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Putting the ‘Ed’ Back in ‘EdTech’

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Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................... 3

2022 headwinds................................................................................................ 4

Survey parameters.......................................................................................... 5

Summary findings............................................................................................ 6

Contrasting segments.................................................................................... 7

Key concerns...................................................................................................... 8

1. Supplemental K-12........................................................................................ 9

2. JEE/NEET/other UG test prep................................................................12

3. Adult test prep........................................................................................... 15

4. Upskilling...................................................................................................... 18

Conclusion........................................................................................................20

Endnotes.......................................................................................................... 22

About the Authors......................................................................................... 23

About L.E.K. Consulting

We’re L.E.K. Consulting, a global strategy consultancy working with business leaders to seize competitive advantage and
amplify growth. Our insights are catalysts that reshape the trajectory of our clients’ businesses, uncovering opportunities
and empowering them to master their moments of truth. Since 1983, our worldwide practice — spanning the Americas,
Asia Pacific and Europe — has guided leaders across all industries from global corporations to emerging entrepreneurial
businesses and private equity investors. Looking for more? Visit www.lek.com.

L.E.K. Consulting is a registered trademark of L.E.K. Consulting LLC. All other products and brands mentioned in this
document are properties of their respective owners. © 2022 L.E.K. Consulting LLC

About DC Advisory
DC Advisory is an international investment bank committed to making a difference. As part of an established global
business we offer access to over 650 professionals in 22 locations throughout Asia, Europe and the US. Across 11 industry
focused teams, we offer tailored, independent advice on M&A, debt raisings and restructurings, private capital and access
to unrivalled Asia investment knowledge. For more information, visit https://www.dcadvisory.com/about-us/

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Introduction
India’s EdTech sector was in the global education spotlight throughout 2018 and
2019. The sector has been the single largest driver of investment in education
in India and has put the country firmly on the education map of the world as
a genuine leader. While scaling, EdTech businesses provided the innovations,
program offerings and wide access that the population yearned for, creating
a magnet for entrepreneurs, investors, and customers alike across the major
segments — supplemental K-12, Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)/ National
Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET)/other undergraduate (UG) test preparation
(prep), adult test prep and upskilling. And then COVID-19 happened. Whilst this
became a tragedy globally, it also became a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for
EdTech. Restrictions on physical classrooms and the consequent mandatory
move online proved to be a massive impetus for every EdTech segment. Hitherto
hesitant, skeptical, and tech-averse consumers became quick converts. The
prolonged pandemic with its multiple waves only extended this streak.

The growth opportunity led to accelerated investment flows — total disclosed deal
value surged between 2018 and 2021, moving from US$1.1 billion to US$6.6 billion,
while average disclosed deal value grew by a factor of nearly five, from just under
US$6 million to over US$28 million in the same period, making India one of the top
destinations for EdTech investors globally1.

Valuation multiples have also grown, driven by the sweet spot Indian EdTech found
itself in with a growing Total Addressable Market (TAM), low Customer Acquisition
Costs (CACs), rising average revenue per user, expanding product suites and the
prospect of expansion into foreign markets. Supplemental K-12 tutoring, test
prep and upskilling segments have led this boom, followed by extracurriculars and
academic counseling.

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2022 headwinds
Reopening of brick-and-mortar operations of offline providers finally got
underway in early 2022 after the third pandemic wave tapered. Almost all
pandemic-related restrictions have now been lifted, and learners of all ages
are back in physical classrooms. This reopening has impacted new customer
acquisition and retention rates of EdTech providers due to consumer screen
fatigue and higher perceived learning effectiveness of offline services, some of
which are discussed herein. As of July 2022, both the number and value of deals
have slowed down compared to 2021. While disclosed deal value stood at US$2.9
billion through July 2022, compared to US$6.6 billion for FY2021, average deal
value has been more resolute, climbing to US$34.5 million from US$28.4 million2.

Compounding decrease in customer base and rising CACs is a funding winter

precipitated by rising interest rates globally and the U.S. Federal Reserve’s
tightening cycle. Several EdTech firms have announced austerity measures and
layoffs, anticipating a slowdown and delay in funding rounds; some of these
rounds may happen at valuations below 2021 levels. Many of these firms are now
exploring hybrid or offline operations to cater to customers insistent on a physical
classroom experience3.

