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Future Scope in Education: Current Scenario, Expectations & Technology

Updated on 28 October, 2022

12.1K+ views
9 min read

Over the years, several types of research have been conducted to determine how Indians feel about their education system and to solicit suggestions on how it can be improved. As it turns out, most Indian citizens are rather satisfied with the type of education that is provided in our country. 

On the global front, India’s education industry holds a pivotal place. After all, India has one of the largest networks of higher education institutions in the world!  

The Indian Education Industry: Market Size

According to IBEF, the Indian education sector stood at a value of US$ 91.7 billion in FY18, and by 2025, the higher education segment is projected to reach US$ 35.03 billion. Not just that, India boasts of harbouring nearly 500 million individuals between the 5-24 years, making it the country with the largest population in this age bracket.

Also, there are more than 250 million school-going children in India, more than in any other country in the world! India is the second-largest e-learning market following the US. By 2020, the Indian e-learning market is projected to grow to US$ 1.96 billion with 9.5 million users.

These statistics only prove that India’s education industry depicts immense potential for growth and development. 

The Current Scenario of Education in India

For a long time, the education sector has remained a top priority for the Indian government. Since 2002, the government has allowed the influx of 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the education sector. Between April 2000 to March 2020, the total FDI inflow in the country’s education sector was US$ 3.24 billion. 

The present government launched the National Education Policy 2020, thereby paving way for large-scale reforms across schools and higher education institutes. The core tenets of this policy are designed in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability. Furthermore, the government has allocated Rs. 59,845 crore (US$ 8.56 billion) to the Department of School Education & Literacy and announced the Revitalizing Infrastructure and Systems in Education (RISE) scheme under the Union Budget 2020-21.

However, despite many such efforts to upgrade and improve India’s education system through comprehensive policies and schemes, a significant portion of the country’s population does not have access to primary schooling. This is because even today, many remote areas lack proper school infrastructure and qualified teaching staff.

Apart from lack of infrastructure, the quality of education delivered at the grassroots level (especially through public education institutes) and the general lack of enthusiasm for education across rural India are two major roadblocks. 

Even in the context of National Education Policy, the issue has become stained with a politically inclined angle. The fact that states’ approval or disapproval of the new policy depends on their political affiliations. The fact that educational reforms and policies must be in tune with a firm belief in changing the system for students is completely overlooked. The newer policies farmed to establish the future education system in India and enhance the scope of education are hardly given any impetus over the political debates these attract. It will take a longer time for the governmental nodes to actually understand the harm their political differences are causing in terms of how educational setups establish themselves in the country.

What Can We Expect From the Education Sector in the Future?

Online learning and modern innovations have brought about a major shift in the way society and students perceive education. Combine that with technology and we have a new pedagogy structure for the Indian education system. As education practices are being recalibrated to complement technological capacities with the emergence of the National Education Policy 2022, the future of the Indian education system appears bright.

India’s traditional system, across all Boards and states, has been intertwined with rote learning. In fact, over ages and time, irrespective of what scope of education is in question or what the future education system in India comes to be, there has hardly been a huge leap that any portion of the educational syllabus has taken.

From the very basic to the higher secondary levels at schools, cramming is seen as a specific way to get through those assessments and activities. Naturally, educationists are now becoming aware of how much upgradation and innovation are needed to prepare students for future trends. Only when this is understood well will the future education system of India and the scope of education overall will see improvement.

Several developments are expected in the education section with respect to students, teachers, learning/ teaching methods, and institutions. The focus points are:

1. Students’ syllabus will be designed to prepare them for the ongoing digital era through exposure to key technologies that are shaping the world we live in. Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Virtual and Augmented reality, and Big Data shall play an important role in this new-age education framework. Coding and computational thinking skills will be promoted so students have diverse career options before them.

2. Solutions in the education sector will be beneficial on a global scale. As the world resorts to the digital medium for sharing solutions and ideas, education henceforth will promote career objectives and goals, and other practices & policies that target the global audience. These tools will be used to serve general human interest to promote diversity in the social and cultural domains.

