Global Education Sector

and Emerging Trends

Desk project submitted to Professor Rohit Mutkekar of Goa Institute of
Management for partial completion of PGDM degree.

Aishani Shukla (PGDM 2019131) 8/21/20

 Acknowledgement
It is nearly impossible to prepare any project without the assistance and encouragement of
other people. This work is no exception.

On the outset of the report, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude is for the God
Almighty who gave me the strength to complete this project successfully. I would like to
thank the college director, Dr. Ajit Parulekar for giving me the opportunity to do this
wonderful project which helped me hone my research skills and enhance my knowledge in
the topic. I am ineffably indebted to my mentor Professor Mutkekar without whose guidance,
mentorship, and continuous support this work would not have been possible.

I am extremely thankful to the college for providing me with the assistance and help required
to accomplish this project.

I am overwhelmed in all gratefulness and humbleness to acknowledge all those that have
helped me put these fleeting ideas and thoughts into something concrete. No level of work is
possible without the motivation and support of my parents and sister who have thoroughly
encouraged me in the completion of the project.

At last but not the least, my special thanks of gratitude go to my friends who helped me
directly or indirectly to finish this project.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgement............................................................................................................................. 1
Table of figures.................................................................................................................................. 3
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... 4
Education .......................................................................................................................................... 5
Global education sector ..................................................................................................................... 7
Education sector of India ................................................................................................................. 10
NEP ............................................................................................................................................. 11
Principles of the NEP 2020 ....................................................................................................... 12
School Education ..................................................................................................................... 13
Higher Education ..................................................................................................................... 14
Other areas of focus ................................................................................................................ 15
Challenges and Criticism of NEP 2020 ...................................................................................... 15
Post Covid scenario ......................................................................................................................... 18
SWOT Analysis................................................................................................................................. 21
Strengths ..................................................................................................................................... 21
Weakness .................................................................................................................................... 22
Opportunities .............................................................................................................................. 22
Threats ........................................................................................................................................ 23
Emerging trends in global education sector ..................................................................................... 24
Technology-enhanced learning .................................................................................................... 24
Virtual Reality .......................................................................................................................... 24
Augmented Reality .................................................................................................................. 26
STEAM ......................................................................................................................................... 28
Blockchain Technology in Education ............................................................................................ 29
Key ed-tech players ......................................................................................................................... 31
zSpace ......................................................................................................................................... 31
Coursera ...................................................................................................................................... 31
BYJU’S ......................................................................................................................................... 32
Avantis Systems Ltd. .................................................................................................................... 32
Google......................................................................................................................................... 32
Conclusion/Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 34
References ...................................................................................................................................... 36
List of abbreviations ........................................................................................................................ 38
Table of figures

Figure 1 Components of education .................................................................................................... 5

Figure 2 Global education sector size ................................................................................................. 7
Figure 3 Global capital flows .............................................................................................................. 8
Figure 4 Advanced technology in education expenditure ................................................................... 8
Figure 5 Restructuring of school education structure education structure ....................................... 13
Figure 6 SWOT Analysis for india ..................................................................................................... 21
Executive Summary
Modern primary and secondary schools are a relatively new addition to the world of
education. Hundreds of years ago, most education happened through experience and practical
learning. Then came the concept of universities. The first university to be ever established
was the University of Bologna in Italy in 1088. It has been in existence ever since. In India,
the oldest university is Nalanda which was set up in the 5 th century; however, it lays in rubble
today. Joilet Junior College in the US was the first community college to be set up in 1901.

With rapid changes in economic conditions and technology, the education sector is also
undergoing constant innovation globally. The well-established teaching methods are being
replaced. Also, more flexibility in terms of choices of subjects is being provided. The focus is
shifting from just building intellectual capacities and providing bookish knowledge to a
holistic development of each student.

This report deals with the global education sector with a special focus on India. It entails the
market sizes of the global market, the online education market, and the global ed-tech market.
The new education policy of India has been discussed in depth. Also, the scenario of the
education sector post covid has been predicted. The second part of the report collates the
emerging trends in the sector like technology-based learning, use of blockchain technology,
etc. and the key players operating in these domains.

The methodology used was mainly secondary research. Several research papers, reports by
organizations, newspaper articles, and data analyses were referred to compile data for this
report. Primary research was mostly focused on finding the perception of students about the
recent changes in their education, especially due to corona virus.
 Education
Education in simple terms is the process of facilitating learning and providing aid in
acquiring knowledge, skills, values, and abilities.

FIGURE 1 COMPONENTS OF EDUCATION

Teaching

Storytelling

Training

Discussion

Development

Directed research

Education habitually takes place under the direction of teachers; though in many cases,
learners can too teach themselves. It can take place in formal or casual settings and any
involvement that includes a developmental impact on the way one considers, feels, or acts
may be considered instructive. The strategy of educating is called pedagogy. Formal
education is commonly categorized into such stages as preschool or kindergarten, essential
school, auxiliary school and after that college, college, or apprenticeship.

The stages of education have been defined below. This is not an exhaustive list. Each country
follows its own stages of education which are combinations of the ones mentioned herein.

1. Pre-primary: This stage caters to the education of children in the age group of 3-6
years. Each school can use its own terminology for the classes that are covered in this
stage; for example, pre-nursery, nursery, kindergarten (KG), lower KG (LKG), and
upper KG (UKG).
2. Primary education: This stage entails students between the age of 5-12 years. In India,
certain states consider this as comprising of classes 1 to 4 while some extend it to
include class 5 as well. Additionally, the Government of India has made primary
education free and compulsory for children in the age group of 6 to 14.
 3. Middle school: It refers to classes between 5th to 8th covering students between 12 to
14 years of age.
4. Secondary stage: This stage accommodates classes 8th to 10th and students between
14-16 years.
5. Senior secondary stage: Classes 11th and 12th fall in this category. This stage follows
uniformity throughout India as all states/UTs follow the 10+2 pattern in schools. (The
new education policy however is doing away with this pattern which has been defined
in depth in a later section of the report).
6. Undergraduate stage: This stage usually comprises 3 to 4 years. The 3 years
programme mostly relate to arts, humanities, commerce, management while the 4
years programmes are for technical fields like agriculture, engineering. Some fields
like law and medicine might offer 5-year programmes.
7. Post-graduation stage: This stage relates to specialization. It might include masters
programmes and doctorate/research programmes.