Although macro or external factors like the funding winter and a return to
physical classrooms have had a major impact on EdTech deal flow, the sector
would do well to look at systemic and internal factors stymieing growth. This is
what we turn to next.

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Survey parameters
Through a comprehensive survey, L.E.K. Consulting and DC Advisory aimed to
understand the experience of EdTech users in India across four key segments:
supplemental K-12, JEE/NEET/other UG test prep, adult test prep and upskilling.
We surveyed ~1000 parents and students, in June 2022, to identify and highlight
the validity and relevance of the product offering, understand the customer
experience, elicit areas of dissatisfaction, and probe customers’ willingness to
recommend/continue using the products. The survey findings contain insights that
can help providers and investors better understand reasons for the current slower
growth and identify strategies needed to sustain the growth impetus in India. User
data and statistics cited here were generated from the survey, unless otherwise
indicated.

The survey respondents were:

• Supplemental K-12: Parents of school-going children using K-12 EdTech providers

for tutoring, enrichment, supplemental content, etc.
• JEE/NEET/other UG test prep: Parents of school-going children using online
test prep for competitive exams like JEE, NEET, The Common Law Admission
Test (CLAT), The Common University Entrance Test (CUET), etc.
• Adult test prep: Adults (aged 18-34 years) using EdTech providers for preparing
for exams like UPSC, Staff Selection Commission (SSC), The Graduate
Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), Common Admission Test (CAT), Graduate
Management Admission Test (GMAT), etc.
• Upskilling: Working professionals (age 21+) undertaking online upskilling and
higher education courses

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Summary findings
Surveyed supplemental K-12 and JEE/NEET/other UG test prep users were
least satisfied, as indicated by their negative Net Promoter Score (NPS). On the
other hand, adult test prep and upskilling segments were seen to have higher
advocacy levels.

Figure 1
Net Promoter Score of supplemental K-12 and JEE/NEET/other UG test prep users 4
Percentage of respondents, N=1000

45%
Net Promoter Score (2022)

40%

10% 42%

5% 9%

0%
-4%
- -3%
-
-5%
Supplemental K-12 JEE-NEET Adult Test Prep Upskilling*

Likelihood
to renew 30% 14% 20% 37%

*Upskilling includes past and current users

Source: L.E.K. parents and students survey N=~1000, June 2022

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Contrasting segments
To understand the stark disparity in satisfaction across segments, one needs to
understand the use case for and target customer base of each segment. Both the
supplemental K-12 and JEE/NEET/other UG test prep segments have a relatively
well-established “brick-and-mortar” offering. The direct learning outcomes of
these segments in the pre-COVID-19 physical classrooms offered a concrete
benchmark for parents. Parents of learners across these segments have shown a
preference for the “rigor” of traditional classroom programs and have indicated
gaps in the online offering, particularly around doubt solving. Besides this, most
platforms offered supplemental K-12 and JEE/NEET/other UG test prep classes
that were asynchronous and/or had larger batch sizes in comparison to the other
segments. Adult test prep and upskilling programs have relatively weaker or
non-existent brick-and-mortar offerings against which online offerings could be
benchmarked. These segments have seen significant pandemic-led expansion in
online offerings. Furthermore, learner groups in these segments consist of adults
who prefer the flexibility of online learning over brick-and-mortar formats due to
ongoing professional commitments.

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Key concerns
The four main areas of dissatisfaction that users expressed in the survey were:

Figure 2
Four main areas of dissatisfaction that users expressed

Offering/outcome-related issues
These issues relate to matters such as lack of
support in doubt solving, teacher/teaching Pricing-related issues
material quality, large class sizes, lack of
High prices or low perceived value for money
interaction opportunities with peers/teachers,
lack of rigor, poor outcomes, low credibility, etc.

Key concerns

Motivation, discipline, support-related issues

Access-related issues
Distraction while online, lack of focus, need for
studying with peers, inability to concentrate in Lack of high-speed internet and device access
home setting, etc.

