Rise of Online Learning Methods in India - Reasons and Advantages

In the past couple of decades, online learning methods have gathered pace in India compared to traditional learning methods. Currently, there are approximately 370 million internet users in India and it is expected that 500 million Indian users will join the bandwagon of the internet revolution in the coming few years. The numbers are staggering which tips the balance towards India to become one of the potential markets in e-learning.

If a report of KPMG is to be believed, then it is estimated that the online education industry of India will grow by 6 times in 2021. The industry will be worth 1.6 billion dollars by 2021. But, why is it that the traditional learning methods are facing serious competition from online learning methods? In this article, we will try to decipher some of the points behind the growth of online learning methods in India.

Digital Reform Initiatives by the Government

Indian digital reform has received a massive boost from the Government since the turn of this decade. According to the Government of India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology website, the e-Learning Research and Development projects of various educational institutions have been receiving financial support from the Government. The Government supports various programmes such as faculty training initiatives, human resource development projects, R&D technology initiatives and content in order to promote skill-based learning and create people who are job-ready for the industries.

Accessibility, Ease and Affordability

Three advantages one cannot deny of online learning are accessibility, ease and affordability. Learners can easily access the study materials from the comfort of their homes or from anywhere for that matter. Learners do not have to compromise their personal commitments or already existing work for online learning. One more thing is that the learners can, within a very short time span, can learn a plethora of skills. Tier 2 and Tier 3 city learners have benefitted the most from online learning as they can easily get access to resources which teaches them industry-specific skills and land upon high-paying jobs. Finally, the cost attached to obtaining a degree via traditional learning methods is comparatively higher compared to the online learning methods. Geographical or financial constraints do not matter these days if a learner is willing which has been made possible only due to the increasing popularity of e-learning methods.

Shifting of Educational and Corporate Institutions to Online Learning

In contemporary times, the effects of e-Learning methods followed in the Indian Education System is not limited to Higher Educational Institutions and Schools. The Indian companies are encouraging their employees to pursue professional courses offered online for their benefit and skill upgradation. Skill upgradation of the employees help them stay relevant to the time and its demands. e-Learning in the coming days in educational and corporate institutions is expected to reach new heights because both physical and cognitive job skills will be overshadowed by automation.

Let us now check out some of the advantages of the e-Learning process -

• People are made employable through the industry-oriented skill up programmes

• For industries, E-Learning is an effective way of plugging the gap between demand and supply

• Requires less investment of time and energy compared to traditional learning methods

• No limit to the number of times a lecture can be taken

• Updated content at disposal for learners

• E-Learning is cost-effective

• Lessons are delivered quickly

• E-Learners, irrespective of their social and financial status, learn the same thing because everyone is at the same platform

• E-Learners are able to retain the information for a longer period of time

• Less detrimental effects on the environment (less carbon emission, no trees are harmed for obtaining papers etc)