In addition to these, other stages might include adult education, distance education,
vocational education, and home schooling.
 Global education sector
The global education sector is estimated to reach around $10 trillion by 2030 in terms of
expenditure growing at a CAGR of 4.5% and fueled by the increasing population of
developing economies and technological changes leading to increased expenses. (Holoniq,
n.d.)

FIGURE 2 GLOBAL EDUCATION SECTOR SIZE

On the other hand, the global higher education market is expected to witness growth at a
CAGR of 12% and reach $37.82 billion between 2020-24.

With increasing adoption of latest technologies by the education sector and shift from
traditional models of teaching to digital modes, the global online education market is
expected to grow to 319.67 billion by 2025 at a CAGR of 9.23% during 2020-25. Of this,
North America will provide the maximum growth opportunities due to the already well-
established digital infrastructure and willingness of the population to utilize online modes of
teaching. APAC will, however, witness the highest CAGR during this forecast period.

Despite the increasing expenditure on education and massive growth of the sector globally,
the capital flows by government and private sector organizations to the sector are very less
compared to other sectors like healthcare.
FIGURE 3 GLOBAL CAPITAL FLOWS

The global education sector is embracing the use of technology-based learning. According to
research by Holoniq.com, the expenditures on the most used technologies on education will
be as represented below.

FIGURE 4 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION EXPENDITURE

However, despite the increasing penetration of technology in education, the total expenditure
on digitization is 3 percent of the total expenditure on education globally. According to a
research report published by grandviewresearch.com, the global ed-tech market is valued at
$89.07 billion in 2020 and is estimated to reach 285.23 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 18.1%.
The ed-tech industry is flourishing owing to the effects of the corona virus and readiness of
students to have access to flexible education.
Education sector of India
The education sector of India offers incredible opportunity with roughly 29 percent of India’s
populace within the age bracket of 0 to 14 years. India was positioned 34 among the 100
nations in English Proficiency Index 2019. The increasing rate of Internet penetration is
espected to assist in facilitation of education. As of December 2019, Internet penetration in
India was about 54.29 percent. (IBEF, n.d.)

India constitutes more than 250 million students that attend schools, which is the highest
number worldwide. The country also has a large network of higher education institutions
(HEIs). It has a total of 39,931 and 993 colleges and universities, respectively.

Some major investments and developments witnessed by the Indian education sector recently
are as follows:

• January 2020: Harappa Education received funding of a huge amount from James
Murdoch-led Lupa Systems.
• May 2020: National Test Abhyas, a mobile app offering mock tests for exams like
JEE Main and NEET was launched.
• May 2020: Business-to-business (B2B) ed-tech startup, Classplus managed to raise $9
million from RTP Global.
• August 2019: Google for Education in India signed to collaborate with Maharashtra
International Education Board (MIEB).

The Government of India runs several schemes that focus on education. Some of them have
been described below.

For school education, the schemes are as follows:

• Samagra Shiksha (aimed at holistic development of students from pre-school to class

12th)
• Mid Day Meal (every child enrolled in government schools is given a mid-day meal
consisting of at least 300 calories)
• Scheme for Infrastructure Development in Minority Institutes (IDMI) (aimed at
facilitating education of minorities by funding the school infrastructure)
 • Scheme to Provide Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM) (aimed at increasing
student capacity at madrassas and training of its teachers)

For adult education, Saakshar Bharat is a scheme run by the government that looks beyond
the traditional concepts of education like mathematics, alphabet literacy, etc. and includes the
awareness of social disparities and promotion of well-being of an individual.

For higher education, the following are some of the prominent schemes of the government.

• Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) provides funding to chosen higher

education institutes
• National Initiative for design Innovation
• Establishment of 14 universities with world-class facilities
• National Research Professorship (NRP)

NEP
National Education Policy or NEP 2020 is the latest modification in the education sector of
India. It is in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 4 of the United Nations (UN).
India adopted this goal in 2015. It is needless to say that it is a lofty goal and not something
easy to achieve, especially for a country as huge and populated as India. It also requires
drastic reforms in the education policy nationwide.

The education policy of India has been guided by the rich heritage of ancient knowledge of
the country. The biggest human goal for the country has been the pursuit of knowledge,
wisdom and truth. The new education policy is also ultimately aimed at achieving the above-
mentioned goals. It believes that teachers are to be at the center of any educational reform.
Hence, it will aim at establishing teachers as essential being of the society as they help in
shaping the future of a nation. Another aim of the new education policy is to ensure that all
students, irrespective of their nativity, should be provided quality education. A special focus
will, however, be paid to disadvantaged, marginalized, and underrepresented communities.
Education can act as a leveler for all communities/groups/classes of people, ensuring
equality.

The earlier education policies in India have concentrated on access to and equity of
education. The agendas of the education policy of 1986, which was modified in 1992, that
could not be achieved have been incorporated in the NEP. The major change introduced in
the recent years was the ‘Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009’
which laid the foundation for achievement of basic elementary education for all. (NEP by
MHRD, n.d.)

The policy aims to achieve 100 percent GER in school education by 2030 and 50 percent
GER in higher education by 2035.

