The E-learning Market in India: Opportunities for coaching and college
With a population of over 1.2 billion and over 30% of school age, India boasts the second largest education system in the world. By 2025, India is predicted to be home to the largest working-age Population in the world with 25% of the world’s workforce Referred to as India’s “Demographic Dividend” the government and the private sector are seized with ensuring that this ‘dividend’ does not turn into a ‘deficit’. As part of its national development strategy, and to avoid a demographic disaster, the Indian government has introduced various education and training initiatives across the country as part of its 12th Five-Year Plan.
Despite the presence of more than 1,400,000 schools and over 3,500 diploma awarding (or higher education) institutions across the country, India still lacks infrastructure in its conventional education system to serve a growing population. Distance and e-learning programs are potential, seemingly obvious solutions to this problem. Other drivers for e-learning in India include the large base of English language speakers – largely responsible for the massive uptake in online learning through MOOCs(Massive Open Online Course) internationally; the rapid expansion of Internet connectivity across the country (28% of the population – 144 million at today’s calculations — will have access to the internet by2015); the over whelming young population of working age requiring job-ready skills development programs; and the corporate sector’s interest in e-learning.
With the Indian e-learning market size expected to grow to around US$ 40 billion by 20174, both domestic and international players is entering the market with new and innovative products and services.
India as a Market for E-learning providers:
India aims to transform itself into a knowledge economy, and the demand for educational resources is growing. In the higher education space alone, India faces a “monumental” shortfall of over a thousand universities and 45,000 colleges in the next ten years. A country with such a gap in “bricks and mortar” education facilities, but whose citizens spend 58 hours a week online, access the internet from home, and will likely achieve 72% mobile services penetration by 20166, has the potential to find a solution through e-learning.
In the corporate segment, e-learning is gradually being viewed as a way to achieve business goals and motivate employees: users are now becoming more aware of its advantages and the e-learning industry is strengthening steadily. Indian companies can successfully integrate e-learning into their strategic plans, improving the abilities, retention and performance of their staff.
E-learning drivers
English language vernacular: The initial wave of e-learners from India has been those who have a Comfortable grasp over the English language. Content providers, both domestic and international, have found this a very attractive characteristic.
Continuous Professional Development (CPD): The highly competitive corporate world requires staff Members be up-to-date with the latest developments and constantly “re-skill” and “up-skill”. E-learning offers access and learning at a time and place that is convenient to the learner – also known as ‘just-in-time’ (JIT) learning.
Spread of the internet and mobile networks:
By mid-2015, India is predicted to house the second largest number of internet users in the world. This bodes well for e-learning providers as for the first time, over200 million people will have direct access to the internet. E-learning is being touted as a game changer by providing access to quality learning and up-to-date content across the country.
SRDT provides E-Learning in various segments
The e-learning market in India is a fragmented market as far as opportunity and solution providers are concerned. The provider side is led by players who offer Learning Management Systems (LMS) /technology platforms, content or assessment solutions. On the user side, there are opportunities in K-12, Higher Education (H.E.), professional courses, Skill Development, English language training, test prep.
For more info, Visit:
About SRDT Pvt. Ltd.
SRDT’s primary focus is developing and implementing solutions for Media, Education and Publishing industry using latest digitization, conversion and content management technologies including multi-cross platform Mobile Applications (Mac, Windows, Android, Blackberry), Test Series (Government exams, Competitive Exams, School and College exams), Training Modules (CBTs, Mobile Training, Automated Corporate Training), End to End Publishing Support (ISBN, Content Validation, iBook design, Interactive Solutions, Embedding and Account creations to Sales realization), Digital Interactive and Web Analytic etc.
SRDT Pvt. Ltd. 