Source: L.E.K. parents and students survey N=~1000, June 2022

There is a significant disparity between segments in the weights toward each of

the above concerns, which is expected given the context and background of each
segment. For example, self-motivated adults enrolling for test prep or upskilling
programs would be better engaged during online sessions compared to lower-
grade schoolchildren. On the other hand, program outcomes would be of greater
importance for them in comparison to schoolchildren. Access-related concerns
were uniformly ranked low across segments thanks to ubiquitous device access
and the availability of high-speed internet across the country.

Segment-specific reasons for dissatisfaction are analyzed next.

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1. Supplemental K-12
Background

Most offline supplemental K-12 learning in India is unorganized, consisting

primarily of stand-alone tutors. Their operations were disrupted by COVID-19, so
learners were forced to explore online options for supplemental learning. About
60% of respondents thus cited accessibility as the key adoption driver. Besides
accessibility, parents cited academic quality and product experience as key
selection criteria.

Reasons for dissatisfaction

Figure 3
Key reasons for dissatisfaction with online K-12 supplemental education5

Reasons for dissatisfaction, online Offering-related dissatisfaction, online K-12 supplemental learning (2022)
K-12 supplemental learning (2022) Percentage of respondents with offering-related issues, N=50
Percentage of respondents, N=132
70%
64%
Offering-related 38%
54%

Pricing-related 37%

Motivation/discipline- 34%
27% 35%
related

Access-related 13%
16%

Others 4%
4% 4%
2%
0%
Lack of Teacher Large Low No The user Lack of
None 22%
proper quality class size number of monitoring interface interaction
channel for classes during is not with
doubt solving tests good teachers
0% 20% 40%

Source: L.E.K. parents survey for supplemental K-12 users, N=263

Offering-, pricing- and motivation/discipline-related issues dominate the

dissatisfaction spectrum in supplemental K-12 education.

Within offering-related challenges, a lack of proper channels for doubt

solving, poor teacher quality and large class sizes are the primary reasons for
dissatisfaction.

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There is a correlation between product offering and pricing dissatisfaction.

Parents pay a price for online coaching that is similar to the price for offline
coaching but feel that they are not getting a similar quality of service. Parents in
lower-tier cities are particularly dissatisfied (54% of respondents citing pricing
as a concern were from these cities), because they typically pay a lower fee for
brick-and-mortar tuition compared to parents in higher-tier cities. Perception
of the price paid and the extent of dissatisfaction depended on the pricing
tier — higher satisfaction was seen among respondents paying INR 2,000-3,000
per month compared to users paying INR 3,000-4,000 per month. This difference
implies more dissatisfaction in cases where the online course is priced above
offline coaching.

The child’s age was important in citing motivation/discipline-related issues. Forty-

five percent of respondents with children in K-2 ages reported motivation issues,
compared to only 17% of respondents with children in G9-12 ages.

NPS/likelihood to renew
Online K-12 supplemental learning providers also received a negative NPS of -4%,
indicating they are not likely to be recommended by parents. The dissatisfaction
with the experience is also reflected in the low (~30%) likelihood of renewing
current subscriptions.

Sixty-nine percent of respondents mentioned that COVID-19 influenced their

decision to explore online classes, and only 13% stated they would be willing to
renew the subscription if COVID-19-related restrictions were phased out.

Recommendations
The most significant offering-related issues identified are the lack of proper
channels for doubt solving and poor teacher quality. These make it vital to
introduce features that improve the response rate and reduce the time on doubt
forums. Besides this, assigning dedicated tutor support for doubt solving and
tracking doubt resolution as a key performance indicator for user satisfaction can
improve satisfaction.

Pricing-related dissatisfaction is an outcome, at least partially, of offering-

related dissatisfaction. Hence, better product offerings may also improve the
perception of “value for money” and mitigate this concern. Additionally, lower-cost
subscriptions for price-sensitive users could be considered.

Motivation can be improved by using technology to track and report user

engagement to determine/quantify the extent of engagement issues. Further,

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gamification of content for younger learners can help keep them more engaged.
Besides this, a focus on better learning outcomes would alleviate several parental
concerns.