Principles of the NEP 2020

The NEP 2020 is based on the following principles:

• recognizing and cultivating the special capabilities of each student, by sensitizing

instructors as well as guardians to advance each student’s all-encompassing
advancement in both academic and non-academic spheres
• agreeing the most elevated need to accomplishing Foundational Proficiency and
Numeracy by all students by class 3
• adaptability
• multidisciplinary and all-encompassing teaching to guarantee the solidarity and
integrity of all knowledge
• accentuation on conceptual understanding instead of repetition learning and learning-
for-exams
• imagination and basic considering to energize consistent decision-making and
innovation
• morals and human & Protected values like sympathy, regard for others, cleanliness,
courtesy, equitable soul, soul of benefit, regard for open property, logical temper,
liberty, duty, pluralism, balance, and justice
• cooperative energy in educational programs over all levels of instruction from early
childhood care and education to school instruction to higher education
• instructors and staff as the heart of the learning prepare – their enrollment, continuous
professional advancement, positive working situations and benefit conditions
• a ‘light but tight’ administrative system to guarantee astuteness, straightforwardness,
and resource efficiency
• extraordinary research as a corequisite for exceptional instruction and development
• ceaseless review of progress based on supported investigate and customary appraisal
 • significant funding in solid, dynamic public education system and philanthropic
participation the private sector and the Indian community (NEP by MHRD, n.d.)

School Education
The existent 10+2 structure of the school education in India will be transformed to a new
structure i.e. 5+3+3+4 for ages between 3-18.

Figure 5 Restructuring of school education structure education structure

Currently, the 10+2 structure does not include students below the age of 6 as class 1 only
admits students of 6 years of age. With the new policy, children in the age bracket of 3-6 will
also be covered under school education. The fundamental principles of this restructuring are
as follows:

• Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) will be considered the foundation of
learning and will focus on children in the age group of 3-6.
• Focus on basic numeracy and literacy or the ability to read and write
 • Reducing of the dropout rates and access to education to all at all levels by making it
easier to build schools, encouraging local variations of education, allowing alternative
methods of education, and diminishing the restrictions on requirements of schools
• Making the learning more holistic, engaging, enjoyable and integrated with the help
of experiential learning, more flexible choices to students in terms of subjects,
promoting multilinguism, and support for students with special talents
• The recruitment and deployment of teachers, service environment and culture, career
management and progression will also undergo change.
• Effective governance and better resource efficiency will be executed through school
complexes

Higher Education
Understanding the important role that higher education plays in influencing human and
societal well-being and developing the nation, India has decided to introduce changes in the
higher education as incorporated in the NEP 2020. The following are some crucial and
noteworthy changes.

• Ending the fragmentation of higher education by turning institutes into

multidisciplinary universities or knowledge hubs that can accommodate around 3000
students at once and phasing out single stream HEIs
• Improving research with multidisciplinary approach and flexible and innovative
curriculum
• The degree program can be of 3 or 4 years with multiple exit options. On the
completion of 1 year, one can receive a certificate of vocational training, a diploma
after 2 years of completion, bachelor’s degree after 3 years and a multidisciplinary
bachelor’s programme after 4 years of completion.
• HEIs will be given granted autonomy in grading. Colleges will have to develop
minimum benchmarks required for each level of accreditation.
• A comprehensive approach will be adopted through engaging pedagogy, continuous
assessment, and support from teachers and institutions.
• Focus will be on attracting international students to study subjects like yoga, Indian
languages, systems of medicine, Indian history, etc.
• More opportunities for participation in sports and co-curricular activities and access to
a vibrant campus life
 • Private HEIs will be asked to offer more and more scholarships and efforts will be
made to encourage the enrolment of marginalized communities by rewarding their
worth.
• Vocational training will be made part of schools and colleges in a phased manner and
the important areas will be assessed based on mapping of opportunities and skills gap
analysis.
• Encouraging quality research in all kinds of domains though a new National Research
Foundation, which will fund grant proposals, grow and facilitate research at HEIs,
link researchers with the government branches and the industry, and recognize and
reward exemplary research.

Other areas of focus

• Professional education will also be paid attention to in addition to focus on healthcare
education, agricultural institutions, legal education, and technical education.
• Innovative government initiatives for adult education to motivate involvement of the
community and more integration of technology
• Cultural awareness and indication towards arts will be promoted and high-quality
programmes and degrees will be dedicated towards Indian languages.
• Use and integration of technology will be promoted by the setting up of National
Educational Technology Forum (NETF), which will have functions like giving advice
to government agencies on technology, building intellectual capacities in educational
technologies, and carving new directions for innovation.
• Pilot studies will be conducted at first to check for the flaws and issues in online
education. Once they are carried out successfully, online education will be
implemented nationwide. Also, higher investment will be made in improving the
digital infrastructure of the country.
• Teachers will also receive rigorous but required training to be adept at all the changes
that will be introduced in all fields.

Challenges and Criticism of NEP 2020

The NEP 2020 is receiving appreciation for its forward-looking approach by policy makers,
education experts and the general public. With several changes in alignment with the
education policies in developed countries, NEP 2020 is commendable. However, it has
certain issues and challenges that are bound to arise with massive changes like these. These
have been discussed in detail below.

The new education policy emphasizes on the use of mother tongue till 5 th grade or even 8th
grade (it has not been mandated yet). Even though this has been done keeping in mind the
promotion of arts and culture, it might infringe upon the rights of the parents. Also, this
would restrict the linguistic development of children. Additionally, the policy does not take
into consideration the plight of parents with transferable jobs.

There has been immense stress on turning institutions into multidisciplinary universities. This
is an exemplary move; however, attention has to be paid on whether it is possible to achieve
this feat in the near future. Such a vast change would require high investment and several
transitions of large magnitude.

The policy has been called visionary. However, if we have a closer look at it, it can be
assumed to be exclusionary with the leaving out of certain minorities. For example, the focus
on the mother tongue as the medium of instruction for classes till 5 th can hamper the
employability of the minorities who already face discrimination while seeking employment.
This is because English is many-a-times connected to better employment and privilege.
With the implementation of mother tongue as the medium of instruction, class gap or
inequality might also widen.

