ICT is Key for the Education Mission in India

Loveleen Bhatia, Co-Founder & Director Edureka
India has the world's third-largest education system after the U.S. and China. Implementation of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) in education is still seen as a hurdle in a developing nation like India. Technology has been a mainstay of growth and most of this current growth can undoubtedly be attributed to how technology is shaping the modern-day world. And the same holds true for education as well. The Indian education system is undergoing major transformations led by emerging technologies that are being integrated with the curriculum.
The education system is progressing with the growth of the Indian Economy. It offers various courses, education boards and new methodologies. The Indian education system has unbelievably progressed with low costs tuition fee, as compared to western countries.
According to a study on 'Indian Education Industry' with increasing role of private sectors in setting up educational institutes the market size of the Indian education industry was estimated at Rs. 3,83,310 Crore during Financial year 2013. With the National Policy on Education emphasizing the increased use of computer-related technology for the betterment of education, government spending on Information Communication and Technology (ICT) has correspondingly increased, by 53.2 percent to 340 Crore in the 2013-14 Union Budget. The Ministry of Human Resource and Development has proposed an outlay of Rs. 11,000 crore during the Twelfth Plan for National Mission in Education, through ICT. The Government has an ambitious plan to introduce reforms in the education space so as to encourage more private investment and enhance the quality of education.
The present generation is so technologically updated that it is easy for them to adapt to any change or upgrade of technology. Swift growth of ICTs is taking place all over the world. They have emerged as powerful tools for diffusion of knowledge and information. ICT is an easy and fast access to learning, which ultimately leads to democratization of education sector. In recent years, the education sector in India has seen a surge in the use of modern technology to enhance the learning process. The most recent trend is the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in teaching and learning methodology. The implementation of ICT in the academic curriculum will lead to the development of a whole new culture of learning. It will provide many potential opportunities to promote education on a large scale. The ICT will enable availability of improved educational content encouraging interactivity and interconnectivity.
Most of the higher educational institutes have state-of-the-art classrooms and academic labs. Their classrooms are well equipped with E-boards, overhead projectors and audio-visual learning aids. The academic labs give students a practical exposure on subjects. There are different labs for specific subjects such as mathematics and informatics. These academic labs are equipped with digital cameras, videos, scanners and interactive white boards to enhance
the experience of students.
Majority of the technologies which are witnessing good traction are based on the network and database management. Solutions like structured cabling, CRM, VPN and mobility until recently had seen a good adoption rate in the education vertical. However, cloud is 'the one' revolution of the decade which has upset all. With mobility based solutions and Wi-Fi gaining popularity, ICT in education is now filled with data clusters. These range from mere student, faculty and classroom record to more complicated data like competition, analytics and security slates. One big trend that is fast catching up in this space is definitely Big Data and Analytics which the education space is leveraging extensively for consultations as well as planning the framework.
With ICT fast catching up in the education vertical, colleges are now evolving or poised to evolve as mini-powerhouses of full scale IT deployments. There is a clear need to increase on the skill sets as one seeks to compete in the global marketplace as one of the most significant mega-trend is globalization. The startling revolution in communication technology has brought the world closer together than ever before. The effects of this revolution have been felt not only in academia but also in the economic and political realms. Today, the universities and higher education systems of every country are unavoidably part of a network that spans the globe. This network is sustained not just by the universal nature of knowledge and learning, but also by the mobility of researchers and students from one country to another. Students and researchers are moving around the world with increasing ease�particularly in the sciences and business studies�and the competition to secure the brightest students and the most talented researchers is more intense than ever.
Loveleen Bhatia, an IIT - BHU alumni, is the Co-Founder and the Director of Edureka. He has authored over 20 technical papers in various international conferences and has been an invited speaker at various industry forums worldwide. Lovleen has a passion for sports, technology and adventure road trips. His family is his pillar of strength and unwinding with his family at the end of the day is his de-stress mantra.
The education system is progressing with the growth of the Indian Economy. It offers various courses, education boards and new methodologies. The Indian education system has unbelievably progressed with low costs tuition fee, as compared to western countries.
According to a study on 'Indian Education Industry' with increasing role of private sectors in setting up educational institutes the market size of the Indian education industry was estimated at Rs. 3,83,310 Crore during Financial year 2013. With the National Policy on Education emphasizing the increased use of computer-related technology for the betterment of education, government spending on Information Communication and Technology (ICT) has correspondingly increased, by 53.2 percent to 340 Crore in the 2013-14 Union Budget. The Ministry of Human Resource and Development has proposed an outlay of Rs. 11,000 crore during the Twelfth Plan for National Mission in Education, through ICT. The Government has an ambitious plan to introduce reforms in the education space so as to encourage more private investment and enhance the quality of education.
The present generation is so technologically updated that it is easy for them to adapt to any change or upgrade of technology. Swift growth of ICTs is taking place all over the world. They have emerged as powerful tools for diffusion of knowledge and information. ICT is an easy and fast access to learning, which ultimately leads to democratization of education sector. In recent years, the education sector in India has seen a surge in the use of modern technology to enhance the learning process. The most recent trend is the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in teaching and learning methodology. The implementation of ICT in the academic curriculum will lead to the development of a whole new culture of learning. It will provide many potential opportunities to promote education on a large scale. The ICT will enable availability of improved educational content encouraging interactivity and interconnectivity.
Most of the higher educational institutes have state-of-the-art classrooms and academic labs. Their classrooms are well equipped with E-boards, overhead projectors and audio-visual learning aids. The academic labs give students a practical exposure on subjects. There are different labs for specific subjects such as mathematics and informatics. These academic labs are equipped with digital cameras, videos, scanners and interactive white boards to enhance
the experience of students.
Majority of the technologies which are witnessing good traction are based on the network and database management. Solutions like structured cabling, CRM, VPN and mobility until recently had seen a good adoption rate in the education vertical. However, cloud is 'the one' revolution of the decade which has upset all. With mobility based solutions and Wi-Fi gaining popularity, ICT in education is now filled with data clusters. These range from mere student, faculty and classroom record to more complicated data like competition, analytics and security slates. One big trend that is fast catching up in this space is definitely Big Data and Analytics which the education space is leveraging extensively for consultations as well as planning the framework.
With ICT fast catching up in the education vertical, colleges are now evolving or poised to evolve as mini-powerhouses of full scale IT deployments. There is a clear need to increase on the skill sets as one seeks to compete in the global marketplace as one of the most significant mega-trend is globalization. The startling revolution in communication technology has brought the world closer together than ever before. The effects of this revolution have been felt not only in academia but also in the economic and political realms. Today, the universities and higher education systems of every country are unavoidably part of a network that spans the globe. This network is sustained not just by the universal nature of knowledge and learning, but also by the mobility of researchers and students from one country to another. Students and researchers are moving around the world with increasing ease�particularly in the sciences and business studies�and the competition to secure the brightest students and the most talented researchers is more intense than ever.
Loveleen Bhatia, an IIT - BHU alumni, is the Co-Founder and the Director of Edureka. He has authored over 20 technical papers in various international conferences and has been an invited speaker at various industry forums worldwide. Lovleen has a passion for sports, technology and adventure road trips. His family is his pillar of strength and unwinding with his family at the end of the day is his de-stress mantra.