Best Online Computer Courses To Get a Job in 2024

Updated on 25 January, 2024

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Best Online Computer Courses To Get a Job

Summary

In this article, you will learn about the best online computer courses to get a job. Take a glimpse.

  1. Cybersecurity 
  2. Data Science
  3. Big Data Engineering
  4. Data Analyst
  5. Big Data Analysis
  6. Cloud Computing
  7. Web Designing
  8. VFX Training And Character Animation Degree
  9. Software Development
  10. Computer Hardware Engineering And Networking
  11. Search engine Optimization
  12. Blockchain
  13. Artificial Intelligence
  14. JavaScript
  15. Digital Marketing
  16. SQL
  17. JavaScript
  18. Digital Marketing
  19. SQL
  20. Full-Stack Development
  21. Devops
  22. Content Marketing

Read the full article to know more in detail about online computer courses to get a job.

The technology era brings a massive wave of opportunities for millennials and Generation Z to pursue high academic qualifications. Computer courses are one of the popular options for most engineering students. Well, computer courses can be divided into multiple fields. Finding and choosing the right course will make your career. Online computer courses demand is increasing every year as digitalization keeps spreading throughout the country. Which computer course is best for high salary jobs? 

You can also check out our free courses offered by upGrad in Management, Data Science, Machine Learning, Digital Marketing, and Technology.

Learners of computer courses get a very good salary which attracts young learners to take a career in computer science. As the digital world continues equipping more complex and better technological instruments, individuals must keep up with the changing market demands. Although the digital market extends compelling, lucrative opportunities for young learners, individuals are advised to master these advancing skills to take up space in the competitive IT market through IT-related courses and IT field courses. Online computer courses with certificates are helping individuals to achieve the same, providing skill-based short-term professional computer courses best suited to keep up with the volatile IT sector.

Read: Career options in science after graduation

Top Online Computer Courses to get a High Paying Job

Before we get into the list, there are varieties of short and long term online computer courses are available. It is important to find your strength, weakness, skills to choose the right computer course to brighten your career. Online computer courses give an edge to learners when academic degrees are not enough in a competitive market.

So, which computer course is best for high salary in the job market? Let’s learn from the given points:

1. Cybersecurity

When everyone is executing their financial activities online, cybersecurity is a must. According to Statista, cybersecurity jobs were the most highly demandable jobs in 2020. If you are interested in the Internet, you can conduct a cybersecurity course. Right from fin-tech to the eCommerce market, the consumer is making every transaction online or through their mobile app. It is mandatory to provide high cybersecurity to prevent theft, cyberattacks, and unforeseen ransomware. 

As the amount of cyber activity surges through digital interaction, cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated, intruding through networks and servers to steal, wreck, or manipulate data. Both organizations and users are looking forward to more stringent cybersecurity measures to protect their digital assets. Naturally, the cybersecurity sector will experience a great surge in demand for skilled and qualified cybersecurity experts. 

Also, check out our useful program on Advanced Certification in Cyber Security – IIITB

You can enroll in a cybersecurity course online, which will help you to understand the nature of cyberattacks, identify online threats, and take preventive measures. In this course, you will learn to assess technical risks and understand how to take preventive and predictive measurements to avoid different kinds of online threats. 

If you want to pursue this profession, upGrad and IIIT-B can help you with a PG Diploma in Software Development Specialization in Cyber Security. The course offers specialization in application security, cryptography, data secrecy, and network security.

2. Data Science

As per the job posting on LinkedIn, India is expected to see nearly 150,000 jobs of a Data Scientist in 2020, which is more than 62% form 2019. Industrial sectors like Pharmaceutical, aeronautics, oil and energy and marketing are seeking Data Scientists for their analytics. Data Scientists with just three years of experience can earn up to Rs. 20,00,000 annually, thus makes data science one of the best online computer courses to land a high paying job. 

Know: Learn Java coding online

The program consists of Data Science training including mathematical, statistics, Phyton, Advanced Statistics in Python, Deep Learning and Machine Learning. The course will give you an entire toolbox that you need to become a good Data Scientist. You will also get training in debunking command and common misconceptions from the pool of data.

upGrad has some excellent courses on Data Science and Machine Learning & AI. while these courses teach extensively about Data Science and ML/AI concepts, students also get to work on real-world industry projects and assignments.

You can also check our Advanced Certificate Programme in Machine Learning from IIT Delhi. IIT Delhi is one the most prestigious institutions in India. With more the 500+ In-house faculty members which are the best in the subject matters.

Check out data science jobs.

3. Big Data Engineering

As the name itself suggests, Big Data is a large pool of data that is processed and utilized systematically to collect information. These days, when the consumers prefer online mode of transactions, Big Data plays a vital role in understanding the companies how the consumers are spending online. 

For pursuing the Big Data Engineering program, you need to create, maintain, evaluate and test Big Data solutions within the company. Building large-scale data processing systems is the primary job of a prominent Data Engineer. It would help if you also had an expert in data analyzing and storing systems and will be able to work with the latest data technologies like R, MySQL, Python, NoSQL, and many others. The senior prominent Data Engineer can earn up to $146,000 annually, which is unsurprisingly the highest average salary for the IT professionals. 

Also read, Career options in medical

4. Data Analyst

A Data Analyst requires to apply proper statistical techniques and logical thinking to extract the necessary data from the unstructured pool of data. You need to help the organizations to carry qualitative research for producing structured data that further, the organization can use to carry out their marketing, administrative and production operations. It is closely related to Data Science, but there are many critical differences between the Data Analyst’s job and Data Scientist’s job. 

Unlike the Data Scientists, don’t need to do much coding and programming. But you should be aware of the latest data technologies and programming languages like Python, Ruby on Rails, R, MySQL, and many others. According to Glassdoor, the Data Analyst can earn up to $105,000 annually and as low as $69,000. 

Also, Check out online degree programs at upGrad.

5. Big Data Analysis

The role of a Data Analyst is to understand the latest industry trends and relevant insights into the vast data pools. Many companies, including Fintech, can hire you to get informed decisions and for improving business practices based on relevant Big Data. You can gather essential data from the varied online and offline activities including email marketing, digital marketing, social media marketing and many other sources. 

In Big Data Analysis, you will need to understand different ways of storing the data. The plan will also cover processing and analyzing the data from unstructured data to structured data. The program will prepare you for all the skills that you need to analyze, process, manage and store unstructured and structured data for organizational use. According to Indeed, the Data Analyst can earn up to $139,000 annually for his roles and responsibilities. 

