Two of the most prominent educational figures in India take part in a healthy debate regarding Edtech Hybrid models: Vineet Gupta, founder of Ashoka and Plaksha University, and Manish Upadhyay, Co-founder of LIQVID and an education consultant.

It is very much real, according to Vineet Gupta. When the pandemic began, start-ups such as Vedantu, BYJU's, Unacademy and many more began getting crazy valuations, suddenly they became the center stage in the education sector. It was the only option for the children to remain competent in the real world but to switch to online education. As a matter of fact, even parents scrambled for the best possible solutions for their children, but also professionals who were laid off or worried about their jobs sought new courses and certifications. As a result, there has been a surge in demand for educational technology services, and the Indian edtech sector has emerged as a major driver of growth.

After the pandemic, education centers began opening again, but startups relying heavily or entirely on the digital medium suffered. With predatory practices, misrepresentation, and rising consumer complaints, edtech platforms are now at risk of regulatory oversight, further complicating things for edtech companies. Already in 2022, Udayy, SuperLearn, and Crejo.Fun have shut down as they heavily relied on “online-only” teaching methods and could not adjust with the behavioral change post pandemic.

Thus, the Edtech Hybrid model of education became a reality. In response to this, some players took calculated measures to establish their physical presence as well, such as Unacademy opening up centers in Kota and BYJU taking over the Aakash Institute. 'The race for hybrid models in education has begun, and those with established brand names, solid physical presences, and great digital infrastructure are well positioned to make the most of this upcoming phase,' says Vineet Gupta, founder of Ashoka and Plaks.