Top 19 Online Certificate Courses With High Salary in India [2024]

Updated on 04 June, 2024

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Online Certificate Courses With High Salary in India

If you’re someone who’s pursued the conventional education path all your life – physical classrooms and face-to-face learning – it is natural to be skeptical about online courses. Even if a large chunk of the young population is tech-savvy, not many can readily get on board with the concept of online education.

The most common questions that arise in their minds while considering online courses are:

“Do they promise a similar learning experience as on-campus, classroom courses?”

“Are online certifications acknowledged by companies?”

“Will the course fit my present lifestyle and budget?”

Lucky for you, the answer to each of these questions is YES!

Check out our free courses to get an edge over the competition.

If you ask yourself ‘why learn online courses’, with reputed colleges, universities, and learning institutes offering cutting-edge online programs, you can expect a wholesome learning experience from most online courses. While it’s true that online courses weren’t exactly the rage a decade ago, times have changed now – companies all across the globe acknowledge online certifications from reputed and established learning institutions.

You can also consider doing our Python Bootcamp course from upGrad to upskill your career.

As for the third question, the entire concept of online courses is to sync with your existing lifestyle and educational/professional choices. Since online courses are much cheaper than classroom programs, they are designed to fit well within your budget.

If you still want to learn more and wondering if you should learn online courses, we can safely concur that you are open to learning more about the perks of online programs. Stick with us till the end and you’ll even get to know about the best online courses that promise high annual packages!

Top 19 Online Courses To Look Out for

Data Science And Machine Learning

Let’s check out the best online certificate courses in India in data science and machine learning.

1. Master Of Science In Machine Learning And AI

This 18-month course boasts of being India’s only online M.Sc in ML and AI for professionals. Recognized by the WES (World Education Services), the program includes over 30 case studies and 10 capstone projects. Learners are taught by seasoned and experienced mentors from Liverpool John Moores University, UK.

Important topics covered include Statistics and Exploratory Data Analytics, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Deep Learning, and Reinforcement Learning. Students also learn about various research methodologies and also submit a Master’s dissertation in the final week.

This online certification course intends to satisfy the professionals’ demand in the various areas of computer science. It does the same by providing in-depth training in cloud computing, data science, and Artificial Intelligence applications.

It offers relevant knowledge to develop and test software and information systems. Hence, you can design high-powered software applications, intelligent systems programs, and security methods.

The course’s modules help students to explore the applications and techniques of AI, deep learning, and machine learning. So, they can analyze high-level programming languages and contemporary software development.

2. PG Diploma In Data Science

Built for working professionals, this 12-month course is perfect for aspirants who wish to master the fundamentals of Data Science. It covers more than 60 projects and 14 programming tools to help learners gain a hands-on learning experience.

What’s more, you can choose from five specialization tracks, namely, deep learning, natural language processing, business intelligence/data analytics, business analytics, and data engineering. On course completion, you will be ready for promising Data Science job profiles like Data Analyst, Data Scientist, Data Engineer, and Machine Learning Engineer.

The related specializations are Data visualization with R, Big Data Analytics, Business Intelligence, Business Analytics, Machine Learning, Python programming, and Data warehousing.

You will have plenty of career options in commerce after completing this course. Some of the prominent job roles are Data Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer, Business Intelligence Developer, Business Analyst, Enterprise Architect, Data Engineer, etc.

3. PG Diploma In Machine Learning And AI

This 12-month diploma course covers fundamental Data Science and ML topics into eight modules, including Data Science Tool Kit, Statistics and Exploratory Data Analytics, Machine Learning – I, Machine Learning – II, Natural Language Processing, Deep Learning, Reinforcement Learning, and Deployment & Capstone Projects.

Also, learners get to complete case studies, live projects, and various Data Science assignments using tools like Python, Keras, TensorFlow, Scikit-Learn, MySQL, NLTK, and AWS. The course promises 360-degree career support by offering dedicated mentorship from industry experts, peer-to-peer networking, hackathons, etc.