The gender implications of the policy are also huge. Parents usually tend to spend less on
girls’ education as compared to boys’ education. Since, no clarity has been given if the
government schools will continue to operate in regional languages or will shift to English as
a medium of instruction. Parents readily send their sons to private schools but girls might
be sent to government schools because they are cheaper.

Early childhood education has been covered under the new policy and brought under the
ambit of school education. The responsibility has been vested in anganwadi workers. The
policy also states that these workers will be given online training for 6 months. However, this
additional responsibility does not bring them any additional recognition. The work done by
anganwadi workers is generally considered as an extension of unpaid household work that
women are supposedly destined to do. These workers have been demanding recognition,
fixed wages, and better work conditions since a long time. Without addressing these issues
and additionally burdening them is pure injustice.
The biggest criticism of the NEP 2020 is its implication towards privatization of the entire
education sector. The policy aims at gradually phasing out colleges and granting autonomy to
universities. This will open doors for various corporates and private players. This might be
disadvantageous for the backward communities and populations residing in villages as the
cost of quality education would increase depriving the of access to good higher education.

There are issues with the legality of the policy as well. This is because it clashes with the
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009. Additionally, several
institutions are proposed to be set up. There will be legal issues related to them as well.
However, even though the policy talks about the setting up of various research organizations
and institutions, it does not give them a timeline. Most targets are not time-bound and have
been vaguely defined due to the same reason.
Post Covid scenario
Since the covid outbreak was first diagnosed in 2019, it has spread to over 200 countries.
Along with its disastrous health effects leading to more than 77 lacs deaths worldwide, the
economic effects will be more long-lasting and creating huge losses for most nations. No
sector is left untouched by the disastrous effects brought about by virus that led to lockdowns
and several restrictions. This, in turn, negatively affected the launch of new businesses and
the growth of the existent businesses.

The education sector took a massive blow as the schools and colleges nationwide closed
down for several months. National level entrance exams either got cancelled or postponed for
an indefinite time. This has also accelerated the shift to digital/online as offline learning is
impossible given the current circumstances. While some sectors are being unlocked and the
lockdown is being lifted for them, the education sector will probably be the last one to return
to normalcy. However, some countries like Norway, Denmark, Finland and Poland have re-
opened schools due to the low occurrence of the virus. Despite that, they are following
various restrictions like six-feet distance between desks, regular temperature checks, etc.

The following are the basic changes that have been or will be inculcated in the near future
due to the covid outbreak.

1. Infrastructural change: The focus will shift from physical assets to digital assets like
fast connectivity and Internet. This will be a feasible changed for the privileged
sections of the society. However, the marginalized communities, the poor population
and the rural folk. They would need low-cost solutions so that their education is not
hampered or else it will lead to an even larger gap between the privileged and the
underprivileged sections of the society. The governments of various countries are
devising new ways to solve such issues. However, it is still a long road ahead mainly
because the digital infrastructure of many countries especially the emerging and
underdeveloped countries is poor and needs significant improvement.
2. Updation of skills of teachers: With a change in the mode of teaching i.e. offline to
online, previous teaching methods will also become obsolete. Teachers and instructors
will have to undergo training in order to be able to adapt to the changes. Students will
also have to face challenges while adopting these new learning methods. However,
more blunt will be faced by the teachers as many of them find solace in the old
 methods and might not readily accept changes. They will have to be adept in new
technological tools for the learning and education processes to run smoothly.
3. Content: The shift to digital platforms will bring about a positive change in the
education sector. It will lead to updation of content as it will be easier to create,
upload and share new content. Among other negative impacts of covid, this will be
one fresh breathe of air to see traditional content be upgraded to include new
information and topics. It will also lead to enhanced creativity as both students and
teachers would have to brainstorm and come up with new ideas to take the
educational journey forward.
4. Peer-to-peer learning and socialization: At many institutes, peer-to-peer learning is an
important part of the curriculum as it emphasizes the qualities of team building,
sensitivity to others; unity; promotion of diversity; leveraging of the new ideas that
emerge from the differences between students due to their demographics, geography,
etc. Online mode of education may restrict such type of interaction and socialization
substantially due to not everyone having the same kind of connectivity or accessibility
to the Internet.
5. Fewer international students: Even after schools, colleges, and universities re-open, a
large proportion of students will still be hesitant to attend them due to the fear of the
virus. Going overseas for education will see a huge reduction especially for countries
that have been worst hit by covid. There will also be increase in dropout rates as many
students and parents would prefer home schooling or distance education due to
concerns over safety.
6. Reduction in sports and co-curricular activities: The organization of sports events,
cultural fests, co-curricular competitions will be severely reduced. Most educational
institutions would want to keep minimum contact between students to avoid the
spread of the virus. This will be a loss for students as such events help in refreshing
their minds, maintaining a balance between studies and play, and instilling a
competitive spirit and sportsmanship.

The sector will probably see heightened activity in innovation, new ventures, investments and
mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the ed-tech segment. The education sector will witness a
disruption of technology and tech-enabled solutions. This will be a forced change; however,
it can be positively molded. It will tamper the established models of education maybe even
permanently. Students, teachers, and other stakeholders in the education sector will have to
embrace these changes, the faster the better. However, the digital divide between those with
accessibility to the Internet and those with not cannot go unnoticed or unaddressed.
Governments and communities globally will have to work in a collaborative effort to curtail
this gap so that education at all levels is within the reach of all.
 SWOT Analysis
SWOT is the abbreviated form of Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats. Hence,
SWOT analysis is the process of analyzing the four for a business or organization of an
industry or sector in order to assess its viability at any given point of time. While strengths
and weakness are internal factors, opportunities and threats are part of the external
environment. On the basis of the analysis, businesses can make crucial decisions related to
business strategy, venturing into new markets, launching new products, tactical decisions, etc.
For the education sector, the SWOT analysis given below has been done with a special focus
on India.