6. Cloud Computing 

If you type “which computer course is best for high salary jobs?” on Google, you will get cloud computing course details at the top. With technological advancements, businesses are starting to depend more on database management and digital storage. This creates an increased need for digital storage space. In this regard, cloud storage is considered to be the best option. Cloud computing, by offering better solutions for data handling, has witnessed an exponential increase in popularity.

However, there still exists misconceptions and generalizations encompassing cloud computing where people mostly think of it as being concerned with data storage only. But in reality, cloud computing concerns an all-encompassing field that controls networking, databases, storage, analytics, software, as well as intelligence on the internet. 

Securing the right set of skills in this field may help you to achieve a successful career. However, it is also essential to learn about the three cloud categories:

Public Cloud: These are cloud services used by commoners on the internet that come in paid or free versions. These servers are used by many people, which increases the concern for security.

Private Cloud: Private cloud services are operated by some third party that has been developed and used by a single organization. In such cases, big tech companies are approached for cloud solutions that are custom-made.

Hybrid Cloud: This is a blend of private and public clouds, which work in unison, offering distinct features and customized services.

Therefore it is apparent that the field entertains a large scope of job seekers who can excel by learning cloud computing skills.

7. Web Designing

If you love visuals, then the Web Designing course is the best one for you. Web Designing includes creating beautiful designs, including logos, web designs, web pages, brochures, and other graphic and print media elements. Besides the visual part, you will have to learn programming languages like HTML, XHTML, Javascript, CSS and more. 

With the rise in mobile-first experiences, you also need to design websites for creating better user experience and user interfaces. The web design program covers all the horizons, including the responsive web design, HTML, PSD to HTML and PHP. It would help if you worked with tools like Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw to finish your design. The average annual salary of a web designer is $64,000 approximately. 

8. VFX Training And Character Animation Degree

The technology focusing on gadgets and smart devices brings a new gaming and movie era. The gaming industry is fuelled by augmented reality and virtual reality, which gave birth to modern technology, namely VFX and character animation. 

In the VFX training course, you will learn the advanced VFX effects, software skills and innovative techniques extensively used in making movies. A VFX artist has massive scope due to increasing demand in films, animated films, and games. You can also try out character animator creating unique characters just like in the game “Pokemon Go.” The average yearly salary of a VFX artist with 5 to 7 years of experience is $75,000, while the character animator makes $65,000 annually. 

9. Software Development

The demand for Software Development is high, with the emergence of mobile apps and web apps. A Software Developer works out on different programming languages including C++, Java, .NET, ReactJS, Native and many others. Being a Software Developer, you need to create mobile apps, web apps, and software that are useful for organizations. 

The Software Development and programming languages course needs you to focus on the latest coding techniques and latest development methods including Hadoop, JavaScript, iOS, Android, Unity and many others. Software Developers can earn up to $108,000 annually.

upGrad offers a PG Diploma in Full-Stack Software Development. Apart from learning about all the fundamental concepts of web development, this course also provides placement assistance.

10. Computer Hardware Engineering And Networking 

The computer hardware and networking course focus on maintaining and repairing the core elements of the computers. You need to work on common problems arises due to the regular use of equipment. You can strategize predictive and preventive measurements to avoid major repairs in the device. 

In computer hardware and networking course, you will learn different topics like LAN, DTP, CCNA and many others. The average salary of a Computer Hardware Engineer is around $114,000. 

Also Read: Short Term Job Oriented Courses

11. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Forbes declared SEO a crucial strategy for most marketers in 2021. The course offers attractive learning opportunities for those intending to enter into the landscape of digital marketing, content creation, or web development. SEO refers to the practice of the optimization of websites to make them rank higher in search engine results. This improves online visibility and drives organic traffic to a particular website. 

As businesses are striving to enter into the digital landscape and enhance their online visibility and presence, there has been a significant rise in the demand for SEO professionals. SEO experts help in improving the ranking of a company’s website and attracting potential customers, which usually results in increased sales. A course in SEO can open various career paths, including SEO analyst, digital marketing specialist, and SEP specialist.

The skill set that is required encompasses keyword research, analysis of the behavior of the users, and website data. The knowledge of SEO can be applicable to various business and industry types, making it more versatile for individuals to transfer from one job role to another.

12. Blockchain

One of the most widely expanding industries is now being taught professionally to allow learners significant opportunities in the surging blockchain market. upGrad’s ​​Blockchain Certificate Program is designed to teach learners the foundational concept of blockchain technology and how one can build decentralized applications right from scratch. 

The best part? upGrad’s placement opportunities spread globally to provide learners with lucrative opportunities and all-around assistance to guide their path, so go through these 1-year computer courses list and find your best match.

13. Artificial Intelligence

Due to its diverse applications, AI is introduced across a plethora of industry vertices nowadays. Therefore it is one of the best computer courses to opt for, for those who are looking for job opportunities. This is a rapidly growing field that entertains a profound impact on different industries like finance, healthcare, marketing, and manufacturing, among many more. 

Some of the most renowned big tech companies, such as Accenture, Microsoft, and IBM, are making use of AI at a large scale in an innovative way. The demand for AI professionals is constantly increasing as companies aim to leverage AI technologies for data analysis, decision-making, and automation. Doing an Artificial Intelligence certificate course may open up diverse career paths and land you as one of the highest-paid individuals in the IT sector. Want to make the best out of your computer courses? Enroll in the courses offered by upGrad to secure placement opportunities!  

14. JavaScript

It is one of the best online courses for jobs. If you want to enter the web development world as a developer, you would require expertise and proficiencies in programming languages. Without a doubt, learning JavaScript increases your career opportunities. But before you choose a course, let’s first learn what exactly this programming language is.

JavaScript is a popular programming language used for making websites more interactive. While HTML acts as the basic makeup of your website and CSS determines fonts and colour, there’s something more your website needs. That’s JavaScript for you. In simple words, with CSS and HTML, your website looks aesthetically pleasing. But once you implement JavaScript, your website has all the functionalities it requires. So, JavaScript gives your website a life that adds important elements for users to interact with. In the modern web development world, it has become an all-purpose programming language.

So, for aspiring developers, using this programming language is compulsory. Reports suggest that 94.5% of websites use it in today’s digital marketing world. This versatile language offers endless possibilities to fetch a career as a front-end developer. Besides being a demanding job course, lately, it offers a chance for careerists to get a well-paid job after acquiring this certification. So, if you want to increase your potential to earn higher in your engineering career, you can take a JavaScript course from upGrad.