Investment insight
Low NPS for this segment combined with subdued scores on price-value equation
suggests that the supplemental K-12 segment is ripe for market disruption by newer,
more innovative products that better address gaps in customer needs.

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2. JEE/NEET/other UG test prep

Background

These services help older school-going children prepare for competitive exams
like JEE, NEET, etc. While the online medium has always been preferred as a
supplemental/secondary prep method alongside offline test prep, COVID-19
pushed people to adopt online as a primary prep method. Both accessibility
(~26%) and product experience (~29%) were the top criteria for selecting a service
provider. Specific reasons for preference indicated in the survey were a better
repository of materials/past exam papers (11%); detailed solution videos, etc.
(11%); and broader academics and an updated curriculum (16%).

Reasons for dissatisfaction

Figure 4
Key reasons for dissatisfaction with the online test prep program6

Reasons for dissatisfaction, JEE/NEET/other UG test prep

(2022)
Percentage of respondents
50
44%
40

30 29%
27%
23%
20
16%
10
1%
0

Motivation/
Offering-related Pricing-related Access-related
discipline- Other issues None
issues issues issues
related issues

Source: L.E.K. parents survey for JEE/NEET Test Prep Users, N=258

Motivation/discipline-related and offering-related issues dominated the survey of

online test prep program users’ parents, with the former dominating clearly.

From the 44% of respondents that reported “Motivation, discipline and support-
related issues,” 62% mentioned that their child likes to study and learn among

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peers and not alone. This lack of an immersive environment, combined with
stronger offerings by offline providers — including peer interaction opportunities,
smaller class sizes, teacher/teaching material quality and channels for doubt
solving — led to the online test prep segment experiencing the highest levels of
dissatisfaction across EdTech. Poor teacher/teaching material quality, lack of
adequate interaction with teachers, lack of proper channels for doubt solving and
large class sizes added further to the high levels of dissatisfaction.

Students who used online as a supplemental source of test prep reported higher
satisfaction compared to students using it as primary test prep, implying that the
sought-after rigor was available to the former students through other avenues.

Pricing is correlated to the use case, with students paying less than INR 45,000 per
year being more likely to use the service for supplemental purposes. About 27% of
respondents paying more than INR 45,000 per year cited offering-related reasons
for dissatisfaction, while only 11% paying less than INR 45,000 per year did so. Of the
more than INR 45,000 per year respondents, 7% indicated poor teaching material
and 8% indicated lack of rigor in online classes as reasons for discontinuing. These
factors were not highlighted by parents paying less than INR 45,000 per year.

NPS/likelihood to renew
Overall NPS was negative (-3%) and the low level of satisfaction is reflected in a
low (~14%) likelihood of renewing the subscription.

Fifty-eight percent of respondents mentioned that COVID-19 influenced the

decision to opt for online test prep classes, and only 24% will be willing to renew
the subscription if pandemic restrictions are phased out.

Supplemental resources include test series, crash courses and revision packages,
among other options, and these are priced below INR 45,000 per year. Here,
parent expectations are better met, and this subcategory has a higher NPS and
a higher likelihood to renew versus full-fledged courses costing more than INR
45,000 per year.

Recommendations
Product features like Q&A forums, frequent doubt classes and one-on-one
interactive doubt sessions can help mitigate motivational and offering-related
challenges. Investment in technology to build features that help students stay
engaged with online classes and to track student performance and learning
outcomes can also help overcome the primary challenges identified in the survey.
However, these added services mean extra costs that could lead to heightened
expectations, resulting in a dissatisfaction loop.

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Ideally, service providers should position themselves as a one-stop solution for the
supplemental needs of test prep students, assisting them alongside their primary
mode of education.

The reliance of tier 3 students on online options is greater than students from
larger cities. Service providers should focus on this user segment with tailored and
lower-priced offerings as these learners are a larger proportion of their TAM.

Investment insight
Pricing-related issues mean that the perception of value for money is not sufficient,
and incumbents will need to dramatically rethink pricing or offer substantially more
value at the current price points. Businesses will also need to radically re-engineer
peer learning modules to plug this important product capability gap.

