fortifying today’s
generation with a foundation of technology-based skills that fit within the larger picture of global
competitiveness.
 By measuring their knowledge teacher will understand how their students are using technology.
Sometimes technology doesn’t help the students improve; maybe can do the opposite it can be just a
tool that distract students form their main focus on homework and other things. In cases where

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 students won’t show any improve, they will take these advantages and let students work by
traditional style, were they will need to go to the library and read a book.
 By the advantage of technology teachers need to learn how this technology works and how they can
teach their students the importance of this advantage. If teachers are not familiar with the content
students are exposed to, teachers will not know to how much information’s students are getting the
access off.
Bill Powers “Why ‘I don’t have time for Technology’ is no longer Excusable” explain by its title
how people cannot give more excuses about not using technology, now a days Facebook and Twitter
between others has given the most opportunities and connections students , teachers and other
people outside the education field. “I have connected with educator’s right here in Springfield I had
never and may not have ever met others across the state of Missouri at Edcamp and on Twitter, and
even more from coast-to-coast and outside the borders of the United States. I couldn’t make those
connections without social media. I’ve learned with and connected with more educators in the last
two years than most educators have in a lifetime”.
 Teachers now can communicate with their students outside the classroom, whenever students have
questions or thoughts, they can easily send an email and most likely their professors will answer.
Students and teachers have to show improvements and withdraw on this subject. Some students will
feel better with this technology but other students can get the advantage of this and used for their
own on school and not achieving the progress other students are showing.

4.1.4 Are teachers receiving the adequate technology to prepare students for their future?
Teacher’s education system is to prepare their students to meet the demands their classes in the future will
ask. By teachers having the access to technology can make a huge change on their way of teaching making
students have a better learning experience. The personal technology in class can make teachers feel unclear
because they will not know if students will use this as a way of cheating or against the same teachers who
are allowing this.
Advances in technology have always changed the way people are educated and how education is changing
technology and students are in charge of how their improvements will be. Technology has transformed
everyone teachers, students etc. but problems some teachers will have are how to use this technology,
programs can give all the technology teachers are looking for but for some this technology can be a bad
dream. Some teachers are not used to all this technology, but as many people mentions “you can never get
used to technology” maybe some may just loose the interest to have all this advantages to learn this
technology skills. Some technology is necessary some other is not. Having the appropriate tools in class to
make the lecture more entertaining and getting students attention are essential, this way students will be
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encourage to keep the hard work up and keeping their grades on level
“The reality is that students of the 21st century need a technology-based education to survive in a
technological world.” Not having the correct technology to have a correct education can affect a student’s
future. Most have made will this technology a better environment inside the classroom were students will
like to interact in class and other will have the opportunity to still interact but from a remote because some
students are not as social as others and preferred to stay that way.

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 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

5.1 Objective of the research:

To understand the perception and awareness of the masses towards online education.
Understand preference towards online or offline education on the basis of drivers, barriers,
preference to teaching methodology, payment options, etc.

5.2 Research methodology:

This study, was performed in multiple stages:

Phase 1:
Qualitative focus
GD/Interviews &
so on searches

Phase 2:
Quantitative
searches

Figure 5.2.1

PHASE 1: QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Qualitative research was undertaken to analyses key triggers, barriers and perception among online
and offline users.
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 • Methodology: Focused group discussions and interviews collection from web search.
• User segments covered: Users opting for higher education (online)-
females, Users opting for higher education (online)- females, users for online
certification courses- males, group of offline users- males, primary and
secondary education users (offline)- females, vocational training users
(offline)- females

PHASE 2: QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS VIA ONLINE SURVEYS SEARCHES

Based on inputs from Phase 1, a quantitative survey searches were conducted to gauge different
aspects of consumer behavior across online users, offline users and intenders of online education.

• Methodology : Around 3600 participated in online surveys conducted

across four regions- North (Agra, Chandigarh, Delhi, Jaipur, Kanpur and
Lucknow), East (Guwahati, Kolkata, Patna, Ranchi), West (Ahmedabad,
Bhopal, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Surat, Vadodara) and South (Bangalore,
Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi, Hyderabad, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram,
Vijayawada, Vishakhapatnam). Interviews were limited to a time duration
of 15 to 20 mins, with a maximum of 25 questions per interview, including
screening questions.

Online Surveys was conduct by Google – KPMG Researches for Online

Education.

Methodology

 Market revenue estimation: The volume estimate is based on the number

of internet users in India, unfulfilled need for education across categories,
number of offline users of a category and adoption of online learning in
major categories. The volume estimates for 2021 are based on standards of
potential changes in the regulatory scenario and the projected rise in
internet penetration in India. Revenue in Indian market is based on per cent
of paying customers and the average transaction value for the paying base
across key categories. The estimates were further triangulated through
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 reported financials of key players across major sub- segments of the Indian
online education market. The 2021 market revenues have been projected
based on the expected rise in average transaction value, enabled by
projected rise in disposable income, inflation and consumer spending along
with change in per cent of paying customers based on potential rise in
acceptability of the online channel.