This course’s graduates can be employed in public as well as private organizations. So, it unlocks various career options in commerce. After completing this course, you can explore some prevalent job roles include: Artificial Intelligence Engineer, Business Analyst, AI Developer, etc.

This course imparts machine learning algorithms to help you develop a model depending on sample data. Hence, you can make relevant decisions or predictions.

Management

Let’s check out the best online certificate courses in India in management.

4. Post Graduate Diploma In Management (PGDM)

This 2-year management course is divided into four specialization tracks – Business Management, Retail Management, Banking Insurance & Finance Service, and Information Technology – divided into six trimesters.

Topics covered include Marketing Management, HR Management, Financial Management, Managerial Economics, Managerial Accounting, Organizational Behavior, Data Analytics, Statistics, Strategic Management, and Supply Chain Management. On course completion, students receive a PDGM certification from BIMTECH, one of the top private B-schools in India.

5. PG Program In Management (PGPM)

This 11-month program is ideal for sales/marketing professionals, managers, IT experts, and entrepreneurs looking for an in-depth understanding of management and leadership. The course teaches the fundamentals of management such as business growth strategies, marketing strategies, interpersonal and communication skills, strategic thinking and planning, leadership, structured thinking & problem-solving, time management, and project management.

Learners are encouraged to gain practical experience by working on case studies, live projects, and offline peer-to-peer networking events. The best part about this program is that apart from receiving a PGPM certification from IMT Ghaziabad, it opens up a plethora of employment opportunities on the global front.

PGPM entails topics like Marketing Management, Finance Accounting, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Communication skills, Corporate finance, Operations Management, and Business Laws. These fields can prove to be well-paying if you judiciously choose one of the best career options after 12th commerce. It is one of the best online courses in India.

6. Executive Program In Blockchain Technology Management

This 5-month program focuses on one of the most trending topics in the industry right now – Blockchain technology. The course takes an application-based learning approach by training students to think and act like a Blockchain consultant. If you are wondering which online course certificate is valuable in India, blockchain technology is one of the best ones.

It covers relevant matters like Blockchain Technology Management, Blockchain Network & Architecture, Blockchain Delivery & BRD creation, and Blockchain Testing. Additionally, learners work on case studies, assignments, and offline workshops to build their real-world Blockchain skills.

Obtaining this certification will make you eligible for promising profiles like Blockchain Consultant, Business and Integration Architect, Blockchain Consulting (Solution Design & Implementation), and Blockchain (Program Manager & Product Manager).

7. Product Management Certification Program

This 6-month course is divided into three specialization tracks – Growth Product Management, Data Science for Product Management, and Digital Transformation. It offers in-depth knowledge on core Product Management topics, including Product Analytics, Retention & Engagement Growth Strategies, Acquisition & Activation Strategies, Monetization Strategies, Introduction to Data Science PM Role, Fundamentals of Data, Analytics & Statistics, Data Visualization & Data Pipelines, Design Thinking for PMs, and Main Pillars of Digital Transformation, to name a few.

The course also includes more than 15 case studies, projects, and live Q&A sessions with top mentors and industry leaders.

The subject matter for this course is designed by experienced professionals and the course is delivered by knowledgeable mentors. Real-life case studies and live question-answer sessions are a part of the curriculum.

The key skills imparted are Introduction to Data Science PM, Monetization strategies, Market research, Product Development and planning, Data visualization and Pipelines, analytics, and user design.

Completing this course makes the candidates eligible for job roles like Associate Product Manager, Product analyst, and Product Marketing Manager. These are the best career options after 12th commerce after completing the Product Management Certification Program.

8. Global Master Certificate In Integrated Supply Chain Management (ISCM)

This 6-month course aims to teach students about crucial components of the supply chain, including how to integrate the ley wings of the supply chain (procurement, operations, and logistics management), implement the best-suited supply chain design for a business/company, streamline logistical processes by redesigning the market distribution strategy development, execution, and management, and boost a company’s competitive advantage by integrating IT with logistics.

On course completion, learners receive a Global Master’s Certificate in ISCM from Michigan State University that ranks #1 for Supply Chain/Logistics programs.

