By Muddassar Nazar, CEO, Birla Brainiacs
According to recent industry reports, the Indian education sector held a massive value of $117 billion as of 2023, making it one of the largest education markets in the world. This mammoth figure is projected to grow with a CAGR of 11.2% during the next 5 years. With abundant opportunities spanning across segments such as K12, coaching, professional training, employee development, etc., this sector is being accelerated at a rapid pace.
While the outbreak of COVID-19 digitised learning, the penetration of connectivity and smartphone adoption is further broadening prospects. This new venture has opened up several avenues for education technology businesses across the spectrum of education delivery. The recent augmentation of generative artificial intelligence has taken India’s Edtech sector by storm. It is not only challenging the education industry’s legacy standards and dynamics but also proposing adaptive and innovative ways of teaching and learning.
Integration of GenAI in education
In the current scenario, the GenAI market is witnessing a CAGR growth of 48%. It is being applied in various downstream applications, along with the learning sphere. Concurring to a survey by TeamLease EdeTech, more than 70% of educators in India believe that GenAI will play a prominent role in shaping the future of the educational environment. According to them, it will transform the EdTech sector and contribute substantially to curating personalised learning experiences for students. This disruption is anticipated to beat the smartphone revolution, which started in 2010. As stated by the IAMAI (Internet and Mobile Association of India), it led to an exceptional boom of internet users, from 100 million to 400 million, in just 5 years.
Role of GenAI in propelling the education system
At its core, generative AI is a content-generation tool. It proposes various promising applications for EdTech, as the sector deals with high-intensity content. On top of that, it can reduce the workload of tutors, making it a viable tool for a country like India with a higher student-teacher ratio. Moreover, GenAI can be used to customise learning programs to cater to the distinctive needs of individual students. It can also make educational content accessible to students of different cultural backgrounds and ethnicities. Recognising its groundbreaking impact on education, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), has introduced AI as a skill module in classes 6 to 8 and as a subject in classes 9 to 12. In addition, several educational institutions have created virtual learning platforms and assistants for students, teachers, and parents, enabling them to learn and teach more efficiently and effectively.
Government initiatives to support AI and the educational ecosystem
Following the Inc41 report, India has the world’s second-largest EdTech sector. One of the crucial aspects of driving this transition from the conventional education system to digitised learning is the government’s support policies and efforts. The recent education budget disbursement recorded an allocation of 1.48 lakh crore for the education and youth upskilling sectors. Meanwhile, initiatives such as the ‘IndiaAI Mission’, ‘Make AI for India’, and ‘Make AI Work for India’ have laid the foundation for establishing India as a leader in AI.
Future of GenAI in reshaping education sphere
Every coin has two sides, and so does generative AI’s role in education. As beneficial as it is for the education industry, however, there are still some risks attached to it. It poses a serious threat to diminishing creativity and increasing overdependence on technology. It can also erode the efficacy and trust of educational institutions if used without proper monitoring. While the adoption of AI will not occur without a novel set of challenges, teachers and students can approach these tools more mindfully. This unification of generative AI and learning presents the education sector with an intriguing opportunity to reimagine and invigorate teaching strategies. With the right approach and guidance, generative AI can emerge as a catalyst for reshaping classrooms and educational policies.