5.3 Sources

1. Primary research

 Discussion with industry experts and key players conducted by KPMG in India –
Opted from Web Search

2. Secondary research

 Annual reports of leading players in the industry

 Reports published on the Indian education system, published by the

MHRD and third-party sources

 Industry journals and magazines

 Company press releases

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 DATA ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION

6.1 Education Landscape in India

India has a multi-layered formal education system with ~ 260 million students enrolled in more than 1.5

million schools and ~ 39,000 colleges catering to 27.5 million under graduate and four million post graduate
students. Formal education includes primary and secondary schools, graduation, post- graduation and
diploma courses. Schools are governed by state and central bodies, viz. CBSE, ICSE, state and international
boards. India has one of the largest higher education systems in the world, primarily dominated by private
sectors. Higher education in India though governed by UGC has a 3- tier structure comprising the university,
college and course. Different regulatory bodies such as Medical Council of India (MCI), All India Council
for Technical Education (AICTE) and the Bar Council India (BCI), among others, manage different
professional courses.
Informal education includes pre-primary, coaching classes, vocational education and
multi-media/technology based educational courses aiding as a supplement or substitute to formal education.
India’s informal education market is one of the largest in the world. Pre-primary market has low entry
barriers and has witnessed large number of players in the last few years. Presence of a large working
population and increasing requirement of skilled workers, is instrumental in the prominent growth of
vocational education in India. Test preparation contributes to a significant share of informal education in
India. The online channel for education in India includes primary and secondary education to hobbies and
language learning across formal and informal forms. Online players have developed B2C, B2B and C2C
solutions in line with the customer’s requirements.
For the purpose of this report, online education is defined as: 'Learning modules which can be accessed by

individuals through internet enabled devices' and is restricted to consumer paid services by users in India.

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 Figure 6.1

6.2 Overview of The Online Education Ecosystem in India

The online platform providers play a pivotal role in the online education ecosystem. Initially, the platform
served as enablers by connecting prospective students and content providers. In recent times, the platform
providers have increasingly played the role of content providers and curators. Online education in India has
a mix of dedicated online only and offline players with an online presence. C2C business models have also
emerged where the platform connects prospective teachers and students. B2B offerings are prevalent in
higher education, where institutions offer degree/diploma courses to students through their own platforms or
third-party aggregators. Corporate tie-ups assist in co-creation of industry certified content, which enhances
overall acceptance of online education amongst the target user base. Improved internet connectivity and
adoption of digital payment options have significantly aided in the growth of online education in India.

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 Figure 6.2

6.3 The Past, Present and Future of EdTech Start-ups

Between January 2014 and September 2019, more than 4,450 EdTech start-ups have been launched in
India.
However, 25% of start-ups have shut shop while only 4.17% of start-ups have raised funds.
Will EdTech’s overdependence on online test prep and K-12 learning change soon?

An analysis of China’s current state of start-up ecosystem will have very few but clear winners, one of
which is the EdTech sector. In India too, with the nationwide lockdown, there is a sudden surge in demand

for EdTech start-ups even as others are struggling to find a way out. Ecommerce and EdTech are two sectors
that may survive this rock phase, say experts.

However, as of now, it will not be wrong to say that EdTech is yet to gain mass traction. Despite the launch
of 4,450 EdTech start-ups in the country, India has only one unicorn in the sector, BYJU’s, with a $5.7 Bn
valuation. In fact, as we have mentioned in our earlier reports, BYJU’s also had to spend a good ten years to
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reach the valuation. The start-up worked in stealth mode from 2011 to 2015 and the app was launched only
in 2015.

For new entrepreneurs in the space, staying afloat has been all the more difficult. There is still a lack of
warm reception for tech in India and many other countries. What a classroom can offer in terms of
interpersonal skills, is something tech may not be able to replace, say educational experts.

“The failure rate for EdTech start-ups is comparable with any other sector. Given that education is a high-
involvement category and a career-affecting service, tech adoption is usually lower compared to other
services and products. Hence, EdTech start-ups can take more time to scale up than in some of the other
categories,” Pranjal Kumar, CFO and head of education fund at Bertelsmann.

6.4 Funding and Mergers & Acquisitions in EdTech

According to Data Labs by Inc42, between January 2014 and September 2019, more than 4,450 EdTech
start-ups have been launched in India. However, 25% of start-ups have shut shop while only 4.17% of
start-ups have raised funds. BYJU’s grabbed 65% of the total funding in EdTech start-ups. The start-ups
are, till date, finding it difficult to create a steady revenue stream.

6.5 Role of VCs

To a great extent venture capitalists (VC) are playing an important role in helping the start-up ecosystem,
including EdTech, largely considered futuristic. “VC investments have often been likened to rocket fuel or
running on a treadmill. When we come in and invest we want to see you grow 5x over the next 15-18
months and keep that momentum going after each round of financing,” said Sajith Pai, Director, Blume
Ventures.
The VCs who have been supporting BYJU’S, Vedantu, Toppr and others in the Indian EdTech industry to
scale-up businesses would be as below:

 Blume Ventures: Blume has made six investments in EdTech at pre-series A and seed stage. The
investments have been in an array of segments within EdTech including online test-prep, gamified
learning, B2B white label apps for coaching classes and others.
 Sequoia Capital: Known to be very active in the fintech segment, with 13 deals in 2019, Sequoia
grabbed 10 deals in the EdTech sector in 2019.
 Omidyar Network: The VC firm makes equity investments in early-stage enterprises and provides
grants to non-profits in education and others.

