Technology Can Save University Enrollment

Pratima Sheorey Aug 05, 2021

You’re sitting on the couch listening to music. You are all geared up to seek exciting adventures in college for the next two years. Everything is going great. But oh wait, all of a sudden, the news shows a lockdown being declared, and just like that, you find yourself in the middle of a global pandemic. Will you get to sit your exams now? Will you get to graduate? Will you get to go to your dream university?

Around three lakh management students graduate high school years in India alone, with the number increasing every year. This increase in the number of B-School graduates has demanded an efficient university enrollment system.

Effect of Covid-19 on university enrollment

Oftentimes in the past, the preferred university of a student may not have been in their home state or even their home country. For this reason, it was standard procedure for universities to accept applications online. With this being the first step and physical tests/interviews being the second, the enrollment procedures had been running quite well over the past few years.

But, the Covid-19 crisis brought about a major slump in various sectors, including the education sector.

Inefficient enrollment systems

The decrease in enrollment rate was not caused by the students dropping out; in fact, the pandemic only encouraged people to get more education to rid themselves of the fear of unemployment. In fact, there was a surge of students looking for viable options to pursue executive education in a virtual setup.

When the pandemic had just started, all sectors were confused as to how to go about their businesses; the education sector was no different. The task of undertaking the admission process, conducting tests, interviews and group discussions all came to a halt. It was not only difficult to conduct classes, but it was also a task to revise and regenerate a working enrollment system. This was where technology came into the picture.

Technology to the rescue

By using technology, SCMHRD could find a way to connect with students, while following the pandemic protocols. The admission process for the batch of 2021-23 was conducted entirely in virtual mode. Right from the application process, entrance exam, result declaration, group discussion, personal Interview to the merit list declaration, all the stages were undertaken virtually. The average time is taken for the admission process for a single candidate also reduced considerably, from 4 hours to 2.5 hours. The batches of 2020-22 and 2021-23 were successfully inducted virtually with a seamless onboarding process. which incorporated information about the institute, academic and examination processes, familiarization with e-resources/databases, online yoga sessions, etc. Various video conferencing software like Zoom, MS Teams and Google Meet etc. were used for conducting online interviews, classes, viva and examinations. Thus, at SCMHRD, technology became an invaluable asset that helped us create the connection and welcome our new batch of students.

Is technology enough?

While the technological advancements may have felt like the solution to the problem, technology alone did not help overcome all the hurdles caused by the virus.

To become more efficient, along with the purchase of new software and technology, universities had to provide proper instructions or training to all teachers, students, and staff members. The level to which each university was prepared in an emergency depended on themselves- some had more facilities than the others. But in general, universities that had adopted technologies for student success in an organized manner from the very beginning had a better chance at receiving more college applications.

Thus, technology has penetrated every aspect of our life. It has made our lives easy, efficient, and electric. The advancement of technology has helped all sections of society, with it being nothing less than a boon in these trying times. University enrollment has never been smoother, with the whole admission process being done in the comfort of everyone’s homes. Thus, this is the age where technology takes over. This is- the tech era.