Online Education in India: Emergence of Online Learning and Online Programmes

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Updated on May 20, 2021 18:49 IST

Although online education in India is a comparatively new entrant, it has already gained a formidable significance.

Online education arose from the need of affordable and flexible mode of education that would be universally accepted. When online education arrived in India, only professional or short term certifications were being offered. In the last decade, as the technology and internet reached in every part of the country (barring remote villages).

Its common knowledge that the current education system with its state funded colleges and universities cannot keep up with the demands of the students. Lack of infrastructure, crowded classrooms and understaffed faculty add to the dismal state of public education. The exorbitant tuition fees of the private colleges and universities have further affected the reach of education for many sections in the society.

The need of the hour is an interface that can make good use of the available resources and provides guidance and creative learning solutions at an affordable price. Online education in India certainly fits the bill for the above requirement. In the last five years, we’ve also seen the rise of EdTech companies offering online education from school to university level. With the rise in the scope of online education in India, many universities and institutions too have started offering academic and professional courses in online mode via dedicated Learning Management System (LMS) and online classroom lectures. Today, a student is not required to attend physical classes to gain knowledge. All they need, is a laptop/desktop/table/smartphone with good internet connectivity.

Also Read: Transition to Online Education - An Overview

Pursing Online Education in India

Whether you are a fresher looking for a professional course such as BBA, BCA, MBA, etc. or a working professional looking for short term certification to gain in-depth training or expertise ones in functional area, online education is the mode which meets the requirement of every one. Although there are pros and cons of online education in India, the trend is fast catching up as the advantages of online education trump disadvantages. Some of the key benefits of online courses are listed below:

Flexibility: The online courses offer flexibility in every aspect. Students can attend lectures from home, refer to recorded lectures later. They can also extend the duration of their course incase they are unable to manage along with their regular job or any other unavoidable engagement. For example, Online MBA of two years can be completed in four years. A digital marketing certification of three months can be completed in six months. Most importantly, online education is for people of all age groups. If one wants to learn new skills at the age of 50, an online course is the best option for them.

Affordability: Most of the online courses offer value for money. Since there’s no infrastructure and maintenance cost, the courses are much cheaper than full-time on-campus programmes. Even the students save money on daily commute or hostel stay.

Diversity: Since the online mode of education is not constrained by physical boundaries, the students get more opportunities of meeting peers and teachers from different countries and professions. There is more diversity in the classroom. Online education is extremely popular among female students in small towns and remote areas of India, as a large percentage of girls give up education for the want of good colleges and universities closer home.

Also Read: The online lectures during pandemic have made me a more professional, punctual and confident person, says Mohini

Wide Choice of Courses: Most of the niche and specialized courses meant for career enhancement are offered on online platforms such as Udemy and Coursera in collaboration of reputed Indian and international universities. Online education has also made it possible for a student living in Udaipur to pursue a course from a university in the US. Many foreign universities offer online degrees and certification in niche subjects not yet widely available in India.

Accreditations: Online degree, diploma and certification programmes offered by Indian institutes and universities are accredited by competent authority. An online course will not restrict your career prospects.

Curriculum Based Programmes

Online educational products are targeted at school children, as well as students who are preparing for national and international competitive exams. The products can be classified into the following segments:

Online curriculum based programmes
Learning solutions and tutorials for school students
Online tutorials for competitive exams such as CAT, GMAT, GRE, JEE, NEET

EdTech companies offer online curriculum based programmes are targeted at children from classes 3-5 and 8-12. The programmes include online lectures, student-teacher discussions, tests and exercises. The students of all age group can watch educational videos on various subject and topics relevant to them multiple times, interact with teachers to seek guidance and practice sample questions, mock tests and other such exercises. Those who cannot attend live lectures can watch the recording saved in the LMS later.

In the current situation of COVID-19 pandemic, where the whole world is facing lock downs and movement restrictions online education has proved to be a boon for the students as well as the education industry. Even though there are several challenges of online education in India, it is gaining popularity and repute because it is affordable and convenient. Students can study from the safety of their homes and during any time of the day.