15. Digital Marketing

Today, the digital world has transformed every business’s process of marketing, and with that, digital marketing strategies have become extremely popular. If you want to strive for a lucrative digital marketing career, it’s time to attain a course.

With modern marketers closing doors for conventional, outdated marketing strategies, digital marketing became an in-thing. Gone are the days when businesses used to promote their product by means of television and print media. The demand for digital marketers has been growing rapidly, with 225,000 people getting employed in advertising in the year 2021. 

Get on your career ladder by attending a digital marketing course. The prime benefit of securing a career in this domain is the myriad of career paths that are available to you. Digital marketing jobs are diverse, and there are specializations available, such as SEO, social media, email, content, etc. A passionate individual can discover the right roles by taking up a digital marketing course that suits their needs.

As a recent graduate or someone aiming to switch careers, acquiring the prerequisite marketing skills boosts your application. Digital marketing opens doors of opportunities in your career. With the right proficiencies, you can better understand how to promote a brand online and expand marketing departments.

While money isn’t all that you require, earning a handsome salary is compulsory to live the current lifestyle for millennials. With the right skills gained from a digital marketing certification, you can get ample earning potential. So, secure your chance with a progressing career by choosing the right course. upGrad has excellent courses on digital marketing and SEO. So, scholars can get real-world experience through assignments and tests.

16. SQL

If you are wondering which computer course is best for high salary jobs or courses for IT jobs, an SQL certification being the best course for IT jobs offers many benefits. Suppose you work in the IT sector as an executive, where your prime duty is data analysis.

The process begins with getting data from the developers. Your analysis is based on the developers. So, that means if they delay, your work is also delayed. Now imagine acquiring an SQL certification. With SQL training, you can properly retrieve data by yourself from your company’s SQL database without waiting for the developers to send you the data.

In short, Structured Query Language, pronounced as SQL, is the standard language that helps manage relational databases. It’s a domain-specific language designed for searching, modifying, inserting, updating and deleting the database records. While it’s similar to Excel, it lets you secure data in databases, retrieve them and even manipulate them.

Gaining SQL training is a big advantage in the job industry. As a job candidate, having an SQL certification lets your medium-sized company recruiter understand that you can manage a massive amount of data. Data visualization tools, for instance, Tableau, work on SQL. Thus, if you learn SQL, you can have a more in-depth insight into Tableau and achieve a progressive career ahead.

SQL certification is a highlight in your resume that makes your resume stand out. Since it’s easy to learn, you don’t have to avoid coding just because you don’t have prior knowledge. Take your foundation step by enrolling in an SQL course online from upGrad.

17. Content Marketing Courses

Enrolling your name in this online courses for jobs can be your best decision. This content marketing course is a lucrative career choice. Ever since the advent of digital marketing, strategic content has helped business grows brand prominence. From improving one’s bottom line to building professional relationships, content marketing has the power to redefine a business. Computer-proficient individuals can consider these courses for a number of reasons.

A well-crafted content offers the right information to the audience before they make the next buying step. Besides, informative content has the power to consistently attract and engage with customers on a whole new level. While conventional marketing depends on the pitch, content advertisements offer prospects the value of building healthy relationships between buyers and shoppers. Considering the professional domain, content marketing can be used in various fields, such as copy editing, copywriting, illustrations, content management, etc.

Exploring the myriad opportunities of content gives you a chance to switch between careers. You can try learning a new thing by taking online classes. Also, if you want to embark on an entrepreneurship career in the future, you must have an insightful understanding of content in general. Hands-on content advertisement training gives you a chance to communicate with others in the field. So, are you ready to make the best out of a computer course? Enrol your name in upGrad’s content marketing opportunities soon.

18. DevOps

In the modern IT sector, one of the latest technologies is DevOps. DevOps  is a unique combination of cultural philosophies, tools, and practices that increases a company’s ability to deliver services and applications speedily.

Nowadays, DevOps is used by the majority of software development businesses. Software developers can work together with the IT or service staff to efficiently design the apps with a DevOps certification. DevOps has grown much more important to the employment domain in the current IT industry, owing to its ever-increasing popularity.

In addition to that, the SDLC process is made faster with DevOps, as it allows for on-time product releases. A variety of tools are required in DevOps, including Chef, Selenium, Kubernetes, Ansible, Jenkins, Docker, etc. 

Companies can also save time on software development and cut operational expenses by implementing DevOps. Having certified DevOps training improves the developer’s efficiency, which in turn helps streamline development and offer a final, error-free outcome. 

Furthermore, it enhances software development. With proper training, a candidate can secure a DevOps career in sectors like healthcare, technology, and finance.

DevOps is a far more popular technology, considering the myriad employment trends. Technical professionals with an interest in DevOps can secure a career with this certification since there aren’t enough technical candidates who can handle these DevOps tasks.

Therefore, if you aspire to become a DevOps professional, you can make greater strides in your career with a good salary package. As of lately, the salary package for individuals with DevOps training is higher than other jobs with the same degree of experience. So, enrolling in a professional DevOps course from upGrad’s gives you a practical experience and comprehensive understanding that you may not receive from self-study.

19. Full-Stack Development

It is one of the top 10 computer courses in demand in India. Full-stack development the best computer course has already become a highly-regarded domain in the web development domain. With the increasing need for full-stack development, there has been a massive demand for full-stack developers in the tech-oriented spheres.

Acquiring a full-stack development certification helps you amass comprehensive programming knowledge in back-end and front-end development. It’s a career that focuses on back-end and front-end technologies. With technologies and industries evolving, Full-Stack development includes a wide range of proficiencies for software developers.

If you want to become a highly knowledgeable software developer, it’s time you enrol your name in this particular course. upGrad offers a comprehensive training program to improve your career opportunities. Enter the tech world by acquiring a full-stack development online computer courses from upGrad.

As a full-stack developer, you can work on back-end programming as well as front-end design. So, it improves your chances of securing a lucrative career with high-paying salaries. With certified training, you gain an understanding of creating and maintaining apps and websites. You also get more experience with server infrastructure and administration.

Get a rewarding career in this tech-oriented world with specialized training in this course. If you want to become a full-stack developer, your first step is to define your goals and understand your experience level. After that, you can gain certified training.

Conclusion 


As the demand for computer-proficient individuals keeps growing in the market, your chance to bag a lucrative job opportunity further increases, provided you have the right skills and qualifications. So, now you know which computer course is best for high salary jobs.

