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EdTech is probably one of the few sectors that has seen positive change through the pandemic. However, what baffled the industry this year was the deal between Aakash Educational Services Limited, pioneers in the field of competitive exam preparatory services, and BYJU's, pioneers in the field of EdTech. The former was acquired by the latter, in April 2021, for nearly a billion dollars, making it one of the most expensive and noteworthy acquisitions in the industry. The deal, however, will not stop the Chaudhry family - educationist JC Chaudhry and his son Aakash Chaudhry (after whom the institute is believed to be named) from running the institute. In fact, we are told that the deal will help them reach out to more students across the country.
Recently, we caught up with JC Chaudhry, the man who started the institute 31 years ago as a medical entrance coaching institute in Delhi, where he coached 12 students. Seven of them cleared the medical entrance examination that year. That was the beginning of an era, in a country where almost every parent dreams of their child studying in an IIT or an AIIMS. Excerpts from the conversation:
Aakash currently coaches over 2.5 lakh students. Was this your ambition when you started a coaching class with 12 students in the 1980s?
My only ambition was to teach students really well. I wanted everyone who signed up with my institute to get enrolled in a medical college at that time. That was my passion and it helped me a lot. It is difficult to plan even for tomorrow. Even if we sleep, waking up the next day is just good luck. I believe that man proposes and God disposes. Your job is to only work according to karma, work and things will turn out well.
The demand for coaching is always on the rise. Does this expose a flaw in our school education system?
Indian schools' primary job is to help students get good grades in Board examinations. The system isn't designed for them to crack competitive exams. For that, they need coaching. Their role is different from ours and there is a clear demarcation between the two. However, if the students are dedicated and hardworking, they can prepare at home and get into an IIT or the best medical college even without coaching.
As a teacher, you would have come across students who are under parental pressure to study Medicine or Engineering but aren't actually interested in it. How do you deal with them?
The job of a teacher is to tell them that 'now that you're here, why not give it your best shot? Be it your desire or your parents' desire, it does not make a difference. But if you're spending money here, you should give it your 100 per cent'. The teacher's job is to motivate the students so that even if they aren't interested initially, they develop an interest later. When I used to teach, I used to change the students' minds quickly. I could mould their interests. Many good teachers can do that. However, it is easier to coach a student who is interested. Otherwise, it becomes a struggle.
But aren't you clipping their dreams that way? What if the student's interest lies in some other field?
When they join Aakash, they may be interested in pursuing another course. But they should have one professional degree. Many students pursue IAS and IPS, despite having a degree in Medicine.
Doesn't the money factor prevent a lot of students from attending coaching?
We conduct our entrance exams all over India. Those students who get good ranks are admitted for free. We provide scholarships that allow students to study for free. We have had instances of chaukidars' children becoming doctors.
Let us go back to 2020. When the lockdown was announced and everything shifted online, was it challenging for you at any point?
We started online classes about six years ago. We knew it was the future and we wanted to coach more students. So, we didn't have any problem. As soon as the lockdown happened, we switched completely to the online mode.
The recent deal that you struck with BYJU's is the talk of the town. What excites you the most about this deal?
The BYJU's deal happened after a lot of discussion and deliberation, and several key people from both sides worked to finalise this. What we are most excited about is that the students will be benefitted. We are experts in offline education and they're the online pioneers. This will be a perfect combination.