3. The proposed changes will reflect in the way we evaluate public, private, and higher education institutions, and help implement a student-focused framework that will bridge the gap between regional and sub-locale institutions.

4. Since the pandemic pushed digitisation into the education sector, remote learning became a norm for over 1.5 billion students in the world. 92% of Indian citizens welcomed this as a positive change. Naturally, this trend is bound to continue. That doesn’t diminish the crucial role teachers play in education practices though. However, there will be practices in place to ensure capable teachers are recruited through meticulous consideration of their past experiences and positions held. 

5. Another significant change will be the adaptation of blended or hybrid learning practices to offer a more flexible and efficient system of education. This will include online teaching techniques, e-courses, and learning applications as digital education extends its scope to include at-home learning services. Partnering with content creation agencies will ensure digital content is provided in a diverse range of languages, further boosting the growth of India’s EdTech sector. 

6. Classroom time, on the other hand, will be reserved for practical work, discussions, and case studies. The new educational program has envisioned an immersive learning experience for classrooms through the use of competent technologies. 

7. A strong focus on extracurricular activities and science, arts, and maths clubs will promote a generally positive attitude towards education and impact the overall development of students.

8. Sports and arts will be promoted as mainstream options instead of alternative subjects. This will result in more motivation and engagement from students who will have greater control over their career choices. Employing psychometric analysis will also help determine competent domains for students to pursue.

9. Effective vocational training targeted at developing industry-related skills and expertise will be mandated to help students land their dream jobs.

10. Educational institutions are now placing more emphasis on teachers’ upskilling and training to facilitate the development of flexible and improved teaching practices. 

Online education platforms like upGrad have risen to the occasion with their interactive certification programs to promote a modern and innovative approach towards designing courses and carrying out student assessments. An M.Ed or PG Certificate Education Program can help teachers include Open Education Resources (OER) like downloadable lectures and course contents in their teaching methods, and pave the way for new accreditation methodologies for students’ performance assessment.

These reformative changes demand to be executed successfully with full cooperation from collective government bodies for an effective online pedagogical structure to drive innovations in the Indian Education System. 

NEP Targets For The Future Of Education In India

  • Eyeing to enhance the Gross Enrolment Ratio in the context of higher education to about  50% by the year 2035. This will add 3.5 crore more seats for students.
  • Establishing an Academic Bank for Credits will help facilitate Transfer of Credit.
  • Fostering a very tight culture for research and enhancing related capacity through the domains of higher education.
  • Setting up the National Research Foundation as the apex body.
  • Establishing the Higher Education Commission of India for regulation of the higher education domain, minus the medical and legal education.
  • Governing all private and public institutions by a uniform set of rules regarding accreditations, regulations, and academic standards. This will indeed boost the future of education in India.

The NEP looks at integrating the vocational and academic courses that could result in producing well-trained, industry-ready professionals who will shape the future of education in India.

Technology Will Pave the Way for the Future of the Indian Education System

Even though there is still uncertainty in the education sector, rigorous steps are being taken to streamline the process and make education accessible to students belonging to all cultural and social groups. There is also a positive shift in the direction of equality and diversity. With technology offering solutions at a tremendous pace, it looks like things will only get better from here. 

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Work experience vs Education, which one is essential?

The ongoing battle between education and work experience has always been a point of discussion. However, there are a few major highlights. When you acquire higher education, it is primarily because you want academic growth. Higher education never teaches you ways to deal with real-world practical situations. When you succeed in your work, your employer automatically understands your potential to achieve big things. In today’s competitive world, job experience aligns you with a potential match for a specific job. However, if you do not have a higher education, you can lack the necessary skills that you will need to progress in the future. Finally, a degree speaks on your behalf. It tells your employer about the specialised skill or knowledge you possess and how you can practically use it. They can further use your knowledge extensively by providing you with the required training.