The above-mentioned online computer courses with certificates extend your skill-based prowess, making you an eligible candidate for leading IT brands in the market. While bachelor’s and masters take a long time to accomplish and even demand learners to dedicate all their time to attending classes, these short-term professional computer courses are convenient for both students and professionals

Not just these programs but upGrad have also partnered with the top Institutes in India Like IIT Delhi to bring the best programs online. IIT Delhi Programs are:

The ultimate choice of online computer courses will depend on which career field you want to enter and the kind of jobs you wish to get. Once you have a clear picture of these two things, the choice of the course will become much easier for you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How much do computer courses cost?

Computer courses focus on the fundamentals of computers. Courses such as cybersecurity, web design, BCA, MCA, and B.Tech are well-known computer courses in India. A 2-year Associate Degree in computer technology will cost you between INR 7 Lakhs to INR 9 Lakhs. There are plenty of 6-month courses in the field of web designing, animation, hardware, networking, it, tally, etc. Depending on the subject, these certification courses will cost anywhere from INR 2000 to INR 1.5 Lakhs. There are also 6-month long Diploma courses that are priced between INR 2000 to INR 7 Lakhs. The average course fees for 4-year B.Tech courses range between INR 80,000 to INR 1.2 Lakhs per semester, while a 2-year M.Tech in Computer Science will cost you between INR 1.5 Lakhs to INR 2 Lakhs. If you want to opt for a 3-year BSc, the average course fees range between INR 90,000 and INR 1.27 Lakhs, and a 2-year MSc costs between INR 40,000 to INR 3 Lakhs.

2. What are the top colleges for online computer courses?

Online computer courses help develop knowledge about computers and implement them in our day to day lives, such as for work, schools, teaching, etc. Computer course colleges like CITC Chandigarh and NIELIT Kolkata offer online courses in India. Online Computer courses are also taught in universities abroad, such as the University of London, the University of Florida, the Trident University, the Oregon State University, the Regent University, and the Southern New Hampshire University.

3. Can you pursue Animation as a job after a computer course?

A host of institutes are offering diploma courses in animation in India. If you possess oodles of creativity, then yes, this is the right career option for you. Animation is one of the fastest growing career options in our country these days as the animation industry requires more than 30,000 professionals every year. The average salary of animators is INR 30,938 per month in India, with leadership roles bagging INR 11 lakhs per annum.

Did you find this article helpful?

Kamal Jacob

Kamal is an experienced Online marketing consultant with a high degree of expertise in SEO, Web Analytics, Content/Technical planning and marketing.

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Google I/O 2016 – Day 1 | Recap

The most awaited Google I/O 2016 Conference was filled with announcements about improvements in current products and launch of some new products. In this article, we have summarized the biggest announcements from Day 1 of the conference. Google Allo Allo is Google’s new messaging app with resident chatbot. It has features like whisper/shout, expressive stickers, smart replies- which evolve with time and wide range of bot support especially the Google Assistant search bot. One of the most important features of Allo is that all its chats are encrypted but incognito mode offers end-to-end encryption and an option to send messages that self-destruct. Additionally, once you close a chat, the entire conversation is deleted forever. Google Duo Duo is Google’s mobile only companion app for Allo that helps in video calling. One of its special feature is ‘Knock Knock’ which lets users see the incoming video call feed before even answering the call. So, the receiving party can see who’s calling and where they are before they even pick up the call. Google Assistant Google takes search to the next level. Google Assistant supports “conversational understanding” to make search more natural and to better support voice searches. Google Home Home is built on the Chromecast standard, which lets it push media to other Cast-compatible speakers and screens, change temperature or lighting through Nest devices, and integrate with third party services. The entire experience is hands-free, powered entirely by voice. In fact, it doesn’t even have any buttons. Simple voice commands will control every aspect of the Home. Android N Android N comes with new features that include more control over notification size from different apps and a new picture-in-picture mode. Android N uses a new API called Vulkan that lets developers directly control a phone’s GPU for sharper 3D graphics. Android N will also download and install system updates automatically. The name of Android N has not yet been released. It is going to be selected through a crowdsourced contest. Google Daydream Google has a new VR platform built on top of Android N, and the new VR platform is called Google Daydream. It is an optimized virtual reality platform that aims to standardize the mobile-based VR experience. It also spans both software and hardware; Its biggest limitation is that it will be available only in new phones with special sensors and screen. Android Wear 2.0 Android Wear 2.0 can function independently of a smartphone. Apps no longer need a connected smartphone in order to function. Apps can function and even communicate without a phone, as long as the wearable device is connected to the internet via cellular or Wi-Fi. Users can also make data from any app show up on any watch face. Instant Apps One of the most interesting announcement was google Instant Apps. With Instant Apps, users can begin using an app instantly from right within the Google Play store without even having to download and install the app. As we can see, Google has made some big moves in the three hottest areas of tech – virtual reality, messaging, and smart assistants. However it would be interesting to see how these new products will compete with their competitors and how much of market share would they capture after their launch.
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by Dilip Guru

