Teachers, peer connection, informal conversations, and campus life are essential to a student. However, when we think of online higher education, it is not uncommon to face one pertinent question: do online students miss out on experiences that campus environments provide? Critics of digital education warn that students may become disconnected from peers and become isolated learners in virtual classrooms. Are these apprehensions valid, or is there a more hopeful way of addressing such doubts?
Cognitive research suggests that group cohesion—the sense of belonging within a learning community—remains intact when classrooms transition to virtual learning. Carefully designed digital programmes can create new kinds of bonds. Researchers at the University of Hong Kong found that students in online collaborative projects exhibited levels of trust and participation comparable to, and in some cases even stronger than, those in physical classrooms. Psychologists refer to this as ‘group efficacy’.
Team-building activities play a central role in technology-enabled programmes. Debates, solving problems together, or making shared notes are easy to integrate into the online activities. These help students feel connected, more confident, and responsible for their part in the group. Studies in Taiwan have shown that when students work closely in such structured online groups, each person’s performance improves. A sense of “we can succeed together” often translates into the personal belief of “I can succeed too”.
This belief is particularly relevant to India today. According to the latest All India Survey on Higher Education, gross enrolment in post-secondary education has reached 28.4 percent. The National Education Policy, 2020 aims to push this to 50 percent by 2035. Traditional campuses cannot carry this load alone. Expanding access to half of India’s youth would be challenging without virtual platforms.
Globally, interest in online programmes is increasing. A Unesco study predicts that cross-border student mobility will increase by a factor of two by 2030. Not all students can travel abroad. Online degrees with global recognition are the next frontier. In India, the University Grants Commission has already approved over 100 universities to offer fully online degrees with the same status as offline ones. The Swayam platform has registered more than 3.5 crore learners. With quality design support, India can attract thousands of learners from developing nations, too.
However, concerns about losing social and intellectual growth in online settings linger. In physical classrooms, students can lead discussions and work in teams. Can we ensure that these exposures can be replicated in virtual classrooms? Recent research says yes. Students do not feel isolated when universities invest in virtual mentorship circles, breakout discussions, and interactive projects. On the contrary, they can feel more exposed to diversity. A learner in Kerala can team up with another in Punjab, moderated by a teacher in Delhi, while contributing to a project with a student joining in from Singapore.
India is uniquely placed to lead this change. Our digital public infrastructure has already transformed how we perceive identity and finance. Teachers are accessing high-quality resources on platforms like Diksha or Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing. The same approach can shape online higher education. AI-adaptive tools can track a student's performance real-time. It can then adjust the level of complexity. This moderation is impossible in a lecture hall with a large number of students. Intelligent systems also support group projects. AI can ensure balanced teams by pairing students with complementary strengths in virtual platforms.
None of this means virtual classrooms do not have hurdles. Universities need to design online courses that are engaging. The responsibility is clear: online learners should not be treated as passive participants. Course instructors must build virtual communities where students become engaged through shared learning. Teachers should know how to manage online discussions and encourage student participation. Assessments must include collaborative exercises. Otherwise, students may log in, watch a lecture, but not learn much.
Take an example from IIT Madras. In 2021, it launched an online BSc course in data science, the first fully-online degree programme offered by an IIT. Many thought such a step might dilute the prestige of the IIT brand. The opposite happened. Within two years, more than 17,000 students had enrolled, including those from metros as well as towns and villages. Some were working professionals, some school-leavers, and others mid-career learners seeking to upskill.
What is the larger implication for India? Expanding access to tertiary education is about creating citizens who can think critically, debate respectfully, and collaborate effectively in both physical and digital worlds. We can use virtual classrooms to prepare our youth for an increasingly complex world.
Do students lose a lot when they enrol for online programmes? Academic findings and experiments suggest otherwise. With group cohesion, team-building, and the intelligent use of AI, online learning can build confident, thoughtful, and networked students. It’s not an inferior path. It’s a different path that defines the future of Indian higher education.
Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar | Former Chairman, UGC and former Vice Chancellor, JNU
(Views are personal)