Technology as an Enabler for Access to Quality Education in India
A robust, accessible and equitable higher education system that promotes quality teaching and learning is an essential constituent for the growth and success of any developing nation in the 21st century.
India is a diverse country and this diversity can also be observed in the disparity in education standards across different tiers of cities in India. While students in tier 1 cities have access to internationally accredited schools, colleges and learning centres, students from smaller cities often struggle with finding educational institutes with the same commitment to quality teaching.
In recent times, technology has become a significant facilitator, coming to the aid of these students and helping them get access to quality education irrespective of their geographical locations and proficiency levels.
Today, the increasing ubiquity and rapid spread of technology has impacted and integrated into every aspect of our lives including the education sector. As we move into the digital age, online education has become an inevitable evolution and instrumental in addressing the gap in quality education and fundamentally changing the nature of several educational processes.
Education has evolved and the learning process is no longer restricted by geography. Technology has enabled millions of youth across India an opportunity to access better education and build a better future for themselves.
The power of technology
Understanding this power of technology and with an aim to reach out to prospective and suitable candidates from all corners of the country, all popular banks are conducting exams online. The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) which conducts national recruitment exams of various PSU Banks, RRB, RBI, NABARD, SBI, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) & General Insurance Companies (GICs) also offers an option to let candidates apply online for these exams.
These competitive exams need intensive studying and hence many students opt for coaching classes which can equip them with the resources and tools needed to crack the exams. However, quality offline coaching is accessible only in tier 1 cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi etc.
For students in smaller cities and towns, technology has become a ubiquitous umbrella that allows them access to quality coaching. Online courses and tests become the first port of call for many students who were earlier left out or had to settle for lower quality alternatives.
These online coaching platforms offer a live classroom experience where candidates can interact directly with faculty while learning. Oliveboard is an online test preparation platform where Students are prepped for success using live teaching sessions & video lectures, up to date comprehensive course material, live group practice sessions, customized study planners, all India test series, practice tests and analytics for instant feedback.
Identify, Improve and Score better
Online learners also benefit from eLearning technology that identifies and tackles areas of improvement much faster resulting in higher scores being reached quicker in test. The technology also analyzes several data points across a student's performance and precisely identifies the student's weak areas before recommending remedial content on areas of improvement. It identifies at a very granular level the areas that the student needs to work. Our future updates will include features to help us recognize the learning styles of our students customizing our offering to suit the preferences of the student. This will allow us to understand whether the student learns better by reading, watching a lecture or by just undertaking tests and assessments.
We, today, also use technology to assess aspirants weakness and provide them with an instant score – that will motivate them to work harder and improve. The use of AI allows us to analyze how lakhs of students are attempting their tests in pressure situations and provide personalized expert feedback on exam-taking strategies for users to optimize their scores in competitive exams.
As we move into the future, it is imperative to understand that technology holds the key to the future of education, enabling it and facilitating for students who would otherwise lack access to quality education. Virtual classrooms are fast becoming a reality with portals like Oliveboard that offer a seamless experience, for students in remote parts of the world to gain access to learning opportunities and courses they would ordinarily never be able to access. By allowing these students the opportunity to high quality online coaching, they get the same advantage as learners in big cities, giving them a better chance at cracking these exams and building a better future for themselves.
In short, technology has been disruptive for Indian higher education. It has been an enabler for access to quality education. The journey of a developing nation can only be successful if there is parity across the country and this can only be achieved through accessible education and high quality guidance – which is the key feature of online learning.