19 May'16
There’ll Be A Billion-Plus Job-Seekers By 2050, So Get Yourself Skilled NOW

898.94K+

There’ll Be A Billion-Plus Job-Seekers By 2050, So Get Yourself Skilled NOW

This isn’t just a catchy headline meant to shock you, though that would be a justified reaction. If you are 25 years old, have graduated from a reputed institute in a traditional higher education discipline and are looking for a job, you may not be handed one on a platter any time soon. You may be cushioned within the famous Indian demographic that is supposed to yield a “dividend”, but unlike what you’ve been reading everywhere, this does not guarantee you employment. Between 1980 to 2010, 90% of world labour force growth occurred in developing countries and about 500 million new workers emerged in India and China alone (workers went from 260 million to 470 million in India, between this period). India, along with other developing counterparts, is all set to fuel 60% of the global growth in labour in the upcoming years. Keep in mind that enrolment in Indian higher education is only 24% right now. With India attaining almost universal elementary education and increased retention in secondary schools, the projected demand for higher education and jobs thereafter, will only escalate. By 2050, India will be home to more than a billion job seekers. This means providing jobs for over 12 million new entrants annually. There is also the challenge of finding jobs for the backlog, which reached 60 million by 2014. So isn’t this good news? India finally placed on the world map with a solid advantage where labour supply is concerned. Well, it may not all be good news. The new-age job-seeker must strive to acquire specific skill sets to be considered employable. Currently, only 43% of Indian youth are considered fully employable. Indian millennials are being touted as the future of jobs and the saviours of the working world. But this won’t hold true if in-demand skills are not imparted to the youth entering the workforce. The world of work is changing and industries are transforming. It’s a fact that we are moving towards a massive labour pool, but we are possibly riding a low-skill, low-wage cycle to get there. The country is on a trajectory that involves a surplus of millions of low-skill workers, whereas most nations, including India, will be increasingly demanding a high-skill workforce. Impacting Education: My Journey and UpGrad Most industries are replacing low-skill jobs with high-skill ones. Skills relating to upcoming technologies like cloud computing, social media, artificial intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology, etc, are gaining immense relevance. Unfortunately, our education system is not preparing students well enough to enter the workforce as high-skill workers or equipping them with skills in the mentioned emerging domains. Gone are the days when just holding a graduate degree was enough to get employers to clamour to hire you. Education is not enough. The new-age job-seeker must strive to acquire specific skill sets to be considered employable. Currently, only 43% of Indian youth are considered fully employable. Gone are the days when just holding a graduate degree was enough to get employers to clamour to hire you. Education is not enough. The positive connotation associated with our demographic shift has been taken for granted and assigned the term “dividend.” But if we don’t strategically harness this change, we could very easily be faced with a demographic disaster. We don’t want to be stuck in a situation where we have too many job-seekers with inadequate skills, and therefore not enough jobs for them. India is moving workers out of farm jobs at a very fast rate, and this will only add to the burden of providing jobs in other sectors. We need a wake-up call and more concerted efforts towards large-scale skill development and training. We may have a situation of too few high-skill workers and not enough jobs for medium- or low-skill workers. This needs to be rectified by adjusting the education and skilling system to ready ourselves for the jobs of tomorrow. UpGrad develops various programs such as Digital Marketing Certification Program, and Product Management Certification Program in collaboration with IIIT Bangalore, specially designed for working professionals looking to up-skill themselves.  Check out the free courses.
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by Mayank Kumar

20 Jun'16
Only 25% Of Indian Graduates Are Employable, And The Solution Is Obvious

6.57K+

Only 25% Of Indian Graduates Are Employable, And The Solution Is Obvious

Co-authored by: Apoorva Shankar, Business Development Associate, UpGrad The world today has enhanced productivity requirements. Due to this, the demand for highly skilled labour is growing. China and India are set to drive this demand. Globally, the share of low-skill jobs is likely to decline from 74% of employment in 2010 to 62% by 2020. On the other hand, the shortage of highly skilled workers with a tertiary level of education is expected to reach 18 million by 2020, globally. But due to its demographic dividend, India will have a labour surplus of 47 million by 2020. However, this surplus may only be of low-skilled labour. And while the demand for highly skilled labour is increasing, the supply isn’t quite keeping up. The challenge, as well as opportunity, that India faces is how to train such a large reserve of labour and convert low skills to high skills. One solution that immediately comes to mind is providing higher education for all. But at present only 24% of those meant to be participating in higher education, are actually enrolled. Plus, traditional college or university pedagogy has been increasingly criticized for being outdated and irrelevant to the jobs market. If you attended school or college in India, you will have first-hand experience of the ills that plague the system. Some of the reasons for this are: Absence of a customized or personalized approach to education (necessary as different students have different needs and learning capabilities). Restricted resources due to not-for-profit nature of educational institutes and over-regulation. Lack of technology infrastructure. Poor teaching quality. Lack of skills-based learning. Low focus on research and development. Minimal partnerships with industry/foreign academia. Outdated curricula not reflecting requirements of a dynamic market environment. Skill-intensive industries are expected to contribute more than 90% of India’s GDP by 2030. The opportunity is staring at us in the face. Only about 25% of Indian graduates are considered employable by the organized sector. Further, 48% of Indian employers said they were having difficulty in filling jobs, in 2012. Despite employers expressing difficulty in finding employable candidates, in 2009-10 the unemployment rates in India were higher for those who were more educated (graduates had more difficulty finding jobs than secondary or primary level graduates). [b_color background=”#EDFF3D”] Also Read – Technology will surely kill some jobs, but not all of them [/b_color] So Indian education, in its current form, hasn’t proved to be enough training for the incoming workforce. The numbers also prove that just completing higher education in any field is not all it takes anymore. This pinch is being increasingly felt as the world of jobs is turning upside down; which is why we need skill training. Skill-intensive industries are expected to contribute more than 90% of India’s GDP by 2030. The opportunity is staring at us in the face. It’s not just about the potential but also the responsibility we are tasked with — restoring balance to the global supply of labour. The country needs to invest in skill development and training for a large chunk of its population. Exploiting sheer numbers is therefore one major reason to skill our workers. Secondly, the demand for advanced skill-sets in emerging areas is growing. Knowledge-intensive roles such as finance, business, etc, and those related to information technology and entrepreneurship are gaining momentum. The reality that these skills must be acquired will take root for more and more individuals, including drop-outs from the mainstream education system and those who have completed such education. Currently, the actual supply of these workers falls drastically short of matching growing demand. Hence, the gaps in domain knowledge are another reason to scale up the skilling. You are likely to be at a disadvantage, in terms of skill training and thereby employability, when compared to someone your age in China, USA, South Korea… In China about 47% of the workforce has received some kind of skill training, 52% in USA, 68% in UK, 75% in Germany, 80% in Japan and 96% in South Korea. Comparatively, only about 10% of the Indian workforce received such training in 2008. India is seventh in the category of countries facing maximum difficulty in filling jobs, i.e., 58% difficulty, where the global average is 38%. These figures reflect that just belonging to the young Indian demographic is not enough. You are likely to be at a disadvantage, in terms of skill training and thereby employability, when compared to someone your age in China, USA, South Korea etc. To address these imbalances, India needs unprecedented increase in both education and job creation. At this point, there is no guaranteed advantage for India in the contest for high-skill talent. It will be dependent on skilling. Considering the state of higher education and the skill upgrade required to be carried out in the future, the process will not just be about learning for professionals, but rather unlearning and re-learning.
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by Mayank Kumar