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  Nexus Venture Partners: The venture fund has backed start-ups such as Unacademy, Quizizz, White
Hat Jr among others
 SAIF Partners: Toppr and Unacademy are some of the key investments by the VC in the Indian
EdTech market so far
 Accel Partners: They have invested in start-ups including Edu pristine and Vedantu
 InnoVen Capital: The two prominent companies funded by InnoVen India include BYJU’S and
Eruditus

Other than the above, Helion Venture Partners, Indian Angel Network (IAN) and India Educational
Investment Fund are some of the prominent funds in the sector.

6.6 Mergers & Acquisitions

The EdTech ecosystem also saw Initial Public Offering (IPO), and mergers and acquisitions, the two of the
most common exit strategies in any start-up ecosystem. As per Data Labs’ the Future of India’s $2 Bn
EdTech Opportunity Report 2020 between 2014 and 2019, a total of 35 EdTech start-ups underwent merger
or acquisition. The report also states that the Indian EdTech start-up ecosystem has seen the participation of
28 active acquirers, 54% of which hail from the education technology sector itself.
“M&As in the EdTech space is generally focussed on either acquiring start-ups with good intellectual
property in the form of content, pedagogy, integrated hardware, and software or by acquiring start-ups
having a proven business model, market penetration and good reach,” Rajeev Tiwari, founder and director of
STEMROBO Technologies that offers STEAM learning programme for K-12 segment told Inc42 in an
earlier interview.

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 Figure 6.6

6.7 From Smartboards to Augmented Reality

The right to free education up to the age of 14 is enshrined as a fundamental right in Article 21A of the
Indian constitution. However, what changed the game was the introduction of Right To Education
(RTE) through the 86th constitutional amendment in 2002. Since then, the adult literacy rate in the country
has jumped up by 13% from 61% in 2001 to 74% in 2018.
The gap in quality of education delivered in private school and the public institutions is increasing every
year, as per the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER). According to the report, among fifth-grade
students only 23% could solve a simple division problem in government schools, while this number was
40% in more expensive private schools. The introduction of RTE has helped at least a small segment of the
population seek private education.
Even within private schools, till a decade ago digital education was restricted to smartboards in classrooms
till the SaaS or B2B segment came up. After 2010-11, start-ups such as BYJU’S, Toppr, Meritnation,
Simplilearn among others in India have changed the way education was perceived in the country. Education
is no longer just limited to classrooms. EdTech start-ups offer free and open access to knowledge and the

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transparency is also higher.
The adoption of vernacular languages by EdTech start-ups is another reason for the rising popularity of
EdTech start-ups. “Only 10% of India’s population can speak English. To build large businesses that can
capture greater value, incorporating vernacular learning is key,” said Sajith Pai, Director Blume Ventures.

6.8 Popular Segments

With Indian education being primarily a marks-based system even today, test preparation (from K-12 to
entrance exams) and online certification are the two segments that are seeing more takers than others.
Between 2014 to 2019, start-ups in test prep and online certification start-ups earned a whopping 88% ($1.6
Bn) of the total capital inflow in EdTech.

With marks and certification still being the primary focus in educational institutions and chasing the great
American dream mindset in the market, the investor interest for test prep and online certification start-ups is
also expected to increase. The EdTech industry today caters to five core sub-sectors including test
preparation, online certification, skill development, online discovery, and STEAM kit and enterprise
solutions.

Lido Learning, for instance, enables students from class 5 to class 9 to connect online with live teachers who
offer math and science tutorials. Parents pay a subscription fee for their kids to attend small group classes
through real-time interactions with teachers. The platform also provides students access to offline content to
practice classroom lessons. Besides math and science, Lido is looking to launch English tutorials in the first
quarter of 2020.

“Students in smaller towns were thrilled to be getting the same product and the same quality of teachers
that students in the bigger cities were getting. That is when Lido’s vision changed — it was not just about
making tuition classes convenient anymore, it was about democratizing education for all,” Sahil Sheth,
founder, Lido Learning told Inc42.

The Indian education system is focused on marks and teaching for test grades. However, unlike education
systems in other countries, this style of education does not prepare students for real life. This is the pain
point most EdTech start-ups are trying to solve.

Zishaan Hayath, CEO and cofounder of Toppr, a popular online learning app, told Inc42 in an earlier
interview, “The problem with the traditional Indian education system is its ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach
that fails to take into account the varied abilities of the students they’re trying to educate. This, combined

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with the questionable quality of education in schools, leaves students in the lurch after they graduate, as
they simply don’t have the skills to get good jobs.”

More than 15 Mn students in India prepare for competitive exams and thus there is a huge market for online
test preparation start-ups backed by the reach of the internet in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns.

