Jyothi Kasinath is an experienced professional with a strong background in finance and strategy. She has spent over 12 years across diverse industries, including banking, pharma, and healthcare startups. Currently at Byju's for nearly five years, Jyothi heads the online K-10 tutoring Operations. Jyothi is passionate about EdTech and its positive impact on students' growth and future; she was instrumental in successfully building and scaling the K-10 segment, making it significant and cash-positive revenue stream for Byju's.
Women Entrepreneur Magazine recently got a chance to interact with Jyothi Kasinath, wherein she shared her insights about the key opportunities and challenges anticipated within the edtech industry in the coming years. Below are the excerpts from the exclusive interview.
The key opportunities and challenges anticipated within the edtech industry in the coming years
The Indian edtech sector is experiencing a remarkable growth rate of 40%, projected to become a $10 billion industry by 2025. This expansion can be attributed to two primary factors.
- Firstly, it addresses a crucial gap in the education sector, characterized by a lack of quality content and educators, particularly in tier two and tier three cities.
- Secondly, favorable macroeconomic conditions, such as high internet and smartphone penetration, accelerated adoption during Covid-19 along with a demand for upskilling, contribute to its success.
Three key segments drive this growth: school education, test preparation for various exams, and upskilling courses. The global edtech sector, growing at 16%, also influences this upward trend, given the lack of geographical limitations.
However, despite the opportunities, challenges persist. The nascent online edtech segment faces issues like low bandwidth and the need for diverse content in different languages and regions. Additionally, educators must adapt to this new platform, and content must cater to students' short attention spans. By overcoming these obstacles, the edtech industry can continue its upward trajectory and serve the growing demand for quality education in India.
Adapting for Relevance: How Additional Education Institutions Can Thrive in the Age of Online Classes
In the realm of education, institutions have traversed diverse formats from fully offline centers to exclusively online platforms. A crucial realization has emerged: students seek self-paced, high-quality content complemented by guidance from mentors or teachers, virtual or physical. This blended model caters to individual preferences some students excel with self-learning, while others benefit from personalized assistance. Affordability, accessibility, and convenience drive the shift towards online options, particularly in areas with limited physical centers. However, traditional institutions remain relevant, especially where quality teachers and infrastructure are readily available. The future of education lies in a hybrid approach, incorporating interactive applications and real-time remote support. The goal is to create engaging learning experiences, fostering better outcomes for students across diverse learning environments.
Lead and foster innovation within the edtech company, especially in the area of online learning solutions
The online sector presents unique challenges that drive continuous innovation, particularly evident in the development of online learning platforms. The platform's seamlessness and intuitive interface are essential to connect teachers and students effectively. Additionally, catering to low bandwidth usage in countries like India, where people often have limited data packs, is crucial. Online learning demands engaging content to retain students' attention and prevent distractions like tab switching. Furthermore, addressing linguistic diversity requires creating content in multiple languages. Personalization becomes essential, analyzing students' performance in real-time to offer customized study plans and feedback. Innovation is the key to overcoming these challenges and tapping into the market successfully. By investing in dedicated teams of technologists and product managers, online teaching platforms evolve and adapt to the needs of students, making learning more effective and accessible than ever before.
What role will artificial intelligence and machine learning play in the future of online education?
Machine learning and artificial intelligence have experienced remarkable growth recently, with applications like ChatGPT, MathGPT, and TutorGPT making waves across various industries. One promising sector is edtech, where personalization is key. Enormous amounts of student data can be leveraged to offer tailored feedback and curated content. These AI-powered tools such as Badri, MathGPT, and TutorGPT, provide step-by-step solutions with an accuracy of over 90%, using trained models rather than relying on individual teachers.
The intelligence behind these tools factors in the unique capabilities of each student; delivering solutions at their own pace, are it fast or slow. AI and ML are essential for managing the vast student population, as human efforts alone would be impractical. Even in teacher learning platforms, AI can aid educators by enhancing content with visualizations and animations, elevating the overall quality of educational sessions.
The potential for AI and ML in edtech is vast, and their implementation promises to transform the industry significantly. With access to diverse content, AI-driven systems like ChatGPT will continue to shape the future of education, creating a more personalized and effective learning experience for students.
Overcoming Obstacles and Staying Motivated as a Female Leader
Leadership knows no gender; it transcends stereotypes. However, it's essential to acknowledge the gender bias and gap experienced by women professionals due to underrepresentation, lack of mentorship, networking, and work-life balance challenges. Overcoming this disparity is a long battle, but we can cope by focusing on our passions, long-term goals, and developing the necessary skills to excel. Embrace a support system, prioritize tasks, and cut off societal expectations. By concentrating on a few essential things daily, managing time wisely, and prioritizing self-care, we can navigate these challenges and succeed in both personal and professional spheres. Remember, breaking barriers takes time, but with determination, we can achieve our aspirations.
