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We need to be cognizant of the fact that English is not the preferred language of most of the internet users in India as over 50-60% average user’s time is spent viewing Hindi content and 30% of viewers are interested in regional content. It is a sizeable segment that cannot be ignored. 

Every student today deserves access to reliable knowledge in their language of preference, as language and learning are intertwined. It is vital to consider that the standard of the language should not only coordinate with the standard of the learners but also the channel through which it is being delivered.

The pandemic caused a sudden change in educational landscape where physical classrooms sessions were replaced by virtual classrooms, and digital education was no longer just an augmented learning to classroom learning but the only learning mechanism available today for the learners.  

Fuelling this change is the lack of high-speed internet connectivity in Tier B, Tier C, and rural India for consuming motion graphic videos.

There is an overarching need to make educational content digestible and accessible for > 50 crore learners residing in Tier B, C and rural areas making educational platforms rethink and re shape their strategies.

The 3 V’s: Voice, Video, Vernacular that can provide value to the audience – It is important to understand that learners choose online format because of lack of required physical interactivity. To aide this system we need to appreciate the 3V’s involved to increase user engagement and experience.

  1. Voice - In a recent forecast by Gartner, it was found that initial 30% of web browsing sessions take place without a screen with voice-first interactions.  For the underserved of society, voice-based content with regional nuances has a tremendous potential of lasting impact on the minds of learners.
  2. Video – If a learner can “see” and “hear” in his language with localized content shown to the learner not beyond 10-12 mins then it has great potential to get the learners excited.  All the same, it gets super important that these videos need not be prepared with high end graphics but with simple appealing characters and convincing content with localized examples. This addresses the internet challenge of viewing high end video quality issues in India. A right blend of duration, content with simple graphics is a good enough recipe to get the message across to the learners and keep them happy.
  3. Vernacular - 'If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” This quote is so apt with the current demand that it is not surprising to see learning platforms trying to bring in creativity through multilingual aspects with localized content, and if possible, even a two-way communication. The conceptual clarity that is addressed in vernacular languages is extraordinary. It is right to say that vernacular language is here to stay and will go a long way forward in shaping the learning platforms.

Today India’s aspirers who are the most ambitious and underserved demographic group come from the Tier2 and Tier3 cities. It is here that we should see the maximum innovation in terms of accessible content digitization in the learning space with interactive user engagement and enhanced experience.