This gives start-ups like institution management platforms such as Class Plus a big market. A majority of the
coaching classes have an offline infrastructure, highlighting scale-up challenges as well as an inability to
ensure a seamless post-classroom engagement with their students and parents. This is making them look
forward to technology in assisting them to run their daily tasks and administration.

Start-ups such as Gurugram-based EdTech company Pesto is also trying to bridge the skill gap between
engineers and multinational companies. The start-up offers two different programs – Pesto PRO and Pesto
Remote – designed for experienced engineers who want to “superskill” themselves to go from good to great
and become proficient to break into international high-tech careers.

Educators are also betting high on AR/VR as the next big success in the space. As Ankur Aggarwal,
founder of VR-based EdTech start-up Veative told us the enduring objective of EdTech is to improve the
yearning to learn and AR/VR helps implement it in a spectacular manner.

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 Figure 6.8

6.9 Beginning of A New Era of Learning?

As per Data Labs analysis, test prep and K-12 EdTech start-ups combined are estimated to be worth $1.3 Bn
by 2021, which means that the Indian EdTech market will not be seeing any major changes in terms of the
hottest sectors. More such predictions can be found in the latest report released by Data Labs — The Future
of India’s $2 Bn EdTech Opportunity Report 2020.

“It would be safe to say that the traits of the Chinese economy which helped its EdTech industry boom find
their parallels in India which indicates a very bright future for Indian EdTech and may justify the high
valuations that companies in this sector command,” said Akhil Shahani, Managing Director of The Shahani
Group.

Moreover, the policies also seem to be in place for better adoption of technology in education like online
learning platforms, AI-driven customized learning solutions, video-based learning, peer-to-peer learning,
etc. in government & private institutions.

The education sector is also forecast to spend more than $6 Bn annually on augmented and virtual
reality technologies by 2023. “Funding for the technologies remains a major hurdle to adoption, but price
points for equipment are dropping rapidly, according to a new market forecast from ABI Research,” said
Simulanis founder Raman Talwar earlier.

According to another report, “Augmented and Virtual Reality in Education,” the market for augmented
reality in education will hit $5.3 Bn in 2023, with the market for virtual reality head-mounted displays
trailing at $640 Mn.

Additionally, among the other EdTech subsectors, favorable market conditions combined with the growing
demand makes the skill development sub-sector a lucrative opportunity for high-value returns for Indian
start-up investors.

For 2020, Inc42 had also curated a list of some EdTech start-ups that are expected to make the biggest
impact on the market. The list includes White Hat Jr, Playshifu, Lido Learning, Pesto, Kings
Learning, Cuemath, Classplus. Well, with schools and other educational institutions shut due to coronavirus,
more EdTech start-ups are expected to find takers, as is seen in China.

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 Figure 6.9

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6.10 Impact of the Covid -19 Pandemic

In the education sector, 166 countries have implemented country-wide school and university closures.
More than 1.52 billion children and youth are currently out of school or university, representing 87 per
cent of the world enrolled school and university student population. In addition, nearly 60.2 million
teachers are no longer in the classroom.

School closures have a wide range of adverse impacts on children and young people, including interrupted
learning and forgone human interaction, which is essential to social and behavioural development. When
schools close, many children lose the meals provided at school and a zone of safety. This impact on their
nutrition has knock on effects on family income, which in turn adds to the demand for women and girls’
unpaid work. The World Food Program (WFP) estimates that more than 320 million primary schoolchildren
in 120 countries are now missing out on school meals. School interruption also causes gaps in childcare,
which puts pressures on work and life balance, especially for women, and parents when asked to facilitate
the children’s learning at home.

Sustained disruption of education could lead to a rise in child labor and child marriage, placing a further
brake on developing countries growth. A recent IMF paper showed that child marriages reduces low-income
country GDP by 1 per cent.

Digital technologies have become a positive enabler in this crisis, facilitating business continuity and
connecting people more than ever and helping them maintain good mental health. However, inequality of
access to broadband connectivity and inaccessibility of ICTs hinders effective remote participation and
access to remote schooling arrangements, health information and telemedicine by all. According to ITU, an
estimated 3.6 billion people remain offline, with the majority of the unconnected living in the least
developed countries.

The response to the virus is also having a differentiated impact on segments of the population. The fact that
women make up 70 per cent of the global health workforce puts them at greater risk of infection.
Additionally, accompanying the crisis has been a spike in domestic violence reporting, at exactly the time
that services, including rule of law, health and shelters, are being diverted to address the pandemic. With
families isolated in their homes, children are also facing the rapid increase of online child abuse.

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 Figure 6.10

6.11 Indian Govt Seeks to Monetize Its EdTech Platform SWAYAM

 The proposal is to pay government 15% of fee collected from students

 University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved an internal proposal
 The government plans for education to be a mix of online and offline mode

As EdTech gains prominence in the Covid-19 world, the government now wants to monetise its online
education courses under SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds). A
Livemint report said that education regulators University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved an
internal proposal asking higher education institutions to pay for the scheme, which promotes online courses
and hosts them on a dedicated platform.