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3. Adult test prep

Background

This category targets adults (aged 18-34 years) preparing for exams like UPSC,
SSC, GATE, CAT/GMAT, etc. In India, preparation for such competitive exams often
tends to be localized in specific test preparation hubs. Pandemic restrictions and
the consequent ubiquity of online courses provided students with a way to save
time and money besides offering the convenience of avoiding relocation, access
to material from anywhere anytime, and better-managed access to a repository
(cited by 12% of respondents).

Before the pandemic, shifting and settling into a new city for preparation was a
challenging task; the pandemic made it nearly impossible, providing an impetus to
this category, which offered access to top educators from anywhere and flexible
course duration (18%) that helped aspirants balance work and studies.

Reasons for dissatisfaction

Figure 5
Key reasons for dissatisfaction with adult test prep7

Reasons for dissatisfaction, adult test prep

(2022)
Percentage of respondents
60
51%

40 34%
10% of all respondents from tier 3
cities compared to 2% in tier 1 23%
20

6% 5%
2%
0

Motivation/
Offering-related Pricing-related Access-related
discipline- Other issues None
issues issues issues
related issues

Source: L.E.K. survey for adult test prep users, N=260

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Issues with offering and motivation/discipline are key reasons for dissatisfaction
with adult test prep programs.

Large class sizes, lack of teacher interaction opportunities, poor teacher quality
and lack of rigor were the main offering-relating issues cited by respondents.

Motivation/discipline issues in this segment are unique to its user base. Most users
are generally satisfied and more engaged given that adults are more amenable
to the online format than schoolchildren. Motivation issues mostly involve online
distractions, the desire to study with a peer group in a physical classroom and the
inability to focus in a home setting. Studying in a closed classroom with a group of
students has been an integral part of the test prep system, and students reported
finding it difficult to focus in an online setup.

The use of tech to track user engagement with reward points and incentives for
well-performing students can help in increasing motivation.

Survey analysis suggests that as the price of the course increases, the emphasis
on “availability of doubt solving, support forums” as a selection criterion increases
(from 21% to 25% for courses above INR 45,000 per year).

Students involved in courses of longer durations (>24 months) are more

dissatisfied with the lack of proper channels for doubt solving (~8%) as compared
to students enrolled in courses of shorter duration.

NPS/likelihood to renew
Online adult test prep providers have a positive NPS (9%), indicating higher user
satisfaction relative to supplemental K-12 and higher education test prep. The
lower likelihood of renewal (20%) could be attributed to the short duration of
programs.

Tier 1 city customers are less likely to recommend a product (~5%) as compared to
tier 2 and 3 parents (~16%), which may be a function of the fewer options available
to the latter. Shorter-duration courses (<13 months) and courses that run for 13-24
months have a high NPS (16% and 33%, respectively), while courses that run for
more than 24 months have a very low NPS (-28%).

NPS also increases as the price of the course increases, suggesting that higher-
priced courses have a better value proposition. However, the likelihood of renewal
reduces as the price increases, which may be because higher-priced courses from
premium providers have better outcomes, making renewal moot. On a related

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point, only ~2% of respondents mentioned pricing-related issues, which suggests

some scope for price increases, subject to managing participant expectations.

Recommendations
Service providers should focus on solving key product offering-related issues like
large class size, lack of interaction and lack of rigor by leveraging and investing
in technology and staff training. Such a step would also take care of most
motivation/discipline-related issues.

Gamification to engage users with the content can also alleviate motivation/
discipline-related issues. Some service providers have virtual assistants to help
students with any doubts they face while doing an exercise or reading.

The availability of progress tracking and features that help teachers and students
track their results and learning outcomes is characteristic of a goal-based learning
system that some key players have adopted.

Investment insight
Customers value the flexibility offered by EdTech, but there is room to improve
teacher quality and engagement, which should result in higher organic acquisitions
and growth.

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4. Upskilling
Background

Upskilling courses target working professionals (age 21+) undertaking online

upskilling and higher education courses for career advancement. Since the key
motive behind this is to facilitate career growth and gain monetary benefits, the
quality of content and the experience of learning from seasoned teachers are the
most important factors for learners (~24% weighted mentions).

