Learning made easy!

Sumitra Behera shares her views on the edtech revolution in India and how it has impacted not just school and college education, but also upkilling and reskilling.

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The space of education is going through a colossal morphism. E-learning has been gaining importance across fields and has been part and parcel of education, from higher education to professional courses.

Earlier, there were assumptions that learning was possible only in a closed classroom or physical setup. Ed-tech paved the way for future learning even before COVID enforced its way through the education system.

New players emerged…

With the boom in the telecom industry and the internet being available in nooks and corners of our country, e-learning materials were accessible just through a few clicks.Many started their you-tube channels to cover simple topics in English and also several vernacular languages.

Major ed-tech players came about teaching simple mathematics to complex subjects in Science through graphics and animations and not limiting e-learning to professionals alone, but expanding the target audience to students of primary schools to higher schools along with competitive courses training. These interactive materials help young children to understand the concepts visually. It is a boon for the young generation to watch actions and reactions as they learn about a subject, providing a profound impression on their learning skills and understanding.

E-learning for skills…

E-learning is now not limited to curriculum alone; we can find extra-curriculum courses such as music, cooking, dancing, painting etc., available online.


Sumitra has over 10 years of experience in Human Resources. She managed the entire gamut of HR in Pharma tech, Fin-tech and Ed-tech industries. Heading Talent Acquisition at Skill-Lync in the current role. Worked on Strategic Business Partnering, Employee Relations, Performance Management, Talent Acquisition, People Analytics, Talent Development, HR Operations, Compliance, Payroll and formulation of policies.

Upskilling becomes easy…

Professionals who required upskilling or reskilling had an opportunity to upgrade themselves – global exposure without quitting their regular jobs, yet learn at ease in their homes and not worry about commuting to the study centres. It seemed like the best thing for the professionals. A wide variety of courses in IT and Tech evolved during the early phase between 2011-2015.

Domain or the subject matter experts turned instructors came about making a second source of income through these channels.

Impact of Covid…

Learning and upskilling were a mechanism to ensure better pay and fast-track career progressions in the early days. However, the onset of COVID has led to upskilling and being up to date in the industry. The only way for a professional to remain ahead of the curve is to find ways to constant learning and upskilling.

It was a boon for countries like ours to have the internet boom and accessibility for the children to keep their studies ongoing during COVID. Students developed a knack for managing devices and gadgets with limited supervision. Ed-techs have challenged the conventional education system, and educators are innovating different forms of learning like flip learning, self-paced learning, instructor-led learning, live interactive learning, mentor sessions etc.

Success of Edtech…

The success of any Edtech is dependent on the student’s success. The student’s success is measured by the percentage of scores, landing a seat in a premium institute, securing a premium job with a higher paycheck etc. At the same time, the downside of growing edtech is limiting social learning, being emotionally handicapped and leaving students aloof. It has led to more stress and screen time, affecting their mental balance.

Nevertheless, Edtech is growing and will continue to grow, making learning and upskilling easy!

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