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 FINDINGS / CONCLUSION

7.1 Findings
The implementation of innovations and educational technologies have proved to be beneficial to the
individuals in carry out functioning of the educational institutions in an appropriate manner. The major
benefits of innovation and educational technologies have been stated as follows:

Tasks become Less Time Consuming – Through making use of technologies, individuals are able to carry
out their tasks and functions in less time-consuming manner. When they are well-quipped with making use
of computers, they are able to complete their assignments, reports and projects in less time-consuming
manner. Research has indicated that when individuals made use of pens and paper, it was tedious and they
experienced difficulties and problems in completing their tasks on time. Hence, the use of technology has
enabled them to render an effective contribution in completing their assignments on time. In higher
educational institutions, when students are taking exams, they make use of lap-tops. As they possess this
viewpoint that they will be able to complete their work on time.

Facilitate Editing and Changes – When the individuals are preparing reports or projects making use of
computers, they are able to make changes. There is a saying, write in haste and polish at leisure. Therefore,
individuals normally write in haste, but take time in identifying the errors and making corrections. When
they read their assignments and are to make changes, they can easily make changes on technologies, before
final submission. Making presentations is one of the indispensable teaching-learning methods. The
instructors too make presentations in terms of lesson plans. On the other hand, students too are required to
make presentations as part of their assessment strategies. Hence, changes can easily be made in
presentations as well and this is regarded as one of the most important benefits of technologies.

Communication – Research has indicated that within the course of pursuance of doctoral programs or in
distance learning, the students in some cases do not meet with their supervisors frequently. Therefore, they
make use of technologies to communicate with them. Technologies are made use of in emailing and
messaging information as well as in the preparation of assignments and projects. In order to carry out their
assignments in an appropriate manner, the fellow students also need to interact with each other and
exchange ideas. Hence, the use of technologies has rendered a significant contribution in facilitating

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communication between individuals. Technologies have facilitated the communication of short messages,
ideas and perspectives as well as lengthy assignments, reports and projects.

Leading to Fundamental Transformations in the System of Education – It is necessary to bring about

transformations in the existing system of education. When transformations are brought about, it is necessary
to ensure that they prove to be worthwhile and beneficial towards promoting well-being of the members and
the overall system of education. As the individuals leverage 2.0 technologies, one learns from the advances
in cognitive sciences and pay attention to the effective models of learning. The effective models of learning
render a significant contribution in the reinforcement of relationships between instructors and students. The
instructors find implementation of job duties manageable and the students too are able to acquire an efficient
understanding of academic concepts.

Generation of Ideas to Provide Solutions to Problems – The generation of ideas is necessary to provide
solutions to problems and difficulties that may arise within the course of implementation of job duties.
Through the use of technology and modern and innovative methods, individuals can provide solutions to
problems. Often, most innovative solutions come from those, who are viewing the facts from the new angle
or with the new insights. In the case of occurrence of problems or difficulties, individuals are required to put
into practice innovative problem-solving methods. Combining ideas from across silos and sectors are
important new and innovative methods in providing solutions to problems.

Supporting the Learning Cycle – Learning is a lifelong process. The individuals are not only engaged in
learning academic knowledge, but they are also engaged in supporting learning cycle. Providing support to
learning cycle means implementing tasks and activities that would facilitate the acquisition of learning. As
individuals make use of internet, when they are to acquire knowledge in terms of academic concepts or view
images and pictures, it is supportive to them to a large extent. But when the individuals need to make use of
technology for leisure and recreational purposes or make sales and purchase of items or carry out other
activities, such as ordering a cab, then too they need to learn various aspects. Hence, it can be stated that use
of technology renders a significant contribution in supporting learning cycle. Apart from academic learning,
individuals get engaged in comprehensive learning through technology.

Promotion of Aligned and Effective Assessments – Assessments are an integral part of teaching and
learning processes. After the completion of a lesson plan, the educators need to put into operation the
appropriate assessment methods that would enable them to understand how much the students have
improved and whether their teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies have proved to be
beneficial. Aligned and effective assessments enable common standards and a strong content. Significant
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work must be done to develop and use better timelier and more useful measurements of growth in student
performance on both content and skills. The platforms that enable the system of aligned and effective
assessments, including open-ended questions in tests, class assignments, home-work assignments and
competitions. The practitioners should be provided with the opportunity to measure progress, maintain
records of effectual instructional practice and prescribe instructional solutions.

Creating Data Standards and Strong Information Platforms – The creation of data standards and strong
information platforms is regarded as an essential, particularly when making use of technologies and
innovative methods. This point can be explained better with the help of an example. In doctoral programs,
when research scholars are working on their research thesis, they are required to conduct an analysis of the
data collected, using the statistical software called, Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS). In order to
make use of SPSS, they are required to generate information and augment their computer skills. For this
purpose, they even get enrolled in short-term training programs. Hence, it can be stated that individuals
make use of technology and innovative methods in creating data standards and strong information platforms.