Reasons for dissatisfaction

Figure 6
Reasons for dissatisfaction or potential future concern with the upskilling program8

Reasons for dissatisfaction or potential future concern, upskilling program

(2022)
Percentage of respondents, N=134

70 68% 69%

60 Past users Current users Prospective users

50
41%
40
30%
30 26% 26%
22%
19% 17%
20 15% 15%
11% 13%
10 6% 8% 6%
4% 2% 2% 2%
0 0%

Outcomes- Offering- Motivation-

Pricing-related Access -related
related related related issues: Other issues None
issues: 13% issues: 6%
issues: 16% issues: 15% 13%

Source: L.E.K. survey for upskilling users, N=247

A majority (60%) of program alumni mentioned that they achieved tangible career
advancement outcomes involving gaining skills and knowledge, career growth,
professional development, and salary increases/promotions. However, analyzing

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this data by vintage indicates that the proportion of respondents satisfied on

outcomes is higher for older cohorts, who perhaps had a choice of fewer but more
specialized and value-add programs. In comparison, newer cohorts have a wider
choice that may consist of programs that are relatively weaker or marginal in the
value they add. Further, prospective students are not as bullish about potential
program outcomes. This could be an early indication of difficulty in providing
desired outcomes at scale and something that investors and operators need to be
mindful of.

NPS/likelihood to renew
Upskilling courses have a high NPS across both current (49%) and past (34%)
users. About 37% of users have indicated willingness to enroll in another course by
the provider in the next five years.

Sixty-three percent of the respondents believe that the skills required to be

competent in their job will change in the next five years, driving their willingness to
enroll in another program. Both current and past users paying more than INR 1.5
lac per program are more likely to recommend upskilling programs. However, 36%
of past and 19% of current users of such programs deemed them to be “extremely
overpriced.” Degree programs were considered to be the most overpriced (45%).

Recommendation
Credibility and recognition are the most important factors for upskilling
programs. Service providers should leverage historical placements to improve
employer advocacy. Credibility can be improved by launching courses accredited
by or cobranded with reputed universities globally and by attaining national-level
accreditation such as NSQF.

Survey responses suggest some initial interest in income sharing agreements as a

possible means to reduce participant concerns surrounding upskilling programs.
However, the scalability of an income-sharing-driven business in India is mostly
untested.

Investment insight
Professional learning has shown the highest NPS and satisfaction with outcomes.
Maintaining consistent career outcomes with increased scale shall be the key
challenge facing the segment in the near term.

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Conclusion
While outsiders see EdTech as a homogenous sector, there is much variety within it
depending on the product/service offering. This variety also brings with it diverse
user sets and myriad concerns, as summarized below:
Figure 7
Concerns across key EdTech segments

Offering/outcome- Pricing- Motivation/discipline/ Access-

related related support-related related
CONCERN
51%
44%
38% 37%
31% 34%
29% 27% 23%
SEGMENT 16% 13% 13% 13%
6% 6%
2%

• Inadequate doubt • Low perceived value • Discipline and engage-

resolution for money ment primarily an issue
Supplemental with younger students
K-12 • Teacher quality • Parents unwilling to
pay as much for • Technology can be
• Class size
online tutoring as leveraged for better
they do for offline engagement
tutoring

• Lack of interaction • Online test prep lacks

with peers/teachers rigor of offline classes;
JEE/NEET/other key barrier to adoption Minimal number
undergraduate • Large class sizes No major concerns of online of respondents
(UG) test prep JEE/NEET/UG test
cited lack of
prep
high-speed
internet,

• Lack of interaction • Rigor of offline classes laptop or

with peers/teachers is missing full-time access
No major concerns—
Adult test to phone as
• Large class sizes scope for price • Technology can be
prep major issues
increases leveraged to track
learning outcomes

• Concerns around
achievability of
professional Most learners prefer
Upskilling outcomes to pay less than Not a major concern
INR 1.5 lac for such
• Lack of credibility programs
among employers

