The conventional model and approach in the Education Sector seem to be taking a backseat and the unprecedented times are calling for a newer approach to disseminate education without impacting its quality, says DR DNS Kumar

India has always held a significant place in the world of education. It has not only been known for its quality education but also the devotion of institutes that focus specifically on making the students learn and prosper in their respective fields. Even though our country has one of the largest networks of higher education institutions across the globe, there still are a lot of areas of improvement it can work on. The country still hasn't explored its highest potential in the field of education.

As per a report by Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), India was aiming to raise its current gross enrolment ratio to 30% by the end of 2020, which would also have boosted the growth of distance education in India. However, the plans had to take a backseat due to the outbreak of COVID-19, disrupting the entire education sector. There is no doubt about the industry witnessing a crisis due to the ongoing pandemic and the education of the students being impacted severely by the same. The disruptive period has steered the institutions and universities to focus on their higher education model and re-contemplate its working to resonate with the current scenario.

The conventional model and approach in the sector seem to be taking a back seat ever since the pandemic hit the country and the unprecedented time is calling for a newer approach to disseminate education without impacting the quality of it. The need of the hour requires the institutions to adapt to new innovative technologies and different techniques, which will further help them sync with the present generation.

Holding lectures and regular classes for the students is turning out to be a task because of the physical disruption caused by coronavirus. However, the universities from all over the world are putting their best foot forward to combat the issue by adopting a tech-enabled approach and conducting classes on virtual platforms. A lot of universities are going an extra mile to stand in unison with the global institutes and form international alliances to offer the best to their students. They are offering a diversity of experiences as they provide international exposure to their students via online platforms and classrooms.

A number of massive online open courses (MOOCs) are being available to the students these days, preventing any lag on their educational front along with the professors and lecturers upgrading their skill sets to match the new way of teaching.

The way to rise above this disruption is to embrace innovative ways and break outdated boundaries. Technological advancement comes with its own set of pros and cons, with some of the flaws adverse effects including the increase in cybercrimes or offences, but these times require us to focus on the silver lining in the cloud and create opportunities out of this crisis instead. Eliminating conventional ways and outdated approaches will create a wave which will pave a new path to success and will further make education accessible to the masses with the help of technology.

Education in the age of disruption has eventually led us to a path where the institutions are not only making online learning cost-effective and affordable for more people to enrol, but also encouraging students to focus on acquisition of skills rather than theoretical teaching. This will further bolster their confidence and make them competent to deal with any uncalled crisis in the near future. The collaborative learning coupled with a new way of teaching is revolutionising the educational sector along with offering additional perks to the students, such as online open houses, webinars, internships, smart-learning and others.

Fuelling the spirit of education and promoting remote learning, the universities are trying to fleet out of their comfort zones to create a new today and a better tomorrow. Endeavouring to make education soar high in an age of disruption, they are hosting online workshops, digitalised lectures, interactive sessions and discussions and on-screen examinations for the students. Remote learning, along with other tech-savvy approaches, is catching up with the country and is anticipated to contribute to the individual success of students, eventually leading India towards collective growth.

The education sector's receptivity towards innovative approaches is also providing the country with a window to improvise the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and build technology-oriented skills and competency amongst students. Building technology-oriented skills and making students competent to take the world head-on, edu-tech and virtual learning are seen serving as the tools for collective success.

The education in the age of disruption is creating ripples of change and empowering the youth to pursue their passion and eventually become skilled professionals contributing to the economic growth of the country.

The writer is Vice-Chancellor, Ansal University