Learning By Doing: Digivarsity's Approach To Higher Education

In a move towards transforming higher education and employment opportunities in India, Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO of TeamLease EdTech, recently introduced Digivarsity, a platform which seeks to bridge the gap between academia and the job market, by connecting students with education institutions and relevant work opportunities from day one. 

On a recent visit to Kolkata, BW Businessworld caught up with Rooj to get all the details of his latest venture.  

Making India Employable 

Shantanu Rooj's mission is clear - to make India employable. "Fundamentally, we believe that if you want to make India employable, you have to change the education system,” Rooj said. He explained that the focus of Digivarsity lies in higher education, “once a kid has passed out his class 12, that is where we come in.”  

The Two-Pronged Approach: Repair Solutions vs. Base Product Reinvention 

The platform aims to tackle the issue of employability through two different interventions - Repair Solutions and Base Product Reinvention. Traditionally, students often opt for repair solutions, such as additional courses, after completing their degrees to enhance their employability. “You join a course and then you become employable not because of your degree, but because of that course, then why do the degree at all?” 

Rooj's vision, however, is to improve the base product itself, thereby reducing the need for such repair solutions. “The repair is only required if the base product is bad,” Rooj stated, “if the base product did what it was supposed to do, then you don’t need a repair solution,” he continued. 

Enter "Work Integrated Degree" 

The heart of Digivarsity lies in its concept of "Work Integrated Degree," a program which connects students with partnering universities which offer courses and at the same time connects students with companies that can offer paid relevant work experience for the same duration as the course. To get the point across, Rooj took the example of a student who has enrolled in a bachelor's in journalism program and has also been placed as a trainee journalist with a reputed media organisation - a blend of practical training as well as academic education, or as he calls it, “learning by doing.” 

The platform currently holds partnerships with around 50 universities across the country as well as around 200 employers with plans of achieving higher numbers in both realms of partnerships in the near future.  

Harnessing Top Talent and Technology for Personalised Learning Paths 

To ensure every student finds their true calling, the platform has collaborated with professors from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to create a career test that gauges the strengths and weaknesses of candidates. The platform then employs artificial intelligence to match candidates to employers. In the end this personalised approach guides students towards the right career path. 

Empowering Students from All Walks of Life 

Recognising that financial constraints often hinder students from pursuing higher education, there are options available for education financing where students can pay a nominal fee for the university course fee from the stipend they earn. 

In the case of students who come from disadvantaged portions of society, there is the option to receive financial support from employers to pursue their degrees without worrying about upfront costs. 

Government Support and Expansion Plans 

Digivarsity's approach to education and employment has garnered support from various state governments, including the Government of Telangana, Government of Andhra Pradesh, and Government of Assam, as well as central government bodies.  

Rooj is actively seeking partnerships to expand the platform’s reach to every corner of India. With the goal of impacting one million students (the platform currently caters to 80,000 students). 

A Level Playing Field for All 

As the platform gains traction and garners attention from both educators and employers, it promises to make significant strides in transforming the higher education landscape in India. By offering a blend of academic learning and real-world experience, the platform presents an innovative approach to bridge the gap between education and employment.  

As it continues to expand and evolve, the platform's impact on students' careers and India's employability prospects remains to be closely observed. With the potential to level the playing field for students from all backgrounds, Digivarsity opens doors to promising opportunities, making a noteworthy contribution to the future of education and workforce readiness in India.