2. How is education transforming the world of students?

Students plan to study in universities despite the expenses. The college and tuition fees altogether may or may not guarantee you a good job with a handsome salary. However, education is the only way to drive yourself to success as it will change your life for the better. If you see yourself as a nurse, doctor, or engineer in the future, your chances significantly increase if you pursue your education at a renowned university. Many students find themselves lost post-graduation and struggle to find the right career option. Students spend their time in the classroom to gain the necessary skills and abilities that will help them to prosper. Education assists by offering alternative choices to students which will give them a different perspective on the world.

3. Is it possible for education to replace experience?

There is a possibility of education completely replacing experience in the upcoming future. If you complete a certification or course that your employer needs, it is almost equal to the work experience. Depending on how beneficial the course is, it is sometimes even given more importance than actual work experience. The only drawback is that education gives you a theoretical perspective on your work whereas experience means you learn from your own mistakes on the field.

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Google I/O 2016 – Day 1 | Recap

The most awaited Google I/O 2016 Conference was filled with announcements about improvements in current products and launch of some new products. In this article, we have summarized the biggest announcements from Day 1 of the conference. Google Allo Allo is Google’s new messaging app with resident chatbot. It has features like whisper/shout, expressive stickers, smart replies- which evolve with time and wide range of bot support especially the Google Assistant search bot. One of the most important features of Allo is that all its chats are encrypted but incognito mode offers end-to-end encryption and an option to send messages that self-destruct. Additionally, once you close a chat, the entire conversation is deleted forever. Google Duo Duo is Google’s mobile only companion app for Allo that helps in video calling. One of its special feature is ‘Knock Knock’ which lets users see the incoming video call feed before even answering the call. So, the receiving party can see who’s calling and where they are before they even pick up the call. Google Assistant Google takes search to the next level. Google Assistant supports “conversational understanding” to make search more natural and to better support voice searches. Google Home Home is built on the Chromecast standard, which lets it push media to other Cast-compatible speakers and screens, change temperature or lighting through Nest devices, and integrate with third party services. The entire experience is hands-free, powered entirely by voice. In fact, it doesn’t even have any buttons. Simple voice commands will control every aspect of the Home. Android N Android N comes with new features that include more control over notification size from different apps and a new picture-in-picture mode. Android N uses a new API called Vulkan that lets developers directly control a phone’s GPU for sharper 3D graphics. Android N will also download and install system updates automatically. The name of Android N has not yet been released. It is going to be selected through a crowdsourced contest. Google Daydream Google has a new VR platform built on top of Android N, and the new VR platform is called Google Daydream. It is an optimized virtual reality platform that aims to standardize the mobile-based VR experience. It also spans both software and hardware; Its biggest limitation is that it will be available only in new phones with special sensors and screen. Android Wear 2.0 Android Wear 2.0 can function independently of a smartphone. Apps no longer need a connected smartphone in order to function. Apps can function and even communicate without a phone, as long as the wearable device is connected to the internet via cellular or Wi-Fi. Users can also make data from any app show up on any watch face. Instant Apps One of the most interesting announcement was google Instant Apps. With Instant Apps, users can begin using an app instantly from right within the Google Play store without even having to download and install the app. As we can see, Google has made some big moves in the three hottest areas of tech – virtual reality, messaging, and smart assistants. However it would be interesting to see how these new products will compete with their competitors and how much of market share would they capture after their launch.
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by Dilip Guru

19 May'16
There’ll Be A Billion-Plus Job-Seekers By 2050, So Get Yourself Skilled NOW

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There’ll Be A Billion-Plus Job-Seekers By 2050, So Get Yourself Skilled NOW