13 Jul'16
7 reasons to watch UpGrad Talks today

5.19K+

7 reasons to watch UpGrad Talks today

There is really no secret sauce for success. Provided you have had the opportunity to view the exclusive online tete-e-tete sessions brought to you by UpGrad Talks. With an amazing roster of world-class speakers, some from the top 1000 companies of India such as Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Sky, Coca Cola, JP Morgan, JWT to start-up poster children such as RedBus, Snadeal, Ola & Zivame and many more, Upgrad Talks provides insights into their formulae for success. The talks also share deep learning from situations that didn’t work out and many valuable nuggets of honest, down-to-earth and practical advice from successful entrepreneurs, experts and industry leaders. While some lip service has been paid to new-age technologies and skill sets, and the evolution of industries because of these, a deeper understanding of what this signifies is missing. Upgrad Talks intends to fill this gap by bringing together thought-leaders from different walks of life and raising the level of discourse in this area, as they share their experiences. Here are the top reasons why you must visit talks.upgrad.com today and make it your daily source of insights and motivation: Get Inspired Inspiration can come from many different sources. You may get inspired when you see a problem that needs a solution, which you are able to ideate, or get inspired when you hear stories of adversity being overcome by sheer willpower. Rarely does the simple existence of wealth inspire us. It may motivate us to work harder, but inspiration stems from a deeper place that needs real stories. Upgrad Talks are stories from the folks who have lived these stories, first hand. Not only does hearing someone’s complete story of challenges, thought process and subsequent outcome inspire, it also gives birth to new ideas and provides impetus to grow in your own space.  Moreover, inspiration also stems from well-put statements such as, ‘attitude will sail you through,’ by Harit Nagpal, CEO of Tata Sky. A key benefit of listening to industry leaders is that it also inspires us to think. ‘What we think, we become,’ is a quote by Buddha that sums up this well. Go ahead, face challenges It does not matter if you are a startup or an established financial organization; challenges, big or small, exist in every level of most businesses. Challenges faced, strategized and overcome is the rite of passage for almost everyone. Not only do Upgrad Talks cover challenges faced by leading industry veterans, it also covers it from various stages of businesses along with discussion of the solutions that helped overcome them. Upgrad Talks speakers’ discuss challenges faced by businesses in different spaces, which makes these talks an interesting listen. Furthermore, is quite motivating to hear the candid conversations of business leaders. So what is the common thought on challenges in the Upgrad Talks? No challenge is too big. It also strengthens the belief that challenges help you grow and become stronger and develops a sense of confidence to take on the next big challenge. Learn from influencers People who can motivate are great influencers. To hear success stories at Upgrad Talks, which have been driven by deep-rooted passion as well as courage of conviction can be a great influence on most people. It is likely to help you push yourself to greater heights and also follow your dreams a bit more diligently. To quote Snapdeal’s Kunal Bahl, ‘ there is a fine line between stubbornness and persistence.’ Upgrad Talks is likely to help you define the lines as an excellent selection of influencers talk also about the key soft skills required to make it a significant mark on the industry that you belong to. Mentoring As you listen to entrepreneurs, business leaders and experts on models that have worked, one can also start drawing parallels to one’s one business or profession. Mentoring of this kind is both subtle and effective as it helps you choose some key takeaways from the shared experiences that are most relevant to you. Follow the series to get premium access to the best mentors in the country as they talk about education, the emerging digital age and its impact on businesses, talent shortages and advice to youngsters. A bit of crystal gazing In the series of Upgrad Talks, one is likely to come across a vast amount of business knowledge which has been converted into digestible insights that can also help you choose the next steps in your career. Speakers’ at Upgrad Talks share their business mantras and what the future is likely to be.  This is crystal gazing of the finest variety and yet another reason to tune into the talks. A healthy dash of optimism One of the unique selling points of the Upgrad Talks is that they also brings out the combined optimism in business from key industry leaders. Apart from that one can learn what is next in the industry, and explore potential future opportunities in the workspace. The upbeat and positive nature of these talks makes them a must-listen. Easily available online Just in case you were wondering how far you would need to travel to listen to such a wide range of speakers, you can breath easy. Upgrad Talks are delivered online and you can listen to them at your own convenience. All you need to do is to long onto talks.upgrad.com and you can access high quality, pre-recorded sessions online. Upgrad is making content richer, bigger and better as it kicks off with 15+ talks delivered by entrepreneurs, experts & business leaders.  You definitely do not want to miss out on the educational transformation that UpGrad is fuelling in partnership with some of the greatest minds. Remember, one can never stop learning. So, if you always aspired to hear great advice and insights from the top Indian business leaders on how you can grow your business, choose a career goal or get inspired, do take a look at Upgrad Talks. They are truly the voices that impact. Join us today and be a part of it at talks.upgrad.com.
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by Omkar Pradhan

