Vedantu launches first hybrid learning centre as edtechs shed pandemic-induced growth

This comes as online education platforms shed the pandemic-induced growth, as offline centers open up with restrictions being lifted.

Vedantu’s offline learning foray is largely focused on the test preparation segment as it looks to bolster its presence in the segment.

“The courses will cover preparation for IIT Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), a two-year course for students of Grade 11 and a one-year course for dropper batch,” the edtech firm said in a prepared statement on Thursday.

Vedantu’s offline classrooms will have interactive classrooms and immersive 3D content at an affordable price point, it said.

“These are not typical offline centers, but hybrid centers well equipped with hi-tech technology…it will offer best-in-class live and interactive features in tier 3 and tier 4 cities,” said Vamsi Krishna cofounder and chief executive of Vedantu.

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Vedantu’s students will also have access to more than 1500 Tatva smartbooks to offer round-the-clock support. Vedantu’s Tatva smartbooks allows students access to Vedantu’s curated notes, tests, topic-wise videos, assisting them in their learning journey.

Krishna
had earlier told ET that a hybrid model, including online and offline, offers certain advantages like multiple learning products for different audiences, and access to quality teachers and learning methodologies in underserved cities.

Vedantu’s expansion plans into offline learning come even as it laid off 624 full-time and contractual employees over the past weeks, to cut costs and increase its runway, as the funding environment tightens for Indian startups. The company has been mulling its offline foray for the past three months.

“Even before the pandemic we were partnering with some schools and experimenting with hybrid education models…We will continue to look back and explore offline or hybrid education modes going ahead. There is scope for offline models,” Krishna
told ET in an earlier interaction.

Recently,
rival Unacademy had set up its first offline center in Kota, Rajasthan. Across Unacademy Centres, the brand looked to enroll up to 15,000 learners in the first batch, it said in a statement.

In February, this year, arch-rival Byju’s had announced aggressive plans to
double down on its offline play through the launch of ‘Byju’s Tuition Centre’.

Over the course of last year, the company said that it had launched 80 offline centres across 23 cities and was looking to scale that up to 500 centres across 200 cities this year. It had also earmarked $200 million to grow its offline learning play.

PhysicsWallah which
recently entered the unicorn club, has also announced setting up its first offline centre in Kota.