Sharad Bansal, 24, Founder of SRJNA share his journey from an IIT student to entrepreneur
Q. Idea of origination and scalable model behind SRJNA?
While studying engineering the practical sessions were of great help. My friend Kapil & other realized the potential & thus we initiated a survey that most school did not have the bandwidth. So, we joined hands with Vivek Pathak, to form SRJNA for hands-on, experiential learning.
On selling part, the company has tied up with channel partners, which are trusted regional organizations or individuals directly in touch with school management. Our partner-based model and app-based support enable to scale in any geography in and out of India.
Q. How Edtech Startup is accessible by common schools and educational institute?
Technology is evolving and there are several validations for tech in education. There are examples like Byju’s, Khan Academy who are enabling the reach of quality content to the remotest student. Now school need to adopt technology in verticals which are not accessible by students in their own devices at their homes.
21st century is not about knowledge, it’s about what you can do with that knowledge
Q. Do you think 5-dimensional learning approaches should be adopted by all educational institutes in India?
There are various types of learning model like Auditory, Visual, Verbal, Physical or Kinesthetic etc. The 5D learning approach is a blend of all sensory organs and developing a pedagogy called See, Touch, Feel, Understand, Perform and so Learn. 5-dimensional approach is the way forward in Education 4.0.
Q. How do you think we can solve the problem of having more engineering colleges in spite of so many lying vacant seats?
All courses in our colleges are outdated for IR 4.0 jobs. Even if they update it, it’s impossible to predict what kind of technologies will exist in 2025. I believe if first year of college work as a crash course of basic STEM practical skills (like what SRJNA does in schools), this will help to bring students at the same level and then advanced skills can be imparted. 21st century is not about knowledge, it’s about what you can do with that knowledge.
Q. How many students and teachers are able to receive SRJNA model teaching from Rural Development and Panchayati Raj?
Till date, SRJNA has set up 120 Tinkering Labs and 30 Innovation Labs in 150+ private and government schools across India benefitting 75,000+ students. 40% of this number is from Rural Development and Panchayats. We plan to reach 500+ schools in the next 18 months and also envisioned to increase the ratio of rural students from 40% to 65%.
