Emerging Trends of E-Learning in Indian Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Education plays the key role in the development of any nation. It is the fundamental enabler of knowledge economy which lays the foundation for a continuous and equitable growth of any country. India has one of the largest higher education systems in the world, with 903 University, 39050 Colleges and 10011 Stand Alone Institutions with Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 25.8%, which is calculated for 18-23 years of age group. The enrolment for Higher Education is 36.6 million which includes enrolment of 57840 in MBA, 25305 in PGDM and 3431 in PGPM1 , but gradually the scenario has been found as reverse in last few years. The enrolment in full time program is reducing whereas the online education is skyrocketing. This changing scenario in education system really gives a boom and new education learning methodology in Higher Education. E-Learning in India is a part of new dynamics that characterises the educational system. It has come a long way with the development of technology. India is one of the nations that is developing at an exponential rate in terms of technology. The rise of the internet has changed the way of life in India. People like to do everything online, they shop online, do business online, make friends online, learn online, etc. While e-Commerce is the most significant online industry, online education and learning stand right next to it. With the ever-increasing information available on the internet and the countless number of online courses, many people in India prefer to learn online. Besides being engaging and interactive, e-learning has come across as a flexible learning method for students getting access to world-class learning material despite geographical restraints. When the learner gets access to both visuals and audio, learning becomes more fun, and this is what the e-learning industry is thriving on to presently grow at a steady rate of 25 per cent year on year. A report by KPMG and Google highlights that by 2021 the Indian online education industry is likely to witness a 6X growth. The adoption of e- learning technologies is supposed to expand from 1.6million users in 2016 to 9.6 million users in 2021. This global trend is catching up as an unrivalled alternative to traditional learning methods by connecting the learner directly to a subject matter expert. The key factors leading to the growth of the digital market in India are rising demand from various segments, growing number of smartphone users, improving penetration of internet, and increasing participation at the government level. New age technology platforms help in assessing the performance of students, teachers and institutions as a whole and are increasingly being adopted by educational institutions in India. Cloud-based platforms which help classroom go paperless are also finding takers. Also apart from the latest developments in ICT classrooms, The study was intended to investigate problems related to e-Learning in higher education in India along with analysis of prospect of e-Learning in the related area. The study shows the positive effects of E-Learning for the higher education system in India. And the only way to sustain a better future is by educating the younger generation with effective and efficient education methodologies