FIGURE 6 SWOT ANALYSIS FOR INDIA

Strengths
India does hold an important position in the global education sector. It has several prestigious
educational institutions that find popularity among students. The education sector in India is
also strongly funded by the government that launches various schemes to support education
in every yearly budget. This is one of the biggest strengths of the Indian education sector.
Some prominent schemes led by the Government of India are in the categories of school
education like Samagra Shiksha, Mid Day Meal; adult education: Saakshar Bharat; technical
education: Scheme of Apprenticeship Training, Technology Development Mission;
university and higher education: Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, RUSA.
Some other strengths of the Indian education sector are very strong technical education with
the presence of institutes like Indian institute of Technology (IIT) and NIT; a rich and long
heritage of education due to the presence of the oldest university in the world, Nalanda
University set up in Bihar in the 5th century; the free primary education available for students
till the age of 14 that provides a strong base; the richness of theoretical knowledge in Indian
education, abundance of resources and manpower in the field of education (though not
equally distributed); a growing number of higher education institutes; a population of over
250 million school-going children exhibits a huge market potential.

Weakness
There are several weaknesses that hinder the growth of the Indian education sector. Some of
the identified ones are listed below:

• Lack of upgradation of curriculum at all education levels

• Non-standardization of content and tests across the nation
• Minimal industry-institute interaction
• Unavailability of multidisciplinary courses
• Resistance to change/rigidity of the structure
• Lack of adequate training for teachers/faculty

With a shortage of policy makers and long time taken to approve and make changes, the
Indian education system is vulnerable to being obsolete. Also, the education system in India
focuses more on theoretical knowledge; hence, there is very less component of practical
experience. This leads to lack of skills required to perform jobs when students enter the
workforce. Lack of required facilities and equipment is another weakness faced by the
education system in India. Even though the funding is adequate, its implementation is not
very smooth. However, the NEP 2020 is expected to overcome some, if not all, of these
shortcomings.

Opportunities
The opportunities are immense when it comes to the education sector of India. With
increasing population and growing number of young individuals, there is huge potential for
new and better educational institutions to be set up. Educating the youth to its optimum
potential can help in creating an able workforce for the businesses and industries in India.
Additionally, India has the second largest e-learning market after the United States. This
opens various avenues for new companies to flourish and existent companies to grow in this
domain. The increasing penetration of Internet and Internet-enabled smartphones further
strengthens the prospects of edu-tech players in the education sector of India. Additionally,
the increasing recognition of Indian universities and educational institutions globally are
attracting foreign students to visit the country for education. This leads to incredible
opportunities for both public and private educational institutions that are already catering to
Indian students and want to expand their student base.

Threats
The issue of rampant corruption in India has been prevalent since a long time. It exists in
almost all domains and is inherent in some. The education sector is also not untouched by
corruption. Like mentioned above, the Government of India allots a significant portion of the
budget to educational reforms; however, how much of this allotted money is actually put to
its use is the boiling question. This poses a huge threat to the growth of the education sector
in India. Another threat is the lack of initiative from students as well as teachers. It is
important to inculcate in them a sense of sincerity when it comes to education as it is a
building block of life. Teachers need too understand the gravity of responsibilities they are
vested with which is preparing the children to be able to get employed or enhance their
knowledge if that is their priority.

Another major threat faced by the education system in India is the increasing preferences of
Indian students to choose education abroad. These choices are influenced by the higher value
attached to the degrees earned from abroad, better quality of life or living standards, more
options/topics of study.

Lags in reducing reforms is another major threat in the education sector of India. Before NEP
came into effect, the last modification in the education policy was made in 1992. Education is
a field that requires constant updation as and when new information is available, new
technologies introduced, and changes occurred. However, such huge lags in reforms lead to
obsoleting of curriculum and gaps in information.
 Emerging trends in global education sector
With the advent of advanced technologies, no industry or sector is shying away from
incorporating them to garner their various benefits. While some organizations/institutions
adopt them voluntarily, others are coerced to change with changing times for survival. Over
the years, the education sector has been bubbling with the introduction of existent
technologies to enhance the learning experience of students. According to an article on
mattchurch.com titled Talking Point: The Evolution of Education, the three phases of
education are the following.

Education 1.0 – Teachers continue to teach the way they were taught (the traditional
approach).

Education 2.0 – Teachers adjust the way of teaching and content to deliver according to the
varying needs of students.

Education 3.0 – Teachers provide the resources and content available whenever and wherever
students need and are themselves available to help in application of the learning. Massive
Open Online Courses (MOOCs) can be an example of education 3.0.

Technology-enhanced learning
With time, educators are realizing the importance of catering to the needs of each student
differently. While some students learn by reading, some might obtain more value from
watching videos or simulations. Hence, several institutions are introducing the concept of
‘Integrated learning solutions’ which combine the traditional teaching methods of using
textbooks with videos and virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR). The coupling of
these methods helps in providing intellectually-satisfying learning experiences to students
and a more versatile teaching experience for teachers.

Virtual Reality
Dating back to 1930s, Virtual Reality or VR is the use of computer technology to create a
simulated experience of the real or fictional world wherein users can choose to interact using
some specific devices. According to a definition by NASA, “VR is the use of computer
technology to create the effect of an interactive three-dimensional world in which the objects
have a sense of spatial presence”; spatial presence here means that objects in the environment
have a location in 3D space independent of and relative to an individual’s position. Since its
inception, the use of VR has been increasing multifold to spread to industries such as
automotive, retail, entertainment, real-estate, hospitality and tourism, and areas such as
learning and development, art and design, recreation, sports etc.

