Future Of Technology Driven Education Publishing

Rajesh Pasari is a transformational leader with over two decades of experience spanning Finance, Operations, Commercial, and Strategic Planning. He has held significant leadership positions at Pernod Ricard India, Spencer’s Retail, and NetAmbit.In his current role as Managing Director of Macmillan Education India, Rajesh oversees the company’s operations in the South Asian region across schools, professional education, and language learning domains. His dynamic vision has helped the organisation build a strong reputation in the region. He is the recipient of prestigious CA Achiever Award from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India in 2019. He was also honored by Nine Dot Nine Media (CFO India Magazine) in 2015 for his front-end business partnering, placing him among the top 100 CFOs in the country.

Macmillan Education India has expanded its digital platforms like MEE to building immersive learning solutions. And its’s not just that. Rajesh Pasari, Managing Director, Macmillan Education India, shares the technological transformation of publishing in India. Excerpts.

AABP: How do you view the overall transformation of the publishing industry in India driven by technology over the last few years?

Rajesh: Digital platforms have not only expanded access to content but also enabled more interactive learning experiences. The shift from print to digital is no longer just about format—it’s about creating ecosystems that integrate multimedia, analytics, and adaptive learning tools to meet the evolving needs of learners and educators.

At Macmillan Education India, we view this transformation as an opportunity to innovate and collaborate. Macmillan has expanded its digital platforms and today our MEE global platform has over 100K monthly active users and we host over 600 Indian titles on MEE. Our high-quality educational resources are accessible anytime, anywhere truly, even where internet is low as they are downloadable and can be used in offline mode.

The future of publishing will continue to be shaped by advancements in AI, data-driven insights, and immersive technologies, and we are committed to leading this change responsibly and inclusively.

AABP: What are the most significant technological shifts that have influenced Macmillan India’s publishing and distribution strategies?

Rajesh: The most impactful has been the rapid adoption of digital learning platforms, which has transformed how we deliver content and engage with learners. We’ve moved from static print resources to dynamic, interactive digital solutions that integrate multimedia, assessments, and analytics to enhance learning outcomes.

Additionally, the rise of e-commerce and digital distribution channels has expanded our reach, making high-quality educational resources accessible to learners on popular e-commerce platforms. Our test prep and IIBF Banking resources are seeing major traction in e-commerce.

We see these advancements not just as operational improvements but as opportunities to innovate and create inclusive, future-ready learning ecosystems.

AABP: How is Macmillan balancing its long-standing legacy with the need for digital agility in a rapidly evolving market?

Rajesh: Innovation is not about discarding tradition but about using it as a springboard for new ideas and improvements “Innovation and tradition aren’t opposites—they’re partners in creating future-ready learning.”

We belong to a large global group in research and publishing, Springer Nature which operates in the digital space. We draw upon their strengths and are geared to play in all three fields – print, blended and digital.

In the K-12 landscape today, 90% of private schools still use textbooks as a primary learning resource and schools prescribe Macmillan products for the content quality; for the trust they have in Macmillan; the platform is a supplement.

Balancing a legacy of over 130 years with the need for digital agility is both a responsibility and an opportunity for Macmillan Education India. Our heritage is built on trust, quality, and pedagogical excellence, and these remain at the core of everything we do. At the same time, we recognize that today’s learners and educators demand flexibility, interactivity, and accessibility—qualities that digital solutions deliver.We approach this balance by integrating technology without compromising educational integrity. Our digital strategy is centred around leveraging digital platforms, AI-driven personalization, and data analytics to enhance learning experiences, while ensuring our content continues to reflect the rigor and reliability associated with the Macmillan name. Our strategy is not about replacing print with digital, but about creating a blended ecosystem where both coexist to serve diverse learning needs.

In essence, we are honouring our legacy by using it as a foundation for innovation, ensuring that Macmillan remains relevant and future-ready in a rapidly evolving market.

AABP: How has digital publishing evolved at Macmillan India—from eBooks to audiobooks to online learning platforms?

Rajesh: Digital publishing at Macmillan Education India has evolved significantly over the past decade, moving far beyond traditional eBooks. Initially, our focus was on digitizing print content to make it accessible in electronic formats. This was followed by the introduction of audiobooks, which catered to diverse learning preferences and improved accessibility for learners on the go.

