There is absolutely no doubting the rising popularity of eLearning – the numbers speak for themselves, globally the industry is poised to reach $325 billion by 2025! And it’s not hard to understand the reasons for this astounding proliferation – the ease of learning combined with the massive cost savings are driving people towards eLearning.
But what the statistics don’t clarify is that the real success of eLearning lies in the fact that it has managed to deliver way more than it promised – after the first few years, when the concept was still gaining ground, the expectations of the learners rose and eLearning platforms and content producers have kept up every step of the way to deliver satisfaction to all stakeholders – learners, educators, and recruiters. From quality education and certifications to cutting-edge technology and job placements – you name it and the eLearning sector delivered!
The Indian eLearning Sector
But nowhere is the success of Digital Learning more pronounced than in India. India has the fastest growing eLearning market in the world and this was made possible due to the confluence of several factors – the dismal state of higher education infrastructure in the country combined with the home-grown IT talent created an environment where Ed-Tech firms could flourish. And the future seems even brighter for the sector, India is poised at the brink of the so-called “demographic dividend” with an estimated 125 million working age men and women getting added to the country’s population by the year 2030 and most of these new entrants will look towards the virtual world to become job ready.
How will these millions get hold of superior and applicable learning in the coming decade? Digital Learning companies such as Talentedge are the solution and their successful business models are certainly worth looking into, for example Talentedge, who has been an active player in the eLearning arena since its inception, has positioned itself very successfully in the Indian online learning sector as the go-to portal for high-quality courses from reputed institutes. The courses are targeted entirely towards the higher education sector and present a wide choice to students and professionals alike.
The company has leveraged the Indian love for quality education. In India, an educated man is a respected man and people across caste, class, and geography understand the value of good education with a reputed brand attached to it. Talentedge has created an educational standard that combines pioneering educational technology with partnerships with premier institutions.
The success of their model points to an important aspect of eLearning in India – unlike some other industries, the digital learning sector in India is not just consumer driven, the growth is driven, in equal parts, due to the multitude of digital learning firms and content companies as well as the large number of learners using the system. While the country’s youth is driving demand for online learning, the supply is being matched by Indian Ed-Tech players who are delivering courses targeted towards the Indian requirements, of both the students and the recruiting companies.
This eLearning ecosystem has been made possible due to the talent present within the country – the long-standing, deep-rooted tradition of academic excellence has resulted in access to some of the best IT experts, engineers, instructional designers, educators and pedagogical experts. The Indian cost structure has allowed Ed-Tech companies to use these resources to conquer the supply side of the eLearning.
What’s next for Indian eLearning?
The eLearning industry in India is more than healthy, but to stay the course and grow even further it must focus on QUALITY. A quick look at the market reveals that all the major digital learning players in the country have one common key characteristic – they have all built their user base through delivering excellence and cultivating a reputation for trustworthiness.
With its successful start in India, the Indian Ed-Tech firms have the required expertise and capital to expand internationally – all they have to do is invest in quality, create courses focussed on local educational needs and leverage the cost benefits of the Indian market. The digital Ivy League institutes of the future could very well be based out of India.