➢ VR is revolutionizing education by enabling students to learn in an immersive,

experiential way and enhancing their learning and engagement. Higher engagement
and immersion will motivate students to understand better. When students learn about
something, they want to experience it. With the help of VR this will become possible
and students’ learning would not have to be limited to word descriptions or book
illustrations.
➢ Small VR devices have the capability of replacing large and expensive science labs.
Due to VR, students can learn by doing. It is helping in changing the age-old tradition
of cramming before exams and replacing it with enhanced practical experience.
➢ Categories of VR experiences in education are as follows:
• 360VR: In this, real-world locations are captured by specialist camera and
equipment; the footage is then converted into VR content in a studio. The
video can then be viewed using VR headsets or be projected on a wall in
immersive classrooms. Such videos can be used to teach geography or history
lessons effectively. VR headsets find more popularity in secondary classes
while primary class students are taught using immersive classrooms; the UK is
increasingly using 360VR technology to teach in schools. The use of
immersive classrooms helps in creating an equal opportunity for each student
to share his/her thoughts as the learning is not based on a taught lesson but
rather on the experience offered. The popularity of VR headsets in secondary
educations is owing to the fact that these students require less guidance and
inputs for the use and require a more immersive experience.
• Virtual field trips: These can help in providing an enhanced experience of a
place or even a celestial body! One example of this was when Lockheed
Martin manufactured a bus with windows with transparent 4K displays and
switchable glass film. A surround sound system was also added playing
sounds of Martian winds inside the bus. Moreover, they mapped the roads of
Washington DC to replicate the surface of Mars. Lockheed Martin has an
educational subsidiary named Generation Beyond. This was the entity behind
the idea. Its website also provides free content like lesson plans, curricula,
 video challenges, and family activities to be downloaded by middle and high
school students.
Another example of this is museum tour experience provided by a company
called Boulevard. This experience is guided by popular artists, curators, and
authors. This gives teachers help in increasing student engagement and
boosting scientific creativity. Google Expeditions is another example of an
app designed to give such experiences. It gives a variety of trips for
smartphone users. The app was piloted in over 100 schools worldwide giving
chance to over a million students to have virtual trips.
• Virtual labs: Several companies offer multitudes of virtual labs for educational
institutions. PNX Labs, Labster, Vlabs, G2, Praxi Labs are some pioneers in
this domain. In India, the Ministry of Human Resources and Development
(MHRD), IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, etc. also offer virtual labs. These labs give
a realistic lab experience to students that lets them perform experiments and
practice skills in a risk-free environment. This gives flexibility to the students
to use the lab as and when they want; it is also less expensive than actual labs.
The simulations can vary over a wide range of topics like biology,
microbiology, chemistry, physics, physiology, psychology, etc. For example,
psychology simulation exercise. Another example is the use of VR systems in
biology class to teach the anatomy by Mendel Grammar School in the Czech
Republic.
• Vocational training/Internships: Exposure to various careers is an important
part of education. Students can get the experience of being at a job with the
help of career expeditions. Some companies offer the option of programs that
give hands-on instructions and can lead to certificates on successful
completion. For example, mechanical engineering students can work on
engines and have a 360-degree experience.

Augmented Reality
Also known as AR, it is the enhancement of reality using technology-enabled device that
overlays the digital information on an image in real-time. It dates back to the 1960s where it
came into existence with the head-mounted AR displays by Ivan Sutherlands. However, the
word was coined in 1990 by Tim Caudell. It has witnessed intensive developments since then
and its uses have ventured into various industries. Pokemon Go is one simplified example of
AR’s use in smartphones. Other gadgets that facilitate AR technology are wearable ones like
Google Glass, Epson Moverio BT-300, DreamGlass, and Vuzix Blade. Education is finding
increasing applications of AR for subjects such as paleontology, chemistry, biology, space
sciences, etc. AR gives opportunities to students to deepen their knowledge in areas like
spatial concepts, numbers, reading, content creation, and real-life environments.

➢ In medical education, AR is used to provide students with interactive visual

representations, create simulations, train them to perform surgery or other medical
procedures on virtual patients. This can be beneficial as it can reduce the chances of
errors in real surgeries and enhance the precision of medical students. AR also helps
in creating human body models to learn anatomy in depth and providing training
opportunities for students using simulations. Human Anatomy Atlas is an app that
provides over 10,000 anatomical 3D models that can be rotated worked upon. It is
available in 7 languages. It also has several quizzes for students to keep track of what
they are learning and how efficient they are in the same. Touch Surgery is another app
founded by surgeons that provides an interactive surgical simulator with realistic and
detailed step-by step procedures. Students can follow the steps, learn, test their
knowledge and rehearse.
➢ Plug-n-play AR apps have ready to go AR content with pre-designed markers and
triggers. Quiver is a 3D coloring app that combines education with entertainment. It
has over 120 million downloads over the world. Elements 4D is another app that
covers topics of chemistry. Arloon Mental Maths, Arloon Plants, and Arloon
Geometry are apps that focus on arithmetic, botany, and geometry respectively. These
apps help students practice in a safe environment and with the availability of
minimum resources. Math Alive and Animal Alphabet AR Flashcards are apps for
primary school students that help in learning numbers and letters. Aurasma and
Blipper are apps that provide tools for content creation. An example of Aurasma’s use
was by art students of Brazil’s Graded School that created an exhibition for visitors of
their gallery.
➢ AR can help in marketing and advertising in the education sector. Various educational
institutions are using AR content on their websites to attract traffic and imply their
inclination towards adopting the latest technologies. A number of US universities
display AR campus tours on their websites to increase enrollment of students and for
them to find their way through the campus. An example is of Community College of
 Beaver County in Pennsylvania that has an app which offers video, audio and digital
publications along with gamification elements.

STEAM
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) was a curriculum approach
followed by educational institutions in which these subjects were taught collectively in an
interdisciplinary way rather than treating them as discrete subjects. They were taught in an
applied manner with an emphasis on real-life applications. STEM education focuses on
project-based learning and is largely followed in the US. The importance of STEM education
lies in the fact that this information-driven age requires students to be well-versed with
technology and its applications. However, STEM education is a narrow concept as it does not
take into consideration an important field: Arts. In a survey in the US, it was concluded that
only 16% students were interested in making a career in STEM and were proficient in
mathematics. Hence, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) is the
new concept which goes beyond the traditional viewpoint and incorporates not just aesthetic
art but also liberal arts like languages, social studies, music, physical arts and fine arts.

