Access to education in rural India is crucial for fostering social equity and progress. In this interview, Ms. Brinda Poornapragna, Chief Executive Officer & Mr. Ramkumar Venkataraman, Trustee, eVidyaloka Trust, Bengaluru, reveals how the organization has been transforming rural education since 2010. eVidyaloka’s innovative approach combines technology and volunteerism to tackle significant challenges, including teacher shortages and limited access to quality education. Ms. Poornapragna discusses the key milestones of eVidyaloka’s journey, the core philosophy behind its educational model, and the profound impact of its digital classrooms on rural communities. Let’s dive in!
Q. How did eVidyaloka Trust start? What are the key milestones in eVidyaloka’s journey since its inception in 2010? What major challenges were faced, and how were they overcome?
eVidyaloka was founded by Satish and Venkat, former colleagues at Microsoft India, as a systemic intervention inspired by a discussion on Skype teaching. Inspired by this shared idea, they sought to fuse volunteerism and technology, revolutionizing the provision of quality education to children in remote villages. After a successful two-year pilot program, the lessons learnt from this pilot were instrumental in validating and refining the approach to remote education. The organization commenced full-time operations in May 2013, igniting a journey toward empowerment and enlightenment.
By 2014, the leadership team expanded to be guided by esteemed visionaries. Sri Ravichandran V is the Chairperson of the eVidyaloka Trust. He is an investment banker who held several leadership positions at HP and ANZ, and now heads educational institutions focused on fostering responsible global citizens. The trustees include Sri V. Ramkumar, a BITS Pilani graduate with executive education from INSEAD and Harvard, currently working at Cedar, a global management consulting firm, Sri Viswanathan Thiagarajan (Vishy), an engineer from BITS Pilani with over fifteen years of experience in mobile, internet, and telecommunications, who believes strongly in the transformative power of education, and Sri Venkat S, the cofounder and a passionate technologist, is dedicated to applying technology to address India’s social challenges and revolutionizing education. By 2017, eVidyaloka had a presence in 7 states with 100 centres running digital classrooms.
Since 2019, Brinda Poornapragna, has been at the helm of eVidyaloka as its CEO. She has over 25+ years of extensive corporate experience spanning Technology, Financial Services, and the Social Sector. Initially, doing online teaching in a remote village was daunting in terms of the facilities available, the rural children’s capability to participate in a technology-driven intervention, and the impact of teaching through a virtual medium. We saw that the child was the most promising enabler who came with an unbiased mind and the excitement of the new mode of learning against the conventional teacher with a stick. This honest engagement was the key for both teachers and learners to overcome the challenges of medium and distances. The socio-cultural dynamics and operational challenges were the easier ones to solve with the involvement of the local community partner who anchored and drove the programme delivery. The number of volunteer teachers continues to be the factor that drives the scale. As we continue to work on language-specific teaching, we are also working toward a predictable model in the mobilization of people for volunteer acquisition and support.
Q. What is the core philosophy behind eVidyaloka’s approach to education? How does it differ from traditional models, and what benefits does it provide to rural students?
At eVidyaloka, our mission is to bring quality education to the children of rural India. Our innovative approach bridges passionate volunteer teachers from around the globe with government schools in remote villages, harnessing the power of technology. Targeting children aged 10-14 (grades 5-8), we deliver engaging, live interactive classes in their local language. This transformative process is supported by a robust partner ecosystem that fosters and sustains this educational journey. Unlike traditional models, this approach brings diverse perspectives and expertise from around the world into the classrooms. Conceptual learning in the local language enables deeper engagement, setting a strong foundation for application. The model is flexible and scalable, allowing for the quick adoption of new subjects, grades, and regions without physical constraints.
Rural students get access to high-quality education, meeting national standards often unavailable in remote areas. It introduces diverse teaching styles through volunteer teachers from various backgrounds, enriching the learning experience. The interactive online classes keep students engaged and motivated, making learning more enjoyable. Additionally, the supportive partner ecosystem ensures students have the necessary resources and mentorship, empowering them with the knowledge and skills for better educational and career opportunities.
Q. Can you elaborate on eVidyaloka’s volunteer teacher program? What are the criteria for selecting volunteers, and how is a high-quality learning experience ensured for students?
With a severe shortage of 1.2 million teachers in government schools across India, the eVidyaloka model relies on the ever-growing community of global volunteers to address the top two chronic challenges hampering education in rural parts of our country – teacher shortage and teaching quality. Supported by a dedicated team of 6,000+ impassioned volunteers from 40+ Countries (North America, Russia, Europe etc.) across the globe, eVidyaloka has touched the lives of over 1.89 lakh students, facilitating more than 29.85 lakh child learning hours.
Volunteers vary from homemakers to students, working professionals, and retired professionals. They fall in the age group of 18 to 75 years old. These volunteers find deep satisfaction in their work, as they contribute to nation-building and experience firsthand the profound impact created by their desks and homes.