06 Aug'16
Evolving online education: Learning Together

5.36K+

Evolving online education: Learning Together

Technologies in online learning have been making promises since early 20th century. From radio to present day MOOCs,  multiple new technologies were seen as silver bullet in revolutionising education. These promises were indeed laudable, to make education accessible to everyone, affordable for everyone and more effective. Yet, the same history of unmet expectations has been repeated every time*. Although a lot has happened over the past decade in terms of growth and expansion of online education, there are many challenges yet to be solved before we can say online learning has truly arrived. We, at UpGrad, believe the following three challenges are the biggest hurdles to the success of online education. Isolation: Online learning is solitary experience   Acceptability: Online learning’s validity in the Job Market   Not Engaging: Interplay of distractions and motivations in learning online The dismally low completion rates and high failure rates are reflection of these challenges [1]. Our goal at UpGrad is to fight these challenges and provide an unmatched learning experience for the working professionals. We believe, with the flexibility of online learning, every working professional can “UpGrade” himself without going back to full-time formal education. Hence, we need to to make online learning mainstream. In this article we would be sharing how are setting the online learning as a ‘Social Experience’ for our students, ie the first of the three mentioned challenges. In 2000s, internet surfing was mainly an individual experience and on the other hand, in 2016 almost all of internet time is a social experience. We do not feel alone in 2016 version of internet. We believe online education will have much higher engagement and completion rates once it becomes a social experience. An average student’s e-learning journey is an individual experience making him/her feel isolated. Learners move through the course with limited interactions with both their instructor and classmates. We at UpGrad, are building a new learning platform specifically designed keeping our students and their needs in mind. We believe this would be key to provide the kind of engagement levels the students deserve. The perception of social presence (or lack of) is a big concern among students and teachers in online learning. Teachers develop courses in isolation and the students take the courses in isolation. Researchers have found strong correlation between the sense of social presence facilitated by the course and student’s perceived learning [3,4,5]. Also there is good re correlation between withdrawal in the course and student’s perceived lack of social interaction and instructor presence [3]. Lack of social interaction in e-learning increases the distraction, since a learner would look for social interaction elsewhere which is usually Twitter, Whatsapp or Facebook. If there is another learner doing the same course in my apartment building, there are limited chances that I would know about him. As learners of online courses, we are oblivious of everyone else’s presence except few replies on the discussion forum. They do form Facebook groups or Whatsapp groups organically, yet the whole online learning format ends up being mostly a solo experience. Here are the steps we are taking at UpGrad in making our online programs a social experience.: Profiles : The first step in ‘social’ e-learning is knowing your classmates. We have learner profiles with education and work history along with other details. Almost everyone is encouraged to fill in their full profile along with a descriptive ‘bio’ section. There are multiple points where learners are nudged to click on the profiles. To improve discoverability of relevant profiles we not only leverage cohort social graph but also use interest graph, performance graph, complementary skills graphs. Combined with other semi random** algorithms like who was recently online, learners bump into each other in interesting ways. In the first month of Data Analytics Program, an average engaged learner viewed peer profiles 110 times. Discussions: We have a discussion forum which is contextual and relevant to the course content. We designed it from the ground up to involve learners during the course. They help each other, solve doubts, ask questions, have healthy debates on the forum. Only when there is no consensus a Teaching Assistant gets involved in clearing the doubts. Last 3 months data shows that on a daily basis 50% of the students who are engaged on the platform, also engaged actively on the discussion forum. As most professionals have different backgrounds, sharing of experiences on the forum is much valuable to everyone in the cohort. We have seen learners fall into three buckets on the forum. First is the majority producers, the top 30% of forum content producers are responsible for around 70% of the discussions. The next 50% do the rest of 30% of the content but continue to voice their opinions through upvotes. Rest of the 20% are mere observers. These numbers are highly encouraging and we will be investing more time in finding out how student-student social interactions can help in overall engagement. Figure 1: Forum topic distribution in one of our programs. Share in the pie is (questions * votes) for each topic. Bigger share of the pie is a proxy for doubts. This lead us to start live sessions on those topics. Thought Leader AMAs: Initiating and maintaining engagement on the forum is hard. To set the ball rolling, we started the discussion forum for a new cohort with getting a thought leader to do an AMA on the platform. This way not only the students got a product onboarding experience but also the social expectation was set amongst the peers. In some months, the total content creation during AMAs ended up around 20% of the total cumulative content. We also observed a side benefit of starting the program with thought leader – that learners are more helpful, behave with more civility and show much more respect for each other. This is not very unusual because it is known that a group’s eventual social dynamics are very much impacted by behaviour in initial few days. In a way, it sets the trend which follows upto the end of the course. We also explored bringing in external motivations to see how does it impact on engagement levels. At times, there were small gifts for top forum contributors and at times we included forum participation in the grading. Our primary observations show that this is to be used cautiously. We are working on establishing a balance between extrinsic and intrinsic motivations for social involvement. Facebook Groups: For all cohorts we have Facebook groups for students apart from the platform discussion forum. We were not very confident how much our forum will be used for non academic discussions and generic social sharing. However, we found more and more discussions of generic nature and sharing of articles & blogs also started happening on the forum. Hence facebook group ended up becoming redundant. We are thinking of doing away with a cohort’s facebook group with this expanded use of discussion forum In summary, having a strong sense of community within the students is a big predictor of learning outcomes. This has been researched multiple times [7, 8]. Our platform’s usage data of course progress and social interaction activity strongly confirms this research. At a time, a learner who is socially engaged on our platform has usually completed 4 times (Figure 2) course materials than a learner who does not participate in social discussions. This high correlation has been repeated across multiple cohorts. Figure 2: At a snapshot of time course completion rates for learners active on forum vs non active. Apart from the student isolation e-learning content creators and facilitators tend to work in isolation, reflecting and sharing of best practices is minimal[6]. We at UpGrad are aware of this problem, and making sure different program teams collaborate and share solutions to common problems. We do not have complete solution to isolation in learning yet. We as a company are focussed on solving this problem, we are testing out few ideas and are willing to share the results with the community. With these changes we are expecting online learning experience to be more engaging, more involving and eventually pushing up the low completion rates of online learning. These are early days of online education and we have miles to go. Bibliography [1] http://collegequarterly.ca/2007-vol10-num03-summer/rolfe.html [2] Online Social Networks as Formal Learning Environments: Learner Experiences and Activities, The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, Vol 13, No 1 (2012) [3] Tello SF (2007). An analysis of student persistence in online education. International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education [4] Herbert, M. (2006). Staying the course: A study in online student satisfaction and retention. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 9(4). [5] Morris, T. A. (2009). Anytime/anywhere online learning: Does it remove barriers for adult learners. In T.Kidd (Ed.), Online education and adult learning: New frontiers for teaching practices. Hershey, PA:IGI Global. [6] Duncan, H & Barnett J (2009) Learning to teach online. [7] Kaulback, B (2015). Learning Together : Community and Network from the perspective of designers of online learning. (Doctoral dissertation) [8] Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Borokhovski, E., Wade, C. A., Tamim, R. M., Surkes, M. A., & Bethel, E. C. (2009). A meta-analysis of three types of interaction treatments in distance education. Review of Educational Research, 79(3), 1243–1289.
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by Ankit Mittal

08 Aug'16
Skill deprivation: Education alone won’t guarantee a job, in-demand skills need of hour

898.95K+

Skill deprivation: Education alone won’t guarantee a job, in-demand skills need of hour