STEAM first came into existence at Rhode Island School of Design and since then has been
adopted by various institutions like Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Columbia
University, Princeton University, Paris College of Art, Stanford University, Seoul Institute of
the Arts, etc. STEAM was initially aimed at transforming research policy to place design and
art at the center of STEM, encouraging the integration of arts in education, and influencing
employers to recruit designers and artists in various roles to increase innovation. The basic
difference between STEM and STEAM is that the latter wants the application of STEM
through art practices and design elements. STEAM can help in boosting the creativity and
building an innovational mindset for students. It can help in strengthening the foundation of
STEM by enhancing the critical thinking of students.

For STEAM to be accomplished in schools, a variety of factors need to be considered like

collaborative planning, adjustment of schedule, training and development for teachers to be
involved in STEAM, and mapping of the curriculum and assessment process.

STEAM courses are gaining more ground online and becoming increasingly robust,
accessible, and popular. Some STEAM-inclusive resources are EducationCloset, Class
Central, Coursera, STEAMedu training courses, etc. Additionally, several colleges and
educational institutions offer Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to dd to students’
skillsets and increase their knowledge on a specific topic.

The steps involved in the creation of a STEAM classroom are as follows:

• Focus: This step relates to deciding on the question or problem that needs to be
addressed and how it is aligned with STEM and the arts areas.
• Detail: In this phase, we look at the elements that contribute to the problem and what
processes and skills can students use to solve them.
• Discovery: This step deals with active research by students for new solutions and
discovering why existent solutions do not work. Herein, teachers try to identify the
gaps that students may have in a skill or process and how to fill it.
• Application: This is the most crucial step in which the students begin to create or
design solutions using the knowledge, skills and processes taught during the discovery
phase.
• Presentation: Once the solutions are prepared, they are presented to solicit feedback
that can help in improving the solutions.
• Link: This is where students reflect on the feedback they have received and revise
their work as required.

Blockchain Technology in Education

In simple words, blockchain is a book of records that is accessible to a community. Each
member of the community has its own copy of the records. These records can represent
transactions (in currencies or other units), contracts, or any other data that can be stored
virtually. With the education sector adopting almost all latest technologies, blockchain would
not be left behind. Seeing the potential of blockchain, we can safely assume that it will
disrupt the data collection and storage processes.

In all educational institutions like schools and colleges, there are endless student records.
Managing these manually was in itself a laborious task; however, with the advent of online
data storage clouds, it became easier. Some of these records require high level of security and
should not be tampered with. Blockchain technology can help in securing such records and
keeping them saved at one place so that they ca be revisited as and when the need arises.
Students can share links to their records with the potential employers who would not have to
contact the colleges/universities for information of students.
Blockchain can be helpful in digital rights protection and copyright. Educational institutions
face several plagiarism issues from students. This can be somewhat reduced by controlling
the dispersal of copyrighted material on the Internet. Due to this, data secured in the chain
can not be manually altered as it will be encrypted. This way academic materials can be
easily accessible but not changeable. Also, ownership tracking will be easy.

Another important application of blockchain can be learning and development platforms. A

prominent example of this is Education Ecosystem platform that uses blockchain technology
to connect students, developers, academicians, and content creators globally. Colleges and
schools can also create ecosystems internally on the same principle. They can create chains
that generate tokens for content. Such tokens can be used to download academic materials.
Students and teachers can also upload content that can be viewed by all stakeholders.
 Key ed-tech players
zSpace
Founded in 2001 as Infinite Z, it provides software and hardware solutions that deliver
interactive experiences by integrating VR and AR technology and using three sensory
characteristics. It offers its client classrooms over 250 STEAM lessons. Its USP is the zSpace
laptop that combines elements of AR and VR to give an interactive, lifelike, and personalized
experience to its user. The laptop also features kinesthetic realism and a tracking system to
respond to users’ common movements. The company also has products like VR glasses,
Stylus (a pen-like object with buttons to perform actions on applications being used),
accelerated processing unit (APU) which combines the central processing unit (CPU) and
graphics processing unit (GPU) in one. Additionally, it offers a wide variety of applications
like Human Anatomy Atlas and Auto Expert by GTA in different fields of education,
industries and careers.
It is the leading AR company in education, currently present in over 100 school districts in
North America, hundreds of schools in China and several universities around the world
serving over 1 million students. It reported a net revenue of $8.7 million in 2015 registering a
growth of 803% over the past 3 years.

Coursera
It was founded in 2012 by two computer science professors of Stanford University, Andrew
NG and Daphne Koller, and offers several MOOCs, specializations, degrees, and professional
courses. It partners with various universities and organizations to provide online courses,
certifications, and degrees in numerable fields like business, mathematics, engineering,
marketing, machine learning, medicine, social sciences, etc. In March 2018, Coursera
launched MasterTrack, a micro master’s program for students to earn credits for their
master’s degree.

Forbes estimated Coursera’s revenue to be at around $140 million. In 2018, Coursera had
1632 degree students. Interestingly, around 50% of these were previously enrolled in
Coursera courses. This indicates that the cost of acquiring customers is quite less for
Coursera as millions of previous learners act as a marketing channel. More than 20 million
students have completed courses from Coursera by attending video lectures, doing auto-
graded assignments and using discussion forums.
BYJU’S
It was launched in 2015 by Byju Raveendran, an engineer from Kerala, India. Today it is one
of the largest edu-tech startups worldwide with presence in India and the Middle East. It
offers personalized learning experience to its users with animated video content, questions,
quizzes and flashcards. The content varies from primary class subjects, secondary classes,
JEE preparation, UPSC and NEET exams, and other subjects.

