India holds the position as the second biggest e-learning market, hosting about 70 million learners. A KPMG report indicates that the number of users in the online education sector is likely to increase. It predicts a jump from 1.6 million users in 2016 to 9.6 million by 2021.
A group of IIT graduates has started a new venture. They have released an educational device for Indian students. The company is called Edutor Technologies and is based in Hyderabad. Their product is the Edutor Advantage e40. It’s the first handheld learning device of its kind in India.
The company ran a pilot project for six months. After that, they launched their device. It’s made for students from grade 3 to grade 10. The students follow the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum. The device is a touchscreen. It comes preloaded with the curriculum for each specific grade.
This device is made to keep students fully engaged. The Edutor Advantage e40 has a simple and easy-to-use touch-screen interface. It comes with multimedia content that helps students understand and remember concepts effectively.
These features help students understand and remember concepts. While making the device, the team used a research-based approach.
The research shows that learning with multiple senses helps boost understanding and memory. So, the device uses sight, sound, and touch for learning. This approach makes learning more rewarding, says Ram. Ram is an IIT graduate. He has spent 15 years working in tech firms in the US.
The device helps students test themselves with practice tests and questions. This feature aligns with CBSE’s Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) initiative. The goal is to give students a way to measure their learning at home.
The device also gives snippets of information. These are about extra-curricular activities. The device covers various topics including cricket, yoga, karate, spoken English, and Wikipedia subjects.
Speaking Business:
The device is backed by CBSE. CBSE is the country’s leading school education board. This gives Edutor Technologies a large market. India has 75,000 CBSE schools. Hyderabad has a significant population of 200,000 CBSE students. Ram Gollamudi, the CEO of Edutor Technologies, has stated that the company aims to sell 30,000 to 40,000 devices within the next 18 months.
Putting light on the importance of eLearning, Akshat Goel – the Founder and Chief Technical Officer of Eckovation spoke about the impact of online education. He said that it has become a solution for maintaining academic progress.
Further, its benefits, such as ease of use, accessibility, and adaptability, have altered the education scene. He also mentioned Eckovation’s partnership with IIT Roorkee.
He believes this collaboration will make use of IIT Roorkee’s technical skills and capable teachers. This will help in sharing knowledge globally and preparing the workforce of the future.
Alternative E-Learning Platforms:
There is a similar service from a Noida-based company called iBerry. Their service streams multimedia content to Blackberry devices. They also have their own device, like Edutor Advantage e40. But when we compare prices, Edutor seems more affordable.
iBerry charges around Rs 36,500 for their product. Edutor’s price is Rs.5845 with four percent taxes. The content for one year costs Rs.1,635 extra. So, the total cost for the first year with Edutor is Rs. 7480.
Furthermore, iBerry’s service streams content to a blackberry device at any time. While the alternative service may appear more efficient, it’s worth noting that the Edutor Advantage is conveniently accessible in well-known bookstores.
Initially, Edutor Technologies will introduce their product in Hyderabad and other regions of Andhra Pradesh. Their expansion will gradually encompass other southern states before targeting the market in northern India.
Also, the Indian Government has created many free e-learning platforms. These platforms are for learners in different fields. The goal is to make sure learning and teaching continue without any interruption.
Swayam is an inclusive learning platform designed for individuals from all backgrounds, including those who are most in need. It offers almost all the courses that are taught in classrooms. These courses range from Class 9 to postgraduate level. To learn more about Swayam, you can visit their official website at swayam.gov.in.
Diksha is also a national initiative by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, under the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). It is a platform accessible to learners and teachers across the country at diksha.gov.in. Diksha currently offers support for various courses provided by NCERT, CBSE, and SCERTs throughout India.
Wrapping Up
The launch of the Edutor Advantage e40 is a significant development in the Indian e-learning landscape. With India being a major market for online education and the projected increase in users, this innovative device has the potential to revolutionize learning for Indian students.
Backed by CBSE, Edutor Technologies has a strong market presence and is poised for success. The future of e-learning in India appears promising, with advancements in technology, increasing accessibility, and the government’s initiatives supporting continuous learning opportunities. Overall, Edutor Technologies and other players in the e-learning space are shaping the education landscape of the future.