This isn’t just a catchy headline meant to shock you, though that would be a justified reaction. If you are 25 years old, have graduated from a reputed institute in a traditional higher education discipline and are looking for a job, you may not be handed one on a platter any time soon. You may be cushioned within the famous Indian demographic that is supposed to yield a “dividend”, but unlike what you’ve been reading everywhere, this does not guarantee you employment. Between 1980 to 2010, 90% of world labour force growth occurred in developing countries and about 500 million new workers emerged in India and China alone (workers went from 260 million to 470 million in India, between this period). India, along with other developing counterparts, is all set to fuel 60% of the global growth in labour in the upcoming years. Keep in mind that enrolment in Indian higher education is only 24% right now. With India attaining almost universal elementary education and increased retention in secondary schools, the projected demand for higher education and jobs thereafter, will only escalate. By 2050, India will be home to more than a billion job seekers. This means providing jobs for over 12 million new entrants annually. There is also the challenge of finding jobs for the backlog, which reached 60 million by 2014. So isn’t this good news? India finally placed on the world map with a solid advantage where labour supply is concerned. Well, it may not all be good news. The new-age job-seeker must strive to acquire specific skill sets to be considered employable. Currently, only 43% of Indian youth are considered fully employable. Indian millennials are being touted as the future of jobs and the saviours of the working world. But this won’t hold true if in-demand skills are not imparted to the youth entering the workforce. The world of work is changing and industries are transforming. It’s a fact that we are moving towards a massive labour pool, but we are possibly riding a low-skill, low-wage cycle to get there. The country is on a trajectory that involves a surplus of millions of low-skill workers, whereas most nations, including India, will be increasingly demanding a high-skill workforce. Impacting Education: My Journey and UpGrad Most industries are replacing low-skill jobs with high-skill ones. Skills relating to upcoming technologies like cloud computing, social media, artificial intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology, etc, are gaining immense relevance. Unfortunately, our education system is not preparing students well enough to enter the workforce as high-skill workers or equipping them with skills in the mentioned emerging domains. Gone are the days when just holding a graduate degree was enough to get employers to clamour to hire you. Education is not enough. The new-age job-seeker must strive to acquire specific skill sets to be considered employable. Currently, only 43% of Indian youth are considered fully employable. Gone are the days when just holding a graduate degree was enough to get employers to clamour to hire you. Education is not enough. The positive connotation associated with our demographic shift has been taken for granted and assigned the term “dividend.” But if we don’t strategically harness this change, we could very easily be faced with a demographic disaster. We don’t want to be stuck in a situation where we have too many job-seekers with inadequate skills, and therefore not enough jobs for them. India is moving workers out of farm jobs at a very fast rate, and this will only add to the burden of providing jobs in other sectors. We need a wake-up call and more concerted efforts towards large-scale skill development and training. We may have a situation of too few high-skill workers and not enough jobs for medium- or low-skill workers. This needs to be rectified by adjusting the education and skilling system to ready ourselves for the jobs of tomorrow. UpGrad develops various programs such as Digital Marketing Certification Program, and Product Management Certification Program in collaboration with IIIT Bangalore, specially designed for working professionals looking to up-skill themselves.  Check out the free courses.
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by Mayank Kumar

20 Jun'16
Only 25% Of Indian Graduates Are Employable, And The Solution Is Obvious

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Only 25% Of Indian Graduates Are Employable, And The Solution Is Obvious