BYJU’S has over 250 million subscribers and on an average, each subscriber spends around
40 minutes in a day on the app. It recently received funding of $50 million from Chan
Zuckerberg initiative, Sequoia Capital, Sofina, Lightspeed Ventures, and Times Internet
Limited. This funding will be utilized to expand to the UK, US, South Africa, and other
African and Commonwealth markets.

With increasing smartphone penetration, BYJU’S is experiencing rapid expansion in its user base. For
financial year 2020-21, it reported a revenue of 1306 crores INR.

Avantis Systems Ltd.

ClassVR is a complete AR and VR system for classrooms offered by Avantis Systems.
Students and teachers can create, upload, and share their content leading to a collaborative
community worldwide. It provides the requisite software, hardware, tools, support and
training like VR headsets, controls, curriculum and content, charging and storage. ClassVR is
a revolutionary product in terms of classroom engagement as it comes with integrated
headsets and inbuilt camera, classroom controls for the teacher, charging and storage unit,
more than 500 VR and AR activities with structured curriculum-aligned lesson plans and a
team of educational specialists to help schools implement the technology.

The company has been in operations for over 20 years catering to around 10,000 schools in
20 countries. The company also offers Workbook Tablets; Classbook School laptops;
operating systems like Snap OS and Learnpad OS; and software like Classview, Classboard,
and Classcloud.

Google
Since its inception, Google has been revolutionizing education. With its wide array of apps
both free and paid, it has become a boon for educators and learners around the world. Google
Classroom tops the list of favorite educational apps by Google. It allows students to view all
assignments at one platform and all class materials can be stored in Google Drive. Teachers
can add students by sending a single code for joining a meeting. Also, the assessment and
feedback can be viewed by students in real time. Google Docs and Google Slides are other
apps that give the option of creating documents and presentations online that can be created
and edited simultaneously by several people online. Google Expeditions is a VR teaching toll
with over 200 historical sites that can be viewed in 3D. Google Arts and Culture is another
app that helps in viewing in VR guided tours of museums and exhibitions around us. Science
Journal offered by Google functions as a digital notebook where a person can store his/her
observations and photos and with the device’s in-built sensors, one can measure light, sound
and motion as and when required. We can also measure the data using external devices like
Bluetooth-based Vernier.
Conclusion/Recommendations
After a thorough research of the global education sector (with a special focus on India) and its
emerging trends, I would like to conclude that even though the road to quality and equal
education to all is long, we are set on the right path. Reforms are being designed and
implemented. New technologies are being incorporated gradually; however, at a slower rate
than required.

It is imperative to commit to reinforce education as a common goal. Education should be free

from disparities. Education just like wellbeing secures an individual when everyone is secure;
we thrive when everybody flourishes. The definition of education needs to be expanded and
include a holistic approach that focuses on all aspects rather than a narrow one that only
caters to the intelligence of students. The curriculum of education at all levels should be
regularly updated so as to not let students lag in any kind of knowledge or information.
Greater flexibility in education is encouraged as it would lead to more children and
youngsters inclining towards education who earlier could not enroll in schools or colleges
due to restrictions or their own issues.

A multidisciplinary approach has to be embraced which puts equal focus across all fields of
study. STEAM is a commendable step in this regard. This approach will let students study
what they love and love what they study. Their interest in the subjects they study will help
them excel in those. Pedagogy needs to undergo changes so as to increase the engagement of
students.

Teachers and students both have to be provided proper training and upskilling so that they
can easily adopt the digital infrastructure. Governments and private sector have to
collectively support and fund the digitization in countries.

As the huge number of arrangements are actualized, mostly as a result of local situations, a
diverse world of education will gradually unfurl. A few tests will without a doubt fall flat,
whereas others will be gigantically effective. When the dust settles, we will most likely see a
brand-new educational scene, affected and reshaped at all levels. Primary and secondary
schools will have a smaller number of lectures with great emphasis on level of consideration
being paid to cleanliness and the presentation of inventive approaches to keeping actually
social children at secure separations. High schools and colleges will without a doubt see a
gigantic move towards the acceptance of innovation in each viewpoint of the teaching-
learning involvement. We should also be ready to anticipate a great advancement within the
quality of materials accessible at all course levels as the move from face-to-face classes to
online classes picks up momentum. We never know, this may trigger the arrangement of
satisfactory subsidizing for the advancement of much required communication framework
around the globe and make content more open and accessible.
References
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2. How AR and VR will Revolutionise Education | Academy Xi Blog Academy Xi
3. Virtual Reality
4. AR/VR Learning Experiences | zSpace
5. 6 Benefits and 5 Examples of Augmented Reality in Education | ViewSonic Library
6. Augmented Reality in Education and Job Training: Use Cases and Benefits | RubyGarage Blog
7. What is STEM Education? | Live Science
8. 4 Inventive Examples Of Virtual Reality In Education | ARPost
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11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coursera
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 List of abbreviations
ACU Accelerated Processing Unit

AR Augmented Reality

B2B Business-to-business

CPU Central Processing Unit

DPIIT Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade

ECCE Early Childhood Care and Education

EMRE ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company

FDI Foreign Direct Investment

GER Gross Enrolment Ratio

GPU Graphics Processing Unit

HEI Higher Education Institute

IDMI Infrastructure Development of Private Aided/Unaided Minority

Institutes

IIT Indian Institute of Technology

KG Kindergarten

LKG Lower Kindergarten

MHRD Ministry of Human Resources and Development

MIEB Maharashtra International Education Board

MOOCs Massive Open Online Courses

NEP National Education Policy

NETF National Educational Technology Forum

NIT National Institute of Technology

NRP National Research Professorship

RUSA Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyan

SDG Sustainable Development Goal

SPQEM Strengthening for Providing Quality Education in Madrassas

STEAM Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics

STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

UKG Upper kindergarten

UN United Nations

USP Unique Selling Proposition

VR Virtual Reality