The most transformative phase, however, has been the development of comprehensive online learning platforms like Altura and Emerging Tech Stars. These platforms combine interactive content, assessments, analytics, and teacher support tools, creating an integrated learning ecosystem rather than just a digital version of a textbook. We’ve also embraced adaptive learning technologies to ensure that learners receive tailored experiences that improve engagement and outcomes. This evolution reflects our commitment to innovation and inclusivity—leveraging technology to make high-quality education accessible, engaging, and future-ready.

AABP: How has school engagement changed over the years particularly with the release of the NWP 2020 and NCF for school education 2023?

Rajesh: Previously, our interactions with schools were entirely in-person, centered around physical workshops. Today, the teaching community has embraced the digital realm, and we deliver webinars and comprehensive online professional development programs tailored for educators. This aligns with NEP’s thrust on teacher education.

NEP 2020 advocates for developing critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration as foundational skills for learners, moving away from rote memorization toward inquiry-based and experiential education. These programmes embody this philosophy by offering hands-on activities that make learning engaging, meaningful, and connected to real-world contexts.

Our engagement, once confined to educators alone, now extends meaningfully to students through our flagship initiatives—Macmillan Budding Scientist and Macmillan Budding Traveller. Designed for learners in Grades 6 to 8, these programs cultivate essential competencies while encouraging exploration of scientific principles and cultural diversity. They aim to spark curiosity, foster problem-solving skills, and nurture a sense of global awareness, empowering students to thrive in an interconnected world.

We want to continue to contribute to the development of socio economic capital through partnerships with educational institutions and government institutions – Empowering and Advancing Learning.

AABP: How do you see AI, data analytics, and automation shaping content creation and reader engagement in the near future?

Rajesh: AI, data analytics, and automation are set to redefine both content creation and reader engagement in profound ways. In content development, AI will enable faster and more efficient workflows—automating repetitive tasks, assisting in language refinement. This will allow educators and publishers to focus on creativity and pedagogy rather than manual processes. Data analytics will play a critical role in understanding learner behavior and preferences.

By analyzing usage patterns and performance metrics, we can create highly personalized learning experiences, recommend relevant content, and continuously improve based on real-time feedback. Automation will streamline distribution and customer support, ensuring timely delivery and seamless access across platforms. Together, these technologies will make education more interactive, inclusive, and outcome-driven, while maintaining the human touch that is essential for meaningful learning. We are integrating AI as needed in our workflows to drive efficiency and experience.

AABP: What trends do you see in the way educators, institutions, and learners consume content today—especially in educational publishing?

Rajesh: We are witnessing a fundamental shift in how educators, institutions, and learners consume educational content.

Teachers are like any other consumer –we have a huge following on Linkedin, Instagram and Facebook with 36,000 followers and millions like our social media pages; we post meaningful content, news and updates four times a week. There is a phenomenal response to the influencers we use for our e-commerce products too. Teachers want to engage in communities if they are meaningful and add value to their professional life; we run some for our educator community and they engage with our posts, participate in polls and share useful videos of classroom activities.

We are witnessing several key trends in consumption of educational content

1. Blended Learning Preference – There is a strong move toward hybrid models that combine print and digital resources. Educators value the flexibility of digital tools while still relying on print for depth and structure, this is the segment we are targeting with our integrated solutions ALTURA and Emerging Tech Stars.
2. Microlearning and Modular Content – Learners increasingly prefer bite-sized, modular content that can be accessed on-demand. This trend is driven by shorter attention spans and the need for personalized learning paths.
3. Interactive and Multimedia Formats – Static text is giving way to interactive videos, gamified assessments, and immersive simulations. Engagement is now as important as information delivery, you have to see the virtual tours, 3D animations in our products to see the path we are walking – these engage learners highly and stimulate their curiosity;
4. Mobile-First Consumption – With smartphones becoming the primary device for many learners, mobile-friendly platforms and apps are critical for accessibility and convenience.Our app downloads have seen a surge among parents and educators.
5. Data-Driven Personalization – Institutions and educators are leveraging analytics to track learner progress and customize content delivery, making learning more adaptive and outcome-focused. ALTURA comes with learning analytics available for parents and educators to follow up with remediation.

These trends reflect a broader expectation for flexibility, interactivity, and personalization in educational publishing. At Macmillan Education India, we are aligning our strategies to meet these evolving needs while maintaining the academic rigor that defines our brand.