Co-authored by: Apoorva Shankar, Business Development Associate, UpGrad The world today has enhanced productivity requirements. Due to this, the demand for highly skilled labour is growing. China and India are set to drive this demand. Globally, the share of low-skill jobs is likely to decline from 74% of employment in 2010 to 62% by 2020. On the other hand, the shortage of highly skilled workers with a tertiary level of education is expected to reach 18 million by 2020, globally. But due to its demographic dividend, India will have a labour surplus of 47 million by 2020. However, this surplus may only be of low-skilled labour. And while the demand for highly skilled labour is increasing, the supply isn’t quite keeping up. The challenge, as well as opportunity, that India faces is how to train such a large reserve of labour and convert low skills to high skills. One solution that immediately comes to mind is providing higher education for all. But at present only 24% of those meant to be participating in higher education, are actually enrolled. Plus, traditional college or university pedagogy has been increasingly criticized for being outdated and irrelevant to the jobs market. If you attended school or college in India, you will have first-hand experience of the ills that plague the system. Some of the reasons for this are: Absence of a customized or personalized approach to education (necessary as different students have different needs and learning capabilities). Restricted resources due to not-for-profit nature of educational institutes and over-regulation. Lack of technology infrastructure. Poor teaching quality. Lack of skills-based learning. Low focus on research and development. Minimal partnerships with industry/foreign academia. Outdated curricula not reflecting requirements of a dynamic market environment. Skill-intensive industries are expected to contribute more than 90% of India’s GDP by 2030. The opportunity is staring at us in the face. Only about 25% of Indian graduates are considered employable by the organized sector. Further, 48% of Indian employers said they were having difficulty in filling jobs, in 2012. Despite employers expressing difficulty in finding employable candidates, in 2009-10 the unemployment rates in India were higher for those who were more educated (graduates had more difficulty finding jobs than secondary or primary level graduates). [b_color background=”#EDFF3D”] Also Read – Technology will surely kill some jobs, but not all of them [/b_color] So Indian education, in its current form, hasn’t proved to be enough training for the incoming workforce. The numbers also prove that just completing higher education in any field is not all it takes anymore. This pinch is being increasingly felt as the world of jobs is turning upside down; which is why we need skill training. Skill-intensive industries are expected to contribute more than 90% of India’s GDP by 2030. The opportunity is staring at us in the face. It’s not just about the potential but also the responsibility we are tasked with — restoring balance to the global supply of labour. The country needs to invest in skill development and training for a large chunk of its population. Exploiting sheer numbers is therefore one major reason to skill our workers. Secondly, the demand for advanced skill-sets in emerging areas is growing. Knowledge-intensive roles such as finance, business, etc, and those related to information technology and entrepreneurship are gaining momentum. The reality that these skills must be acquired will take root for more and more individuals, including drop-outs from the mainstream education system and those who have completed such education. Currently, the actual supply of these workers falls drastically short of matching growing demand. Hence, the gaps in domain knowledge are another reason to scale up the skilling. You are likely to be at a disadvantage, in terms of skill training and thereby employability, when compared to someone your age in China, USA, South Korea… In China about 47% of the workforce has received some kind of skill training, 52% in USA, 68% in UK, 75% in Germany, 80% in Japan and 96% in South Korea. Comparatively, only about 10% of the Indian workforce received such training in 2008. India is seventh in the category of countries facing maximum difficulty in filling jobs, i.e., 58% difficulty, where the global average is 38%. These figures reflect that just belonging to the young Indian demographic is not enough. You are likely to be at a disadvantage, in terms of skill training and thereby employability, when compared to someone your age in China, USA, South Korea etc. To address these imbalances, India needs unprecedented increase in both education and job creation. At this point, there is no guaranteed advantage for India in the contest for high-skill talent. It will be dependent on skilling. Considering the state of higher education and the skill upgrade required to be carried out in the future, the process will not just be about learning for professionals, but rather unlearning and re-learning.
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by Mayank Kumar

13 Jul'16
7 reasons to watch UpGrad Talks today

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7 reasons to watch UpGrad Talks today