Sources: L.E.K. research and analysis, based on; L.E.K. survey for upskilling users, N=247; L.E.K. survey for adult test prep users,
N=260; L.E.K. parents survey for JEE/NEET Test Prep Users, N=258; L.E.K. parents survey for supplemental K-12 user, N=263

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The sector has seen rapid growth in revenue and funding in the past five years,
accelerating since the onset of COVID-19. This growth has slowed in 2022 due
largely to extraneous factors (reopening after lifting of pandemic restrictions
and a tight funding environment) but also partly due to internal factors such as
the offering-, pricing- and motivation/discipline-related issues highlighted in this
report. Ultimately, success requires not just accelerating investment in customer
acquisition but also achieving enhanced customer satisfaction and retention. This
combination of high “capital lead” and “happiness lead” can result in enduring
growth and success for the sector. The EdTech sector is still in an evolving and high-
growth stage, and if these internal issues are addressed, momentum can endure.
Moreover, the potential of a hybrid online-offline model is untested and could hold
the key to putting the “Ed” back into EdTech in a more comprehensive format.

To sum up, it’s clear that technology in education is here to stay. The TAM for
EdTech in India is large and customers are willing to pay for EdTech products and
services. Ensuring continuous improvement in quality of product and price of each
sub-segment is the need of the hour.

For this, EdTech will need to reinvent itself by providing quality along with
accessibility; tracking and improving learning outcomes through personalization;
and shifting focus from growth to quality of revenue and business model. It will be
interesting to see whether pureplay EdTech providers, new entrants, or traditional
brick-and-mortar companies moving to a hybrid online-offline model, emerge
victorious. Incumbent EdTech providers are well-positioned, in terms of resources
and expertise, to rise to the challenge. What’s crucial is to focus on product
innovation and putting ‘Ed’ back in EdTech.

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Endnotes
1
Source: Search criteria for information pulled from Private Circle unless otherwise indicated: Private Circle database;
Segment is Ed-Tech; Geography is India; Sub-segment is Tutoring or Test Prep or Upskilling or Digital content or Extra-
curricular or LMS or Employment Services or Academic counselling; Excludes deals with undisclosed funding amounts;
Announced between 01/01/2018 – 31/12/2021

2
Source: Search criteria for information pulled from Private Circle unless otherwise indicated: Private Circle database;
Segment is Ed-Tech; Geography is India; Sub-segment is Tutoring or Test Prep or Upskilling or Digital content or Extra-
curricular or LMS or Employment Services or Academic counselling; Excludes deals with undisclosed funding amounts;
Announced between 01/01/2018 – 31/12/2021

3
Source: How offline became the new online for India’s ed tech unicorns

4
Survey question: How likely are you to recommend your online provider to a friend or colleague, where ‘0’ means “not at all
likely to recommend” and ‘10’ means “very likely to recommend”?

5
Survey question: Why are you not satisfied with the online mode of study for your child?

6
Survey question: Why are you not satisfied with the online mode of study for your child?

7
Survey question: Why are you not satisfied with the online mode of study?

8
Survey question: Past users: Why were you not satisfied with the online upskilling/online Higher Education program?

Current users: Why are you not satisfied with the online upskilling/online Higher Education program?

Prospective users: Why are you concerned about enrolling in an online upskilling/online Higher Education program?

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About the Authors

L.E.K.

Danish Faruqui
PARTNER
L.E.K. Consulting’s Global Education Practice

[email protected]

Ashwin Goel
PRINCIPAL
L.E.K. Consulting’s Global Education Practice

[email protected]

Harshita Kain
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
L.E.K. Consulting’s Global Education Practice

[email protected]

Vikram Mehta
ASSOCIATE
L.E.K. Consulting’s Global Education Practice

[email protected]

23 L.E.K. Consulting | DC Advisory

S PECIAL RE PO R T

DC Advisory

Nitin Bhatia
MANAGING DIRECTOR
DC Advisory

[email protected]

Gaurav Mittal
DIRECTOR
DC Advisory

[email protected]

Rushabh Vora
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT
DC Advisory

[email protected]

24 L.E.K. Consulting | DC Advisory

S PECIAL RE PO R T

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25 L.E.K. Consulting | DC Advisory