The volunteer experience at eVidyaloka is made effortless, thanks to an interactive virtual interface, abundant teaching resources created by other volunteers, and a dedicated class assistant physically present and facilitating learning in the classrooms. Volunteers start by committing just 2 hours a week for a minimum of 4 months, but many continue for years due to the fulfilling experience. “My journey with eVidyaloka in Hanasoge village has been incredibly rewarding. Teaching math digitally across three schools and watching students excel, with some topping exams and scoring above 95, has only deepened my commitment,” shares Ms Geeta Krishnamurthy, a math teacher with eVidyaloka for the past eight years.
Q. How does eVidyaloka’s curriculum cater to the diverse learning needs of students from different backgrounds and age groups? What measures ensure consistency and quality across centres?
To cater to diverse learning needs, eVidyaloka develops grade-appropriate, conceptual teaching content in vernacular languages, organized state-wise. The pedagogy demonstrates an instructional approach that emphasizes understanding and application of fundamental concepts rather than rote memorization. These concepts are based on the state syllabus recommended by the education department which is aligned with National Education Policy 2020. In this context, educators aim to facilitate a deeper comprehension of subjects by connecting new information to real-life experiences and local contexts relevant to rural students. This approach encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, and practical application of knowledge. Teachers may utilize hands-on activities, projects, and community-based learning to make abstract concepts more tangible and relatable for Government school students.
Q. What role does technology play in eVidyaloka’s operations? How has the organization leveraged digital tools to enhance learning and scale its impact?
Technology plays a pivotal role in eVidyaloka’s operations, fundamentally shaping its mission to provide quality education to children in rural India. The journey began in 2012 with the creation of the Jupiter platform, designed to bridge the gap between passionate volunteers worldwide and students in remote Indian villages. Named to symbolize a guiding light in education, Jupiter has evolved from a basic interaction tool to a comprehensive platform featuring a Learning Management System (LMS), Content Management System (CMS), and modules for Partner Management and Volunteer Relations.
Jupiter enables live classes and educational content in regional languages, ensuring that students can learn in their native languages. Its supply and demand functionality coordinates efficiently between volunteers and schools, while dashboards for operations, volunteers, and students offer valuable insights and analytics for data-driven decision-making. By leveraging these digital tools, eVidyaloka has been able to scale its impact, making quality education accessible to all children, regardless of their geographical location. The evolution of Jupiter reflects eVidyaloka’s commitment to using technology for social good, continually enhancing learning experiences and expanding its reach.
Q. Can you share success stories and impact data that highlight eVidyaloka’s achievements in improving learning outcomes and access to quality education in rural areas?
eVidyaloka has demonstrably improved learning outcomes and access to quality education in rural areas, reaching 1.89 lakh students in the most remote locations. eVidyaloka’s operations are spread across 14 states and 734 schools covering 67 districts – out of which 25 are aspirational districts. In the Last academic year alone, we engaged 6340 volunteers who enabled learning in 8 languages achieving about 30 lakh child learning hours.
eVidyaloka’s major impact goes beyond numbers and transforms lives, not just of the child but all those involved in making this change happen. The model influences a collaborative effort by the community, School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC), school administration, and passionate volunteers who drive this change. While technology creates access to quality teachers, resources and opportunities for the child, there is a significant impact on teaching-learning, as the volunteer also imparts real-life learning by bringing in application knowledge beyond rote memorisation. Live sessions in native languages create improved classroom engagement and build stronger relationships that motivate the children to bring out their best. Grade-appropriate learning complemented by co-scholastics promotes creativity, innovation, problem-solving and sensitivity to the challenges of the community.
As part of the Leadership Curriculum 2020 project, Anushka Kumari, a student from the Koymara Centre in Jharkhand, aimed to eliminate malaria and dengue-causing mosquitoes in her village by creating water management pits. Mentored by a volunteer Sanchit Gupta, Anushka surveyed her village, raised awareness, met with vendors, engaged with local governance and convinced her village population to dig the pits to reduce the costs. With the help of her mentor, she also set up a crowdfunding campaign to address the problem. When she was short of Rs. 22,000 to complete her project of 2.3 lakhs, the project donor stepped in to help Anushka actualize her dream.
The real impact of our work is seen when leaders emerge from these classrooms who want to contribute to society and make a difference to others who follow. We have countless examples of students who have the profound impact of our digital classrooms where they come back as volunteers to inspire the next generations.
Q. What are eVidyaloka’s future plans and goals? How does the organization intend to expand its reach and deepen its impact in the coming years?
With 50 crore rural learners in grades 5 to 10, eVidyaloka’s primary mission is to extend digital classrooms to the remotest corners of India. Future plans include enriching educational content with digital literacy and AI concepts. Over the next five years, eVidyaloka aims to support 2000+ government schools with digital classrooms, building stronger ties with local communities and global volunteers while leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance learning outcomes. Through these and other initiatives, eVidyaloka also seeks to nurture quality talent crucial for India’s growth, contributing to a self-reliant and prosperous future – the vision of the new BHARAT!