Improving Productivity and Effectiveness – New approaches and new technologies need to be made use
of in bringing about improvements in productivity and effectiveness. There is a need to bring about
improvements in the technology tools to improve productivity and effectiveness. The technologies need to
make provision of real-time resources for data-based instructional decision making, student diagnostics and
proscription, professional development and performance management. Developments should take place in
technologies in such a manner that they can adapt to new needs and users can take advantage of modern and
innovative methods. Improvements can be brought about in productivity and effectiveness, when the
individuals are well-equipped in terms of usage of technologies. They need to continuously work towards
up-gradation of competencies and knowledge in terms of various kinds of technologies.

Development of Technologies for Implementation of Managerial Functions – In educational institutions

as well as within the classrooms, it is vital for the individuals to carry out the managerial functions. In order
to carry out the managerial functions in an appropriate manner, it is essential to augment managerial
competencies. The development of technologies is regarded as indispensable for the implementation of
managerial functions. The various managerial functions are planning, organizing, leading, coordinating and
controlling. The technologies are being used to a major extent in the implementation of these managerial
functions. Through the use of technologies, the members of the educational institutions can carry out these
functions in a manageable manner. Improvements need to be brought about in technologies to meet the

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needs of the members of the educational institutions. Apart from computers, the other technologies that are
made use of are, scanners, printers, photo-copiers, projectors, I pad, tablets, smartphones and mobile phones.

7.2 Conclusion
In conclusion, most opportunities on having technology and learning how to use it are more every day. Most
classrooms around the world are adding technology to their way of teaching, and technology has
revolutionized education on positive and negative ways. Adding programs were students can achieve their
goals no matter where they are living, internet having most of the part on this movement. Giving
opportunities of jobs to students by learning to use the most popular programs the computers provides.
Educational technology is the process of developing solutions and forms of teaching using technology to the
advantage of the students and teachers.
In order to lead to progression of the system of education in all regions, facilitate the acquisition of
education among individuals and enable the members of the educational institutions to carry out their tasks
and functions in a well-organized manner, it is necessary to make use of technologies and modern and
innovative methods. The use of technologies and internet have been used on a comprehensive scale in not
only educational institutions, but also in other organizations. Individuals are making use of internet on a
comprehensive extent for augmenting knowledge and understanding and for other purposes as well. The
major benefits of innovation and educational technologies are, tasks become less time consuming, facilitate
editing and changes, communication, leading to fundamental transformations in the system of education,
generation of ideas to provide solutions to problems, supporting the learning cycle, promotion of aligned and
effective assessments, creating data standards and strong information platforms, improving productivity and
effectiveness and development of technologies for implementation of managerial functions.

The other concept that has been taken into account is barriers to innovation in education. These are, lack
of clarity on the problem to be solved, lack of clear and common metrics, policy is impenetrable to most
innovators, lack of research, lack of technology and innovation, lack of competencies, weak knowledge
base, lack of infrastructural facilities, lack of financial resources and ineffective dissemination. It is vital to
formulate measures that would be elimination of barriers that may take place within the course of
implementation of technologies and innovative methods. The human resources need to upgrade their skills
and abilities that would enable them to make effective use of technologies and put into operation the
innovative methods in the implementation of various tasks and activities.

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 RECOMMENDATIONS AND LIMITATIONS

8.1 Recommendations
The education technology marketplace is a complex one, and many entrepreneurs and developers
are asking themselves what practices and design principles will make for a quality product that
users love and has real impact. Entrepreneurs and developers, consider these suggestions from
some of the best products and programs out there:
 Open up the design and implementation process. Products and programs effectively
address a real user need when many different stakeholders have input into design and
implementation.
 Remember that users must understand and feel comfortable with privacy
policies. Privacy is an important topic in a technology-rich world, and especially in
education technology. Policies for user privacy protection should be clear, detailed, and
user-friendly.
 Ensure there is an effective way to gather user feedback, and use that feedback to
drive iterative design. The best education technology companies address specific user-
identified needs, consider user feedback essential, and prioritize customer service to attend
to reported problems.
 Manage, repackage and deliver data to educators and administrators in a manner
that is understandable and actionable. Data that is nebulous and overwhelming detracts
from its helpfulness in the classroom, yet data that tracks student performance or gaps in
understanding can be helpful when shared in a way that educators can use, without
confusion or excessive time.
 Last but certainly not least, integrate relevant academic research into the development
and revision of a product or initiative.

8.1.1 Sustaining a Business in Times of COVID

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“100 years ago, during a similar global pandemic, children had no option to safely continue learning.

Today, with the help of technology, we can ensure that essential learning doesn’t stop.”

Figure 8.1.1

It’s undeniable that the pandemic has affected businesses of every size and sector across the globe. In the
hyper-warped version of the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) world that we are
operating in, businesses need to work and adapt at an unprecedented pace and scale. While this may seem
grueling, what we need to remember is that every crisis gives rise to new opportunities. Addressing a
challenge creates fresh ideas, generates new solutions, and is the foundation of many ever-lasting
businesses.
This is the perfect time to assess your business and your sector to emerge with a solid understanding of what
works and what doesn’t. Even in these testing times, businesses still have the potential to grow if they adapt
and make use of this opportunity.
What this means for organizations is that their leadership is faced with steering their business in a novel
setting. While navigating this unknown, a few key measures can come in handy.

