Kalpesh Banker, Managing Partner at EduShine Search Partners
With many changes on the doorsteps of Indian Education, here are significant ones that have the potential to shape Higher Education Leadership in the country.
With 1,000 universities and 40,000 colleges, the higher education system in India is the largest in the world. The country also boasts of the youngest population with a 30-year median age, implying the crucial socio-economic impacts of higher education policies on the society and economy. In the last couple of years, India’s higher education system has undergone a massive transformation with the Pandemic and New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 acting as primary catalysts behind this change. While many changes are impacting the learning process of students, here are the top 5 emerging trends that are significantly shaping the higher education leadership scenario in India:
1) Online Shift: Research reports suggest that the total number of online learners will shoot to 57 million by the end of 2027. Online learning has grown globally by 900% since its debut in 2000 and this exponential growth is very much reflected in India as well. The Indian higher education system is fast adding online resources with leading Universities and educational institutions are investing heavily in digital platforms. Online learning offers many benefits although nothing can match the flexibility and accessibility this mode offers to students across the globe. The online learning trend is expected to continue strong in future as well with both India and the global education sectors witnessing a higher number of students enrolling online.
2) Skill-based Education: Data suggests that by the end of 2024, India will send around 104,000 students belonging to STEM disciplines to the US. The number amply reflects the changing focus of higher education in India. Gone are days when higher education was focused on conventional streams and degrees held the ultimate sway on both teachers and learners. The rapidly evolving business environment has now necessitated the use of a skill-based education system and it’s heartening that India’s education sector is now focusing on skill-based education. By offering hands-on training through internships, live projects, immersion programs, and practicals, the country is ensuring that its students become industry-ready right from day one. The focus of NEP 2020 is on integrating vocational education with traditional courses so that students not only enhance their professional skills but also evolve in their overall personality.
3) Personalised Approach: Touted to be a game changer, a personalized approach to learning captures the true essence of an ideal education system. The method allows students to decide their own pace of learning which further depends upon their attitudes, interests, opinions, and intellectual capabilities. Digital platforms are proving instrumental in offering personalized learning by suggesting students relevant courses, learning recommendations, and evaluation procedures. Similarly, the National Curriculum Framework 2023 is focused on promoting personalized learning in India by offering a flexible curriculum to learners. Under the new framework, students can pair Chemistry with History or accounts with the fine arts, thereby laying the foundation for personalized learning paths. The launch of the interactive books, aka, TECHBOOKS, also reflects the trend of personalized learning that is fast catching in the global education sector. Further, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in offering personal tech tutors, tracking learners’ progress, and suggesting improvements is expanding by the day.
4) Gamified Education: A white paper on education by Gartner predicts that students’ engagement can be enhanced by 60% through the Gamification of Education. Gamification brings enhanced immersiveness and engagement to the table and by offering a more vivid, fun way of learning, the method is rated very highly by both teachers and students. The most exciting part of the gamification is its ability to convert even mundane tasks into engaging activities. For example, the integration of points, rewards, badges, and leaderboards can help educators significantly enhance learning efficiency and help students master both hard and soft skills.
5) Sustainability Focus: With dangerous impacts of Climate Change becoming very much apparent, the integration of sustainability in the course curriculum and skills training is fast gaining traction. Sustainability-based courses are rising exponentially in their appeal with educators agreeing on the need to integrate an eco-conscious approach into the curriculum. From focusing on green projects to developing sustainable campuses and reducing emissions, the push for sustainable measures is sweeping the education sector. The focus on the sustainability programs also bodes well for the job prospects of students as these courses are high in demand across industrial sectors.
The five trends mentioned above are proving significant in shaping the future of the Indian Higher education system. The need of the hour is to keep student-centric learning at the core and by creating a win-win situation for all stakeholders, the higher education ecosystem can contribute significantly in making India the next superpower in the world.