It helps you to participate in industry-oriented projects and live online sessions on logistics management, operations management, supply chain management, and strategic sourcing for an organization. It is one of the best online courses in India if you want to embark on a career in supply chain management.

9. Global Professional Certificate In Effective Leadership & Management

This 3-month program takes the application-based learning approach to help candidates become competent leaders/managers. It covers all the fundamentals of leadership management, analytical problem-solving, and teaches learners how to apply different management and leadership theories for specific business challenges.

Students get plenty of opportunities to engage in live discussion boards, quizzes, and interactive sessions with the faculty. The course is taught by top-ranking instructors and mentors of Michigan State University.

This program covers the MindLeap problem-solving technique and imparts an understanding of the problem-solving process. This is one of the recommended online courses in India if you want to be an expert in leadership and management.

It trains candidates on how to manage various teams, take decisions, assign tasks to team members, supervise results, and more. Moreover, it teaches conflict management how to eliminate obstacles the team members may face.

Software Engineering

Let’s check out the best online certificate courses in India in software engineering.

10. Master Of Science In Computer Science

This 18-month master’s course focuses on helping aspirants gain in-depth knowledge of Computer Science, particularly Software Development. Students learn about the essentials of programming, including OOP, Data Structures, Full-Stack Development, Big Data, etc. The course offers six specializations – Big Data, Cloud Computing, Blockchain Development, DevOps, Full-Stack Development, and Cybersecurity.

By the end of the course, students are well-versed with the nitty-gritty of computing systems, advanced programming, and research methodologies in Computer Science and Software Development.

11. PG Certification In Front-End Development 

This is a 7-month course that covers Requirements Identification, Design and Prototyping, Integration and Testing, Module-level Implementation & Unit Testing, Data Structures, User Interfaces, User Experience, etc. Students work on collaborative projects, case studies, and assignments using a host of tools like Java, Git, IntelliJ IDEA, JUnit, HTML, and CSS to sharpen their real-world skills.

12. PG Certification In Big Data 

Another 7-month certification program, this course teaches students the basics of Big Data with a special focus on Python. Students are introduced to the vast range of Python libraries and trending Big Data tools like Hadoop, Hive, HBase, Spark, and Kafka.

Additionally, they learn about distributed systems, programming models, distributed algorithms, distributed programming patterns, Big Data processing, batch processing vs. stream processing, in-memory processing, data warehousing, NoSQL and object databases, etc.

13. PG Diploma In Full Stack Development

This 12-month course teaches students everything they need to know about Full Stack Development. They learn how to build scalable websites, backend APIs, and Interactive Web UIs through courses of live lectures and interactive online learning sessions with faculty members and industry leaders.

The curriculum includes several case studies and assignments and a complete suite of tools required to work on Full-Stack projects. This diploma certification will make you eligible for promising profiles such as Frontend Developer, Full-Stack Developer, UI Developer, and Backend Developer.

It lays the foundation for developing full-stack web apps through the Java programming language. It begins with the fundamentals of JavaScript. The later sections discuss advanced topics like Spring Boot, Angular, Hibernate, MVC, and JSPs. It is one of the perfect online diploma courses in India to kick-start your career as a full-stack web developer.

Some of the important topics students learn include application frameworks, object-oriented programming, UI/UX & Data structures, and Version Control Systems (VCS). It imparts various technologies that can help you at each stage of software development.

14. PG Diploma In Cloud Computing.

This 12-month diploma program aims to teach students how to excel in Cloud Computing. They learn the basics of developing Cloud infrastructure, Data Structures, and Algorithms, building/deploying native Cloud applications, using Virtual Machines (VMs), etc. Since Cloud Computing is an in-demand skill in the present job market, this certification will enable candidates to build their career as Cloud Architect, Cloud Engineer, Cloud Software Developer, and Cloud Administrator.

It provides candidates with data required for configuring and administering Cloud Deployment, OS Server, and Cloud Security. It also imparts skills required to defend and recover computer networks and systems from different security threats in Cloud or dedicated environments.