There is really no secret sauce for success. Provided you have had the opportunity to view the exclusive online tete-e-tete sessions brought to you by UpGrad Talks. With an amazing roster of world-class speakers, some from the top 1000 companies of India such as Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Sky, Coca Cola, JP Morgan, JWT to start-up poster children such as RedBus, Snadeal, Ola & Zivame and many more, Upgrad Talks provides insights into their formulae for success. The talks also share deep learning from situations that didn’t work out and many valuable nuggets of honest, down-to-earth and practical advice from successful entrepreneurs, experts and industry leaders. While some lip service has been paid to new-age technologies and skill sets, and the evolution of industries because of these, a deeper understanding of what this signifies is missing. Upgrad Talks intends to fill this gap by bringing together thought-leaders from different walks of life and raising the level of discourse in this area, as they share their experiences. Here are the top reasons why you must visit talks.upgrad.com today and make it your daily source of insights and motivation: Get Inspired Inspiration can come from many different sources. You may get inspired when you see a problem that needs a solution, which you are able to ideate, or get inspired when you hear stories of adversity being overcome by sheer willpower. Rarely does the simple existence of wealth inspire us. It may motivate us to work harder, but inspiration stems from a deeper place that needs real stories. Upgrad Talks are stories from the folks who have lived these stories, first hand. Not only does hearing someone’s complete story of challenges, thought process and subsequent outcome inspire, it also gives birth to new ideas and provides impetus to grow in your own space.  Moreover, inspiration also stems from well-put statements such as, ‘attitude will sail you through,’ by Harit Nagpal, CEO of Tata Sky. A key benefit of listening to industry leaders is that it also inspires us to think. ‘What we think, we become,’ is a quote by Buddha that sums up this well. Go ahead, face challenges It does not matter if you are a startup or an established financial organization; challenges, big or small, exist in every level of most businesses. Challenges faced, strategized and overcome is the rite of passage for almost everyone. Not only do Upgrad Talks cover challenges faced by leading industry veterans, it also covers it from various stages of businesses along with discussion of the solutions that helped overcome them. Upgrad Talks speakers’ discuss challenges faced by businesses in different spaces, which makes these talks an interesting listen. Furthermore, is quite motivating to hear the candid conversations of business leaders. So what is the common thought on challenges in the Upgrad Talks? No challenge is too big. It also strengthens the belief that challenges help you grow and become stronger and develops a sense of confidence to take on the next big challenge. Learn from influencers People who can motivate are great influencers. To hear success stories at Upgrad Talks, which have been driven by deep-rooted passion as well as courage of conviction can be a great influence on most people. It is likely to help you push yourself to greater heights and also follow your dreams a bit more diligently. To quote Snapdeal’s Kunal Bahl, ‘ there is a fine line between stubbornness and persistence.’ Upgrad Talks is likely to help you define the lines as an excellent selection of influencers talk also about the key soft skills required to make it a significant mark on the industry that you belong to. Mentoring As you listen to entrepreneurs, business leaders and experts on models that have worked, one can also start drawing parallels to one’s one business or profession. Mentoring of this kind is both subtle and effective as it helps you choose some key takeaways from the shared experiences that are most relevant to you. Follow the series to get premium access to the best mentors in the country as they talk about education, the emerging digital age and its impact on businesses, talent shortages and advice to youngsters. A bit of crystal gazing In the series of Upgrad Talks, one is likely to come across a vast amount of business knowledge which has been converted into digestible insights that can also help you choose the next steps in your career. Speakers’ at Upgrad Talks share their business mantras and what the future is likely to be.  This is crystal gazing of the finest variety and yet another reason to tune into the talks. A healthy dash of optimism One of the unique selling points of the Upgrad Talks is that they also brings out the combined optimism in business from key industry leaders. Apart from that one can learn what is next in the industry, and explore potential future opportunities in the workspace. The upbeat and positive nature of these talks makes them a must-listen. Easily available online Just in case you were wondering how far you would need to travel to listen to such a wide range of speakers, you can breath easy. Upgrad Talks are delivered online and you can listen to them at your own convenience. All you need to do is to long onto talks.upgrad.com and you can access high quality, pre-recorded sessions online. Upgrad is making content richer, bigger and better as it kicks off with 15+ talks delivered by entrepreneurs, experts & business leaders.  You definitely do not want to miss out on the educational transformation that UpGrad is fuelling in partnership with some of the greatest minds. Remember, one can never stop learning. So, if you always aspired to hear great advice and insights from the top Indian business leaders on how you can grow your business, choose a career goal or get inspired, do take a look at Upgrad Talks. They are truly the voices that impact. Join us today and be a part of it at talks.upgrad.com.
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by Omkar Pradhan

06 Aug'16