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EdTech Customers Face Infra, Quality, Refund Issues; 96% Seek Government Regulation: Survey
Writer: Mrinalini Kaushik
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India, 9 Jun 2022 4:54 AM GMT
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A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
Creatives : Shiva Chaudhary
A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
With the online mode of learning becoming the new standard, many EdTech companies have emerged. A survey depicted that 66 per cent want the government to intervene and regulate these platforms.
Around 66 per cent of participants in a survey conducted by LocalCircles, an online platform, agreed to have government regulations on all EdTech platforms uniformly. The majority of respondents raised issues regarding the infrastructure of these EdTech platforms while doing sessions, the ineffectiveness of teaching staff, and refund policies.
EdTech platforms are educational technology which utilises computers, software, online application and education to help students learn online.
Survey Findings
The LocalCircles survey happened across 323 districts from April 1 to May 31, 2022, with around 27,000 respondents. The survey found that at least 69 per cent of respondents faced infrastructural issues and deprivation of vital services required while attending online classes.
They further mentioned that the quality of teaching was not compelling enough, and there were severe problems with the subscription and refund system, as cited in the Mint.
The report dissected the issue based responses, stating that nine per cent of consumers had infrastructural problems, 19 per cent did not like teaching staff effectiveness, and 10 per cent experienced refund-related problems. Moreover, 11 per cent found that they or their family members came across both infrastructural and staff issues. While, two per cent had both refund and infrastructural problems, as reported by Business Standard.
Government Regulation Needed
The survey report mentioned that 96 per cent of participants who had taken online coaching classes from EdTech companies wanted the government to create a policy to make the refund and subscription rules transparent and available on websites and disclosed while making an offer.
"Consumers have reported that certain edtech platforms are indulging in predatory marketing practices and unethical conduct, including auto-debiting course fees from parents despite parents stating their wish to discontinue the course. It has led to the government issuing a warning against such practices of some online learning programmes while mulling a common policy to regulate the industry last year," the report stated.
Last year, an attempt at self-regulation created an independent industry body - India EdTech Consortium (IEC), which was put under India's Internet and Mobile Association to address some of these issues.
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