If you are 25 years old, hold a degree in a traditional arts discipline from a well-regarded institute and are looking for a job, you may not be handed one on a platter any time soon. You may be cushioned within the famous Indian demographic that is supposed to yield a ‘dividend,’ but unlike what you’ve been reading everywhere, this does not guarantee you employment. Between 1980 to 2010, 90% of world labour force growth occurred in developing countries and about 500 million new workers emerged in India and China alone (workers went from 260 million to 470 million in India, between this period). India is all set to power most of global growth in labour in the coming years. Enrolment in Indian higher education is 24% right now. With India attaining almost universal elementary education, and increased retention in secondary schools, the projected demand for higher education and jobs will only escalate. India has finally been placed on the world map with a solid advantage where labour supply is concerned. Impacting Education: My Journey and UpGrad It’s not all good news though. Indian millennials are being touted as the future of jobs and the saviours of the working world. But this won’t hold true if in-demand skills are not imparted to the youth entering the workforce. The world of work is changing and industries are transforming. It’s a fact that we are moving towards a massive labour pool, but we are possibly riding a low-skill, low-wage cycle to get there. The country is on a trajectory that involves a surplus of millions of low-skill workers, whereas most nations, including India, will be demanding high-skill workers more and more. Most industries are replacing low-skill jobs with high-skill ones. Skills relating to upcoming technologies in advanced areas – think AI, robotics, data science and mining – are gaining immense relevance. Unfortunately, our education system is not preparing students well enough to enter the workforce as high-skill workers nor equipping them with skills in emerging domains. Curricula is outdated and pedagogy poorly-developed. Gone are the days when just holding a graduate degree was enough to get employers to clamour to hire you. Education is not enough. The new-age job-seeker must strive to acquire specific skill sets to be considered employable (currently only 43% of Indian youth are considered fully employable). This applies to all sectors of the economy, as most industries and businesses are adopting new-age technologies and going digital within most functions. There’ll Be A Billion-Plus Job-Seekers By 2050! The positive connotation associated with our demographic shift has been taken for granted and assigned the term ‘dividend.’ But if we don’t strategically harness this change, we could easily be faced with a demographic disaster. We don’t want to be stuck in a situation where we have too many job-seekers with inadequate skills, and therefore not enough jobs for them. India is moving workers out of farm jobs at a very fast rate, and this will only add to the burden of providing jobs in other sectors. Realising this, even the government has begun focusing on skill development and training. Creating an entirely new Ministry and launching the Skill India Mission are clear indications of this. Another sign that skill training is gaining momentum is reflected in the growth of the Indian education and skills industry at an average rate of 13% over four years. From Rs 1.21 trillion in 2008 to Rs 2.35 trillion in 2012. However, these measures have not been enough to successfully skill India’s young. Only 2% of the Indian workforce has received some kind of formal skills training so far, and 8% have received informal training. Comparatively, 47% of China’s workforce is skill trained, 52% in USA, 68% in UK, 75% in Germany, 80% in Japan and 96% in South Korea. Almost half of Indian employers find it difficult to fill jobs and a similar proportion of employed youth suffer from some degree of skill deprivation. By 2050, India will be home to more than a billion jobseekers. This means providing jobs for over 12 million new entrants annually. There is also the challenge of finding jobs for the backlog, which reached 60 million by 2014. The pace of accretion to the labour market will keep increasing, given our demographic profile and declining age-dependency ratio. Our working age population (15-64 years) will peak in 2050 and till then pressures for jobs will only become worse. We need a wake-up call and more concerted efforts towards large-scale skill development and training. We may have a situation of too few high-skill workers and not enough jobs for medium or low-skill workers. This needs to be rectified by adjusting the education and skilling system to ready ourselves for the jobs of tomorrow. Article Source: http://www.firstpost.com/business/skill-deprivation-education-alone-wont-guarantee-a-job-in-demand-skills-need-of-hour-3020568.html
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by Apoorva Shankar

08 Nov'16
Why The Growth Of Higher Education In India Hinges On The Private Sector

5.13K+

Why The Growth Of Higher Education In India Hinges On The Private Sector

For the sake of simplicity, let’s say that the public sector’s role in education can be identified as a three-fold one. Firstly, it is tasked with universalizing access to education. Its next responsibility would be to regulate the sector and finally, to ensure quality education for all. In the context of the access provider role, estimates show that just in terms of physical infrastructure, more than a US $100 billion spends would be required in higher education alone, to double enrollment, from where it stands today (24%). Where regulation is concerned, bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC) and other higher education regulators are in-charge but leave much to be desired in terms of quality checks and monitoring, accreditation, etc. In fact, the UGC merely acts as a grants disbursing body now for universities and colleges, rather than a regulator. This is despite the fact that about 16% of the Ministry’s budget (2016-17) was allocated to UGC. Regarding quality, the government struggles to set standards and measure outcomes. Accreditation in the country is irregular and sub-optimal. In addition, unlike school education, where a certain level of learning outcomes may be gauged, this is difficult to do in higher education – especially assessing employability of a student post completing such education. So is there a role the government should prioritise? Further, because the government is entrusted with these roles, does it necessarily mean that they are its exclusive mandate? Or should the government act as an enabler and allow external participation if it means better execution and a higher success rate? The education and training industry is extremely large today and has strong further growth potential. With total educational spending of $2.7 trillion, the industry accounted for about 4.25% of the world’s GDP in 2010. In India alone, the spending on education and skilling has touched approximately Rs 74,000 crore. This may seem like a daunting figure but is still not sufficient. India spends about 4% of its GDP on all of education (about 1% on higher education), whereas globally the minimum recommended expenditure on education is 6% of GDP. Most of the public expenditure on higher education is used upon salaries and maintaining existing institutions, leaving very little to be spent on curriculum, research, and technology. However, spending on education still has enormous scaling to do and this is where the private sector comes in. Private players will have opportunities from rising demand in segments not well covered by the public education system (like adult education and vocational training). They bring in additional capital and are able to make huge investments, especially when government spending is insufficient and results in substantial infrastructure and investment deficit. For instance, the government had set a target of achieving a 30% enrolment ratio in higher education by 2020. The enrolment ratio currently is 24%. Judging by historical trends, and the current pace of rising enrolments, this target seems difficult to achieve. We may need a better, plan to succeed. Plus, the demand for higher education is only set to accelerate with growing population, higher enrolment as well as retention of students in schools. The private sector could play a crucial role in plugging these gaps and matching demand. In fact, it is already capturing the market in a big way, as can be seen in the adjacent graph. Enrolment in, and share of, private higher education institutions has surpassed that of government institutions (data as on 2013). Even the online education market in India expected to grow to US $40 billion by as soon as 2017. Unlike the education sector, which is legally mandated to operate on a not-for-profit basis, for-profit skill training institutes can be set up. This, coupled with initiatives of the National Skill Development Corporation, has encouraged the private sector to set up vocational training institutes. Corporate interest has also increased in the skill development space because of the benefits that accrue to businesses themselves, in the form of adequately trained manpower as a ready pool for future hiring. Majority of institutions offering professional disciplines are now in the private sector. There is a tendency of the public sector to view the private sector’s involvement in the education space with scepticism. But the private sector is necessary because of its ability to match industry demand for superior skilled manpower. It supplements infrastructure, facilities, technology and pedagogy and has an added advantage of escaping bureaucratic control and retaining autonomy to a large extent. Private players often collaborate with reputed international universities for faculty and other benefits which can be attractive to prospective students. They are also heavily investing in research-based education. As consumers of skilled manpower as well, the private sector is in a position to understand what type of skill training is to be imparted, and eventually benefit from it. This makes skill-training more efficient and effective. All three education-related roles of the government are equally important. However, while regulation should remain outside the purview of the private sector, nothing should stop them from assisting the public sector in maximising enrolments and improving quality of education. Public needs to work with private and create a level-playing field, in order to uplift the overall quality of education. Article Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.in/mayank-kumar/why-the-growth-of-higher-education-in-india-hinges-on-the-privat/
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by Apoorva Shankar

08 Nov'16