In addition to basics, it also covers the associate level, like Architect Solutions. It offers an in-depth overview of Microsoft Azure core services, cloud concepts, architecture, security, and pricing. Moreover, it includes the fundamentals of developing IT infrastructure on Microsoft Azure. With this course, solution architects can learn how to optimize their usage of the Microsoft Azure Cloud and how to fit into the Cloud-based solutions. You can pursue this online course if you are interested in Cloud computing but are confused about what should I do after 12th commerce.

15. PG Diploma In DevOps

This 12-month program specializes in DevOps, covering industry-specific matters like best DevOps practices, creating software lifecycles, SDLC processes, and developing and maintaining CICD pipelines. Students gain in-depth knowledge of agile methodology for integration & deployment while working on real-world projects. After course completion, candidates can bag job roles like DevOps Engineer, Software Engineer, Backend Developer, Software Developer, Security Engineer, and Automation Architect.

This DevOps certification training hones your data science related skills. It teaches how to formalize and document the development processes and prepare a self-documenting system. It also covers the use of advanced tools like SaltStack, Puppet, and Ansible that help automated management and self-governance at a scale.

It helps develop a powerful network of opportunities that helps to connect experienced fellow learners and DevOps industry experts. It offers theoretical and practical understanding through its cutting-edge curriculum. You can pursue this course if you are interested in accelerating your career in the DevOps industry but are confused about .what should I do after 12th commerce.

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:

16. Data Analytics

Data Analytics is highly in demand and when you have done the courses in the field of data analytics, it increases your chances of getting good job opportunities. It is one of the advanced online courses with certificates in India.

The top skills required in the field of data analytics are SQL, Programming, Statistical analysis, Data visualisation, and Econometrics. It is one of the best online courses with certificates which increases the chances of getting good salaries 4.2 lakhs per annum.

17. Penetration Testing

The penetration hackers help in preventing hackers and cyberattacks. The best online courses with certificates require penetration testers to help protect their organisation.

The top skills required for Penetration Tester are Network and Application Security, Threat Modelling, Programming Languages, and Security Asset Tools. It is one of the high-paying online certificate courses in India. The average salary of a Penetration Tester is 5.0 lakhs per annum.

18. Computer Network

It is one of the best online courses with certificates in India which helps in increasing career opportunities. The top skills required for Computer Network professionals are Scripting, Network Security, Web development, Data Management, etc.

19. Agile and Scrum

A skilled Agile and Scrum professional helps in leading an agile team quite successfully. It is one of the high-paying online certification courses in India. Agile and scrum professionals help in having an edge over their counterparts.

To skills required for agile and scrum professionals are facilitation skills, conflict resolution, problem-solving, time management and organisational skills. It is one of the best online certification courses which yields high salaries. The average salary for the Agile Project Manager is 20.4 lakhs per annum.

Why Should You Learn Online Courses?

Top 4 reasons to learn online courses in India:

1. They Are Budget-Friendly

Since online courses are completely offered digitally, there’s no expenditure to maintain and run a physical educational institution. Students also do not have to incur any accommodation and travel expenses as they can continue their classes online from the comfort of their homes.

These reasons make it possible for institutions to offer online courses at a much affordable cost than on-campus courses.

Also, check Advanced Certification in Cyber Security from IIIT – B

2. They Promise Flexibility

One of the best aspects of online learning is that they are designed to fit right into your schedule. Whether it is family matters or professional commitments, online courses allow you to juggle your existing responsibilities and priorities while pursuing your education.

You can set classes and participate in peer-to-peer learning activities in batches/timings that suit your timetable.

3. They Offer a Wide Range Of Specializations

Although online learning wasn’t a very popular concept a few years back, people’s perspectives have changed with time. Today, online learning institutes throughout the country have accreditations from reputed universities/colleges. As a result, students have the liberty to choose from a diverse range of specializations, right from mainstream subjects (Languages, Finance, Accounting, Mathematics, Economics, etc.) to trending subjects (Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, etc).

