MAM
GUEST COLUMN: The future of ed-tech in India
Mumbai: Ed-tech is a trending buzzword today. It is simply a combination of education and technology, implying the augmenting of education using technology and digital tools. The canvas of Ed-tech is extremely vast and transcends learning across ages, grades, vocations, and skill enhancement.
I would like to specifically focus on the impetus Ed-tech is bringing into India for children in their formative, school-going years.
India has over 264 million school-going children, more than any other country in the world. We also have ~15.5 lakh schools in India. While digitisation was slowly seeping into our lives and how we do things, be it online vocation or coding classes; education delivery was largely traditional through the brick and mortar classroom format. However, the pandemic has led to sudden acceleration and even disruption in the way technology is integrated into education and leveraged to bring best-in-class learning direct to home!
The ecosystem is well poised to accept ed-tech. Today, 80 per cent of the school-going children are aware of ed-tech and there are over 500 million active internet users expected by 2022 (up from 350m in 2019) (Source: BLinC Insights 2021). The National Education Policy announced in 2020 acknowledges the importance of online interventions and outcome-based learning. By 2022, online education offerings across grades 1 to 12 are projected to increase 6.4 times. (Source: Omidyar Reedseer Report, 2019-20)
The benefits are multi-fold with students getting access to best-in-class academia, supplementary support, skill-building, application-based learning, and more sans boundaries. Educators will get their due with an opportunity to transcend geographical horizons, surpass barriers of formal structures and impart learning for the outcome. A few exciting things we can look forward to in the future are:
More Application, Less Instruction
While LIVE, online classes are a fantastic platform and will continue to unite educators and students alike, we will also see the application and outcome-based learning gaining traction. We are seeing a lot of game technology used for better engagement. These will be further used for core learning and even supplementing academics. For example, at BrainGymJr, we provide puzzles and challenges based on Math, English, and real-world skills in fun formats such as crosswords, digit cards, etc. Children can solve and learn the real application of what is being taught in school.
One Size will not fit All
We already know that every student in a given class has a varying level of proficiency. While we reward better performance and celebrate achievers, we have limited capacity to tailor learning based on proficiency and aptitude. However, technology can enable extremely detailed insight into the core proficiency of every child. Application of analytics and enabling machine learning will further help customise to the strength of every child and nudge them from there. AI and big data will help empower students to develop their competencies, critical thinking, and creative abilities.
Learning on the Go!
We will see more self-initiated and self-learning formats gaining precedence. These formats will provide flexibility of space and time while giving clear results on learning. This could be in the form of activities, puzzles, short courses, daily quizzes, video-based learning, and more. Over time, these will be acceptable outcome-based learning modules with due credit and consideration breaking away from scheduled or structured learning courses.
In summary, information will not be king, the intent to learn will rule. A couple of decades ago, Google brought about a huge change in how we perceive information and knowledge, with everything available at a click of a button. We now see this permeating education and learning. We already have and will continue to have an abundance of learning courses, material, and information. Peer-to-peer exchange of information will be encouraged and even facilitated. Educators and students will be seamlessly connected.
Ed-tech will evolve further wherein the value addition brought about by customised learning, analytics-based insights, deep engagement, and outcome-based programs will be what differentiates the learning experience for every student.
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn” – Benjamin Franklin.
(Vidur Garg is the founder at BraingymJr. The views expressed in the column are personal and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)
MAM
Ad:tech honours 2026: Full list of winners announced
Expanded awards spotlight winners across 22 categories as industry doubles down on intelligent automation
NEW DELHI: Marketing’s tech elite took the spotlight as the ad:tech honours 2026 returned with a sharper focus on AI, data and immersive media, signalling how deeply technology now underpins brand strategy. Held at Yashobhoomi on March 17, the second edition drew industry leaders to celebrate innovation that is reshaping engagement and performance.
Presented with the International Advertising Association India chapter and new partner Huella, the awards expanded from 8 to 22 categories, tracking the rapid convergence of creativity, automation and analytics.
The winners’ list reads like a snapshot of marketing’s future. In affiliate and partner marketing, Lyxel & Flamingo – Boat and Paytm Ads – Giva took silver. Mobavenue Media Private Limited struck gold in AI-driven dynamic creative optimisation, alongside a silver for Laqshya Media Limited.
Creative AI collaboration saw Rediffusion Brand Solutions Private Limited win gold, with Saltinc Consulting Private Limited securing silver. Laqshya Media Limited continued its strong run, taking gold in AI conversation agents and adding multiple wins across categories, including silver in GenAI-led creative and both gold and silver in interactive DOOH campaigns for Tanishq and Tata Coffee.
Predictive AI honours went to Strong Metrics and Tyroo, both silver, while Orient Bell Limited picked up silver in immersive retail tech. In GenAI-led creative, Laqshya Media Limited, Salt – Kotak and Sumimoto each secured silver, reflecting the crowded race in generative creativity.
Publicis bagged silver in influencer management and gold in performance marketing, where it shared the stage with Arm Worldwide and The Trade Desk, both silver. Glad U Came Private Limited stood out with gold in influencer measurement and analytics.
Marketing automation saw CereOne Media Pvt. Ltd. and Globale Media win silver, while ADMOTT Private Limited claimed silver in OTT innovation.
Programmatic media categories highlighted the shift to advanced targeting and connected screens. Mobavenue Media Private Limited clinched gold in connected TV advertising, with Animmoov Digital Media Pvt Ltd – Asus and Lyxel and Flamingo taking silver. Cheggout Services Private Limited won silver in retail media advertising, while Paytm Ads – Versuni secured gold.
On social platforms, Vayner Media India took gold in community and UGC engagement, with Under 25 – Oppo winning silver. Segumento rounded off the list with silver in the innovation category.
Jaswant Singh, country managing director at ad:tech India, underscored the momentum, saying generative AI and data-driven decision-making are now central to marketing impact. Neena Dasgupta, IAA mancom member and chief executive and founder at The Salt Inc Consulting, added that the awards celebrate not just technology, but “the people, the creativity, and the relentless effort behind it.”
Backed by Comexposium Group, ad:tech New Delhi has long tracked digital disruption. Now, with the honours, it is rewarding those who are not just adapting to change but engineering it.
In an industry racing towards automation, the message from 2026 is unmistakable. The future of marketing will be written not just in ideas, but in algorithms.
