CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Monica Malhotra Kandhari, MD, AASOKA & MBD Group
- Can you explain how AASOKA’s integrated blended learning solution aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and its key principles?
AASOKA’s integrated blended learning solution resonates perfectly with the principles laid out in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Its standardised curriculum transforms learning into an engaging, interactive, and purposeful journey, aligning with NEP’s emphasis on creativity and stimulation. Furthermore, the inclusivity of a wide range of educational resources ensures affordability and accessibility, thus, mirroring NEP’s goal of democratising learning for all. Additionally, its hybrid learning approach prioritises holistic development, reflecting NEP’s focus on scholastic and co-scholastic growth. Simply put, AASOKA’s dedication to educational technology, resources, and research has positioned it at the forefront of educational progress, in harmony with NEP’s transformative vision.
- How many schools have you partnered with and how is AASOKA using technology to make students future-ready?
We have successfully forged strategic partnerships with over 1900 schools across India this year. With a remarkable reach of over 6.5 lakh students and 50,000+ educators spanning 438+ cities, we are at the forefront of transforming education by encouraging schools to seamlessly incorporate blended learning and teaching approaches into their educational framework.
At AASOKA, we are shaping future-ready students by leveraging cutting-edge technology in education. It facilitates independent and captivating learning, besides establishing an inclusive environment. Additionally, through personalised, interactive, and immersive experiences, we deliver world-class education that equips students with the skills they need for the future.
- What is your presence across India & what are your plans for regional expansion?
We have achieved remarkable expansion in India’s education landscape, starting from our proof of concept in 10 schools across 4 cities. Our footprints extended to encompass 300 schools, all with an extraordinary retention rate of 100%. Building on this success, we expanded to 1900 schools while maintaining our commitment to this retention rate. Now, we have set our sights on the ambitious goal of reaching over 20,000 schools within the next three years.
Our commitment to education is inclusive, catering to various educational boards, including CBSE, ICSE, and state boards, making our reach comprehensive and diverse. Our outreach spans 438+ cities in 22 states making a significant impact on over 50,000 teachers and benefiting 6.5 lakh students. This substantial growth, a six-fold increase since 2022, underscores our unwavering dedication to delivering quality education.
- What is the vision and future roadmap for AASOKA?
Our vision is to revolutionise education by offering innovative curriculum solution that facilitate a dynamic and inclusive environment in each school. We believe that EdTech tools have the power to elevate educational benchmarks and unveil fresh opportunities for our youth. Thus, with AASOKA, we strive to elevate educational benchmarks, thus, enabling young minds to excel in our ever-changing world.
Our future roadmap revolves around relentless innovation in our products to meet evolving educational needs. We are committed to improving current features and venturing into new domains that cater to personalised learning, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and seamless tech integration. We strive to make quality education accessible and affordable for every child to empower schools throughout India. Over the next 3 years, we aim to connect with at least 20,000 schools across the nation.
- How does AASOKA support teachers in terms of professional development and continuous learning to maximize the benefits of the platform?
AASOKA empowers teachers with comprehensive support for professional development and continuous learning. We understand the pivotal role teachers play in students’ success. Therefore, we have specially designed AASOKA to streamline tasks such as lesson planning, assessment creation & scheduling, and homework sharing. Teachers can effortlessly incorporate various content types based on subject, chapter, and concept. Recently, we introduced AASOKA Version 2.0 powered by AI with enhanced features and user-friendly interfaces. To ensure smooth adoption, we conducted training sessions for 150 trainers, covering a range of topics, including app utilisation, curriculum integration, and platform navigation. Our prime objective is to empower teachers in their growth journey by enabling them to maximize the platform’s potential for optimal student outcomes.
- How does AASOKA encourage collaboration and communication among teachers, students, and parents to foster a holistic learning environment?
AASOKA’s upgraded web portal and mobile app facilitate seamless collaboration and communication among teachers, students, and parents. Furthermore, the user-friendly interface and improved dashboard enable easy access to daily tasks with bookmark navigation. Also, the integrated student view page allows easy access to student profiles, attendance, fees, academic progress, ID cards, and report cards. It also encourages parental involvement by granting automatic access upon student registration. This holistic strategy helps build a collaborative learning ecosystem, thus reinforcing a comprehensive learning environment.
- In what ways has AASOKA contributed to reducing the administrative burden on teachers and school staff, allowing them to focus more on teaching and learning?
AASOKA has lightened the load for teachers and school staff by automating administrative tasks. It simplifies resource management, homework tracking, and parent communication, making the workflow more efficient. Teachers can now easily access student data and assessment records, allowing them to personalize their teaching approach. This has shifted the focus from paperwork to student interaction, creating a more engaging learning environment. AASOKA’s user-friendly platform also promotes collaboration, allowing teachers to share resources and ideas effortlessly. In essence, it has made the lives of educators easier, allowing them to dedicate more time to what matters most – teaching and nurturing their students.
- As the education landscape continues to evolve, how does AASOKA plan to stay up-to-date with emerging technologies and pedagogical approaches to maintain its effectiveness in the long run?
AASOKA’s strategy revolves around continuous learning, innovation, and responsiveness to emerging trends. Our proactive approach allows us to provide teachers and students with tools that enhance their educational experience in a rapidly changing world. AASOKA 2.0 leverages cutting-edge AI technology to seamlessly track individual student academic progress within classes and across subjects, visualizing trends and providing growth trajectory forecasts. These predictions are based on real-time performance analysis and an understanding of each student’s unique learning abilities.
Our approach is centred around a dynamic blend of innovation, quality assurance, and ongoing professional development. For instance, our latest release, AASOKA version 2.0, represents a significant advancement over its predecessor. We ensure quality through rigorous testing procedures that identify and rectify potential issues well before implementation. Moreover, we provide consistent training and support to educators, enabling them to maximise the potential of our offerings and maintain the highest standards in education delivery.
To keep up with the rapidly evolving education landscape, our team of experts actively engages with the latest trends and technological advancements. This ensures that our solutions remain relevant and aligned with the evolving needs of both educators and learners.
- How does AASOKA ensure accessibility for students and teachers in both urban and rural areas with varying levels of technological infrastructure?
AASOKA platform prioritises accessibility for students and teachers in diverse settings. Its flexible design seamlessly adjusts to diverse technological environments, thereby catering to both urban and rural regions with different infrastructural capacities. Through online and offline modes, students and educators can readily access resources and tools without being impeded by technological limitations.