4. They Allow You To Learn And Re-learn

Typically, classroom courses are a one-time learning experience wherein you must brace yourself with the study flow of the entire batch of students. There’s hardly any scope to pause, review, or repeat any concept to suit your individual needs – everything has to be done within the time-bound limitations of the program curriculum. Unlike this, online learning offers you ample scope to learn and progress at your preferred pace.

You can schedule individual learning classes with instructors for resolving your doubts.

5. Improves resume:

The online certificate courses enhance your expertise that you can showcase in your resume. This helps potential employers to gauge your skills and increases your odds of obtaining a well-paid job. Improving your resume after completing a relevant online course explores various career options after 12th commerce.

6. Networking opportunities:

Professionals with the online certification can seamlessly connect with their peer group and create a strong network. The broader network helps in problem-solving, engaging interactions, and improvement of technical expertise. Consequently, it boosts their career graph and helps them explore many relevant career options after 12th commerce.

Also visit upGrad’s Degree Counselling page for all undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

How Certification Courses Will Help to Get a High Salary?

In my experience, certification courses hold a key to unlocking a high salary in today’s fiercely competitive job market. These courses equip you with specialized skills and knowledge, transforming you into an asset for potential employers. By pursuing certifications, you demonstrate a dedicated commitment to continuous learning and industry relevance, a trait highly valued by employers. It’s worth noting that certified candidates often enjoy enhanced job prospects and the potential for higher earnings. 

Our carefully curated list of the top online courses with high salary potential in India for 2024 covers a wide range of fields. It underscores the pivotal role that certifications play in securing well-paying positions and opening doors to lucrative career opportunities. Invest in your education, and you’ll witness your earning potential skyrocket with these sought-after certifications. 

Here you can explore online courses after graduation for a high salary and discover short-term courses with high salary potential.

Conclusion

That brings us to the end of our discussion – the best online courses you should consider pursuing! Online certificate courses in India provides a flexible schedule, updated course material, lesser cost, learning at your own pace, and providing the opportunity to upskill yourself without leaving your job.

If you plan to learn online courses, there are so many factors to consider. Each of these online courses assures 360-degree career support, including dedicated mentor feedback, timely resolution of doubts, personalized feedback, mock interviews, P2P interactive sessions, and other constructive activities to enrich the online learning experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Will online learning prove to be a boon or bane in the education industry?

Change is inevitable but not all changes are for betterment. The foremost form of education used to be in the form of storytelling which was passed on through generations with human connection and positive relations. The need for convenience and multitasking gave birth to the online mode of learning which was further raised by COVID-19. With the lack of social touch and feeling of social belongingness, online learning presented us with a whole new picture of the virtual world. Virtual classrooms, virtual attendance, digital notes, online exams and whatnot, are now part of a daily routine of an average school or university student. Online learning being boon or bane is dependent upon how one uses it.

2. What to look for while selecting an online course?

Innumerable websites are offering similar or different courses in online form. Several options being at the fingertips create a bizarre situation for the learner to choose. Upon deciding on the course based on interest, firstly compare the prices of different websites taking into account the resources and content they offer and also go through the curriculum carefully. Most importantly see the reviews of past students.

3. Does the company value online and offline learning equally when it comes to hiring?

Today’s world is transforming into a digital world. Borders no more define the boundary for education. Many prestigious universities are promoting online learning. Recruiters would search for someone who is well skilled as well as adept in the digital world. Moreover, various sought after skills can be smoothly procured along with a job or full-time degree course. It will not only save time and cost for the recruiter but also for the candidate besides providing them with an edge over others.

4. What are the top skills required for Digital Marketing?

The top skills required in the field of digital marketing are SEO, SEM, Content Creation, Creativity, CRM, Social Media, and more.

5. What are the top skills required for Biotechnology?

The top skills required in the field of Biotechnology are problem-solving, teamwork, analytical, innovation, investigative mind, attention to detail, and more.

6. What are the top skills required for DevOps?

The top skills required in the field of DevOps are Linux, Security, Coding, Scripting, Cloud skills and Testing.

Did you find this article helpful?

Rohan Vats

Software Engineering Manager @ upGrad. Passionate about building large scale web apps with delightful experiences. In pursuit of transforming engineers into leaders.

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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