LET THE MISSION INSPIRE YOU

Making sure that you’re in touch with the mission behind the business is crucial during times like these. It
can give you the much-needed boost and motivation to navigate uncharted waters without getting
overwhelmed. Reconnect with the original idea, the original emotion behind why your business does what it
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does - it’ll provide a lot of clarity and direction to where you’re headed.

ASSESS AND ADAPT

In this pandemic, scenarios are changing from week to week and as a by-product so are the needs of the
customer. Having a strategy that lends itself to agility definitely helps address these ever-changing needs.

At BYJU’S we faced this when the shutdown of schools due to the pandemic created the immediate need
for access to good teachers. We responded by launching Live Classes for students across the country with
scheduled sessions 3-4 times a week, so their essential learning can continue uninterrupted. - Divya
Golaknath, Co-Founder of Byju’s

COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE AND COMMUNICATE

Employees across organizations may have faced unexpected disruption to their work and their schedule. In
such times, clear communication from the top can help provide a sense of stability. In my opinion
authenticity in this communication is important. It can help everyone across the organization tie themselves
together towards the core mission and streamline the change in processes needed to drive the business
forward.

MAINTAIN AND BUILD TRUST

Trust is the basis of any successful relationship - be it with customers or co-workers. This pandemic has
caused ripples through every aspect of an organization’s functioning. However, it’s important that in the
aftermath, trust among stakeholders is not compromised. An open, two-way dialogue between stakeholders
can maintain and nurture the trust that has already been built so far. This will ensure that you have additional
support backing you in these times.

ACCEPT THE FORCES AT PLAY

As leaders, try best to manage the smooth functioning of a large number of organizational aspects. While
continue doing this, it helps to avoid brooding on things that are out of one’s control. Instead, focusing on
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things that can be bettered through monthly, weekly and most importantly, daily plans can help you reach
your organizational goals in this time of ambiguity. It’s important to have dynamic plans in place that will
help you assess, adapt and move forward. But, when things don’t go according to plan, don’t let it defeat
you. Remember that these are unprecedented times that call for compassion and empathy, even inwards. So,
in times of a setback, accept, learn and start working again.

8.2 Limitations

In the field of education, tasks and activities need to be carried out at the educators, students, educational
institutions and system levels. The members of the educational institutions aspire to carry out their tasks and
functions to their best abilities and generate appropriate outcomes. In order to achieve their goals and
objectives, they are required to make use of modern and innovative methods and approaches. Within the
course of implementation of modern and innovative approaches, certain barriers take place, which have been
stated as follows:

Lack of Clarity on the Problem to be solved – Within the course of acquisition of education, there are
certain problems that take place. Individuals need to be clear in terms of making provision of solutions to
those problems. When they are not clear, in other words, lack of clarity is one of the major barriers that may
take place. Significant ideological disagreements about the purpose and role of public education, rights of
the states, rights of parents and so forth, cause perplexity in the definitions of the problems to be solved.
Hence, this is one of the major factors that cause perplexity and lack of clarity on the part on the individuals
in terms of problems to be solved.

Lack of Clear and Common Metrics – A system with 50 standards means many types of innovations must
customize for each state, which is expensive and inhibits innovation. It also means large amount of funding
is used to meet the basic state targets in content and assessment, leaving less room for innovation in how one
is meant to teach and assess progress. In other words, when making use of modern and innovative methods
in the system of education, it is necessary for the members to hone their skills and competencies and make
sure that they prove to be beneficial to the individuals in reaching their goals and enhancing the overall
system of education.

Policy is Impenetrable to Most Innovators – Innovations are rarely translated into policy changes,
whether they are from social entrepreneurs, who operate exterior from the system, where policy constraints

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are reduced, or from inside change agents, whose work is focused on the constraints of the traditional
system. Transformations of political forces and school boards are often used as a political stepping stone,
leading to spinning wheels in most districts, which ironically creates almost constant change for the
practitioners. But it makes it impossible to sustain any innovation long enough to truly understand the
efficacy. Hence, policies need to be formulated that would be assisting and supportive to most of the
innovators.

Lack of Research – Market dynamics and incentives do not promote innovation. In order to bring about
innovation in the system of education, it is necessary to alleviate fragmentation and oligopoly. The educators
make visits to other educational institutions as well to generate awareness in terms of use of modern and
innovative methods. They need to conduct research in terms of how innovative methods are rendering a
significant contribution in bringing about improvements in the system of education. Lack of research and
unawareness are major barriers within the course of utilization of modern and innovative methods in the
system of education. What kinds of innovative methods need to be made use of is also an important aspect.

