Aditya Malik lists top five higher education subjects which are likely to gain traction in India
The Indian higher education system is the third largest in the world, with 23 Indian universities among the global top 200. While just two decades ago India was nowhere close to being part of the landscape. By 2030, India with its population of nearly 140 million people in the college-going age group will have one in every four graduates in the world from the Indian higher education system.
The department of Higher Education in India has stated that the gross enrollment ratio (GER) in state higher education has almost doubled in the past three years. According to the latest data released by higher and technical education department, the higher education GER which was 8.4 in 2011-12 increased to 10.1 in 2013-14 and reached 15.4 in 2014-15.
In recent years India has stepped up to seize the opportunity to ride the technology wave and has made way for digital classrooms along with the development of Ed-tech tools, that can solve the problems of mass reach, quality and relevant education.
The 2016 Union budget of India announced 11 technology initiatives that included E-education, considering that the key opportunity presented here was to reach out to the 700 million learning-age population who are spread out across inaccessible rural hinterland. This supported by the Digital India campaign aims to provide broadband connectivity to a quarter of a million rural villages by 2019 making learning attainable and providing easy access everywhere and every time.
Massive open online courses (MOOC), started by several elite research universities, collectively enroll 60 per cent of the world’s entire student population. What makes this a greater opportunity for online educators is that the Indian Government has a target to increase university enrollment by 30 per cent by 2030.
The intervention of Ed-tech has brought about enormous changes to the Indian higher education system. E-learning concepts, mechanisms, tools, methodologies have resulted in collaborative learning.
In the coming years, India is likely to have more registrations for online Higher Education courses in the following subjects:
Digital Marketing
As the number of consumers keep growing with each passing month, brands and companies are finding digital platforms to be the best sources to reach new and existing consumers. Therefore, the increasing demand requires skill sets that are high in demand, especially in a market like India. The scope of digital marketing spans across small, medium and big businesses with no geographical boundaries. The various sub-fields of Digital Marketing such as SEO, SEM, Inbound Marketing, Analytics, Copywriting, Web Design and development etc. are also full-fledged career options. As per the World Bank E-commerce industry in India that was worth $13.5 billion in 2014 and is expected to touch the growth rate of China around 2017, further opening up more avenues for Digital marketers and career.
Fin-tech
The rise in smartphone usage in the country and the current economic scenario has created gateways to a cashless society. With the large population going online for transactions, there has been an emergence of variety of business models, including mobile wallets, payment devices, payment gateway solutions, and personal finance management.Fin-tech course providers have created programmes that are designed for learners working in or interested in understanding the intersection of finance and technology to innovate and create products. Business schools are progressively adopting digital programs or partnering with online course providers to keep pace with innovation in education
logistics Management
For professionals who want to understand and meet company objectives by fulfilling customer demands, ordering and managing inventory, controlling inbound and outbound shipments, reducing costs and saving time, a course in logistics Management can be very useful. logistic Management course can enable an individual to not only create and operate a logistics function, but it also shows how to achieve success through a combination of strategies and tactics.
Strategic leadership
Best suited for working professionals with practical and powerful insights to accelerate their careers. A course in Strategic leadership can sharpen the leadership ability of mid-management professionals, enhancing their career prospects and ability to drive results in their organisations. Having the right source of information will not only help one perform better in the current environment but also improves ethos of the workplace. Strategic leaders bear a passionate vision and persistently drive it to accomplishment.
Business Management
Such courses are specially designed for high-potential managers, working professionals and young leaders who aspire to lead cross - functional teams and wish to be well-prepared for challenging managerial positions in national and multinational organization. They also cater to entrepreneurs seeking to gain a more structured understanding of the contemporary business situation.
The key to harnessing India’s demographic dividend is online education. Empowering the population with world-class courses and simplified solutions can drive India’s development agenda to power its economy.
(The writer is CEO and MD Talentedge).