Lack of Technology and Innovation – In primarily schools and adult education and training centers in
rural communities, the technology infrastructure is not adequately developed. There are wide disparities in
the system of education in urban and rural areas. In educational institutions in urban areas, there is usage of
technology and innovative methods in educational institutions at all levels. On the other hand, in educational
institutions in rural areas, there is lack of technology and modern and innovative methods. Due to lack of
technology and innovation, there are occurrence of problems and impediments within the course of
progression of the overall system of education. On the other hand, the use of traditional methods is impeding
learning on the part of students. Hence, it is vital to implement technology and innovation in teaching-
learning methods in educational institutions in rural areas as well.

Lack of Competencies – The professions of teaching, school leadership and educational administration are
the ones that not only render an effective contribution in improving student learning and enhancing the
overall system of education, but they are rendering an operative contribution in promoting well-being of the
community. In obtaining these professions, the individuals need to possess the required educational
qualifications, competencies, aptitude and experience. Lack of competencies on the part of individuals are
regarded as the major barriers within the course of implementation of tasks and activities. When they are to
bring about innovations, they need to ensure they augment their competencies and aptitude. They need to put
in their best abilities to generate the desired outcomes.

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Weak Knowledge Base – It is essential for the individuals to upgrade their knowledge and abilities,
particularly in terms of their job duties. In some cases, educators are not aware of appropriate teaching-
learning methods, they do not possess adequate knowledge in terms of their subjects and concepts and are
not experienced. Due to these factors, they are unable to help students in achieving their academic goals and
objectives, they are unable to provide adequate answers to questions put forward by students and experience
impediments within the course of achievement of academic goals and progression of the overall system of
education. Hence, in order to carry out their job duties appropriately, it is vital for the individuals, not only
in teaching positions, but in other positions as well to augment their knowledge base.

Lack of Infrastructural Facilities – In educational institutions, in order to lead to progression of the overall
system of education, it is necessary to pay attention towards the development of infrastructure. The
development of infrastructural facilities makes the overall environmental conditions within educational
institutions and classrooms soothing towards learning. The main infrastructural facilities include,
laboratories, library facilities, computer centers, playgrounds, civic amenities, provision of adequate
furniture, equipment and teaching-learning materials within the classrooms and other facilities, which may
lead to development of interest and motivation and enable the individuals to carry out their job duties in a
well-organized manner. On the other hand, lack of these facilities is regarded as major barriers within the
course of implementation of tasks and activities. Hence, it is vital for the educators to bring about
improvements in the infrastructural facilities.

Lack of Financial Resources – Financial resources are considered indispensable in leading to up-gradations
in the overall system of education. When new technologies are to be introduced, or innovative practices need
to be implemented or improvements need to be brought about in instructional strategies or any other aspects
of the environmental conditions, the financial resources are regarded to be of utmost significance. In rural
communities in India, the lack of financial resources is regarded as one of the major barriers within the
course of progression of the overall system of education. Hence, it is essential for the members of the
educational institutions to implement financial planning in an appropriate manner. Research has indicated
that availability of financial resources is regarded as indispensable in leading to up-gradations in the
educational institutions in urban and rural areas.

Ineffective Dissemination – Not much attention has been paid towards dissemination of knowledge and
information. Through dissemination of knowledge and information, benefits can reach the individuals,
beyond those that were originally developed and served. This is mainly due to isolation of practitioners and
their lack of rewards and incentives for adopting innovative practices. But it is also because, too often,

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dissemination is referred to the development of lengthy reports. Therefore, effectiveness in the
dissemination process will be promoted through making use of technology. Through dissemination of
information and knowledge, the individuals will be able to generate awareness and augment their
understanding in terms of the fact, how innovations can be advantageous to individuals in enhancing the
system of education.

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 REFERENCE OR BIBLIOGRAPHY

 United Nation report on socio – economic impact of Covid -19 – March 2020
 Linkedln.com – Various Blogs
 Ms. Divya Golaknath (Co – Founder, Byju’s) Blogs
 Survey report of Google – KPMG on Online Education
 Byju’s.com/ About
 Toppr.com/ About
 Meritnation.com/ About
 UpGrad.com/ About
 Unacademy.com/ About
 Vedantu.com/ About
 https://www.pw.live/about-us
 https://www.khanglobalstudies.com/about-us
 https://www.magnetbrains.com/about-us/
 https://www.adda247.com/contact-us.html
 Crunchbase.com
 Digitalpromise.org
 Inc42.com
 Leverageedu.com
 Data Labs Analysis – Inc42.com
 Google Images

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 KEY WORDS
 EduTech or EdTech – Educational Technology
 IoT – Internet of Things
 AI – Artificial Intelligence
 FY – Financial Year
 App – Application
 K-5 To K-12 – Class – 5 To Class – 12
 AR & VR – Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality
 SWAYAM – Study of webs of active learning for young aspiring minds
 Bn & Mn – Billion & Million
 B2B – Business to Business
 B2C – Business to Customer or Business to Consumer
 C2C – Customer to Customer or Consumer to Consumer
 UGC – University Grant Commission
 T – prep or Test – prep – Test Preparation
 M & As – Mergers & Acquisitions
 VCR – Video Cassette Recorder
 A & V – Audio & Video
 UN – United Nation
 KPMG – Klynveled Peat Marwick Goerdeler International Company

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