With the online education market expected to grow from 1.6 million users in 2016 to 9.6 million in 2021 (according to KPMG), the online test preparation platform is seeing the biggest boom ever. With the upcoming quarter going to be the busiest season for government and banking exams, conducted by the UPSC, SSC, CGL, and IBPS till February 2018, students are preparing better using such aids, which include latest changes in patterns as well mock tests, helping them familiarize concepts and question patterns better.

Here we take a look at some of the top performing online test portals in India.

1. EntrancePrime:

This Noida-based e-portal offers online test series for engineering, medical, IAS and other competitive exam preparations. After the completion of every chapter, the student completes an online assessment. After every test, the portal provides a detailed analysis of the performance and compares it at the national level. A self-funded venture, EntrancePrime has 1.5 lakh registered students. More than 14 crore questions have been attempted so far by the students.

2. Plancess:

Plancess specializes in the preparation of IIT-JEE. The Mumbai-based startup covers all formats of the test prep market – print, digital, online and mobile. Founded in August 2012, Plancess has more than 10,000 registered students.  Plancess offers comprehensive solutions for preparation in the form of high-definition video lectures, reference materials and rigorous test series for medical and engineering entrance examinations.

3. ExamEdge:

Exam Edge LLC was founded in 2006 with the aim of providing quality resources to help teachers do well in their certification exams. With a niche segment in focus, unlike other test preparation centers focused on IIT-JEE or NEET exams, ExamEdge offers self-timed online assessment tests for would-be teachers. Once the test is over, the user can check the results and explanations provided to understand the areas of improvement. With unlimited access to learning resources and assessment reviews, Exam Edge users can always track their own performance. Of late, Exam Edge has forayed into other subjects like Accounting, Healthcare, Nutrition, and Fitness.

4. Eduhat:

Eduhat provides a common platform to connect students, teachers, coaching institutes, colleges, schools, and book publishers. The registered users can solve free online test series being conducted by famous coaching institutes across India, evaluate their performance at national tournaments, and get a personalized assessment and detailed report. Also, Eduhat students have access to study materials prepared by premier coaching institutes across India.

5. Think Exam:

Think Exam, an online exam portal, by Ginger Webs Pvt provides online test modules for classroom and competitive exams. Over 1 million assessments are evaluated every month. With a strong network of 250 test centers associated in more than 100 cities, Think Exam gives you access to the study resources created by subject matter experts, now available on paper, web, mobile and tablet devices.

6. Toppr:

Toppr offers personalized learning programs and online mock tests for schools and competitive exams like JEE Main, NEET, and JEE Advanced. Toppr offers study resources and exam modules for school exams (classes V-XII) as well.  Students registering with Toppr have access to video lectures, concept sheets, detailed reports, and question sets for every subject. In addition, students can interact with teachers, request for personalized tests and previous papers.

7. PixelBenchmarks:

PixelBenchmarks is an online mock test platform for users aspiring to perform well at exams. Mapped to the updated syllabus and changed examination patterns, the mock test banks are available at an affordable rate. Users may enroll for basic, intermediate or advanced levels of one or more subjects. Registered users can take a free sample test to see for themselves.

In addition, PixelBenchmarks provides performance metrics with explanations, to help users prepare better. It operates on a pay-as-you-go model and generates revenue mainly through exam fees (to be paid by students) and registration fees (paid by resource providers), and advertisements.

PixelBenchmarks, an initiative by Pixel Solutionz, aims at competing with the big shots in online tutoring or classroom coaching, with its unique pay-as-you-go model and liberty to choose from academic resource providers.

8. Eklavya:

Eklavya offers free and paid online tests for the entrance exam, recruitment exam, university exam, as well as aptitude and personality tests. The online test portal addresses the needs of a good number of educational institutes, colleges, universities, training centers, and corporate houses spread across India. Its cutting-edge remote proctoring technology and systematic analytics set Eklavya apart from other online test platforms.

9. Testbook:

While other online test platforms offer mock tests or publish previous years’ questions (with solutions), Testbook offers a tournament –like atmosphere. Students across India can appear for an online test at the same time. Once the live test is submitted, students can share the link on social media. Students can also check their performance analysis from the dashboard. Testbook employs Machine Learning models to deliver useful analytics both at the topic level and at the question-level. Over 25 lakh students have registered with Testbook and more than 80 lakh tests have been attempted so far.

10. Oliveboard:

Oliveboard specializes in offering online test modules for banking, post office, CA, and MBA exams. Its features include Mock Tests, Sectional Tests, Adaptive Tests, Group Study Games along with Conceptual Videos & Lessons, created by toppers and renowned faculty across India. Oliveboard provides remedial material on weak areas to improve faster thereby reducing study cycles. Also, Oliveboard users have unlimited access to free online reference matter and take part in discussions.

Here we have chosen five EdTech start-ups in the online test preparation space. Many more e-learning brands, are working at the national and regional level, and have quality content to offer. The EdTech industry, unlike other industries, gets healthier returns; more competition equals better content.  The end result is general upliftment in the standard of education. More students have access to academic resources, irrespective of time or place. Quality education will be available to the mass, 24X7.

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The Indian education market is expected to almost double to $180 billion by 2020, according to another report by management consulting firm Technopak. The later report states that India’s education market is valued at $100 billion currently while the digital learning market is estimated at $2 billion.

Digital Education – The Future of Education in India

The digital learning market is expected to reach $5.7 billion by 2020 as the number of internet users is increasing. India’s internet user base is estimated to reach 550 million by 2020 with an approximately 40% penetration, a significant increase from the 35% currently, the report compiled in partnership with as per Simplilearn research.

Digital education market so hot? Increased penetration of the Internet and smartphones in India are the primary drivers of growth. High-speed Internet has led to the creation of a richer and more loyal customer base for companies operating in the e-learning market to acquire and monetize this opportunity.

The traditional education system in India is unable to offer services to all the segments of the education and skill development market. Students lack the time and resources to avail of library resources.

India E-Learning Market Share, By Technology

Coaching classes are often too expensive and time-bound. Today’s learners are look for alternative sources of education, one of the primary reasons that have contributed to the growth of the online education market in India.

Digital learning in the K-12 space comprises segments such as smart class solutions, online tutoring, online preparation for exams, simulation and virtual reality, STEM learning, AR and robotics, and assessment. Online education providers like Edureka, Coursera, and Edurite are using this as a great opportunity.

They are ready with interactive study resources and educational programmes at all levels, making up a sizeable chunk of the alternative or supplementary education market in India.

Do we have enough digital resources? As per the ASSOCHAM’s survey, a whopping number of close to 87% of primary school children and up to 95% of the higher secondary attend private coaching classes. More than 86% of parents lack time or knowledge to teach their children on their own, explaining the pressing need for classroom coaching or online tutoring.

The supplementary education market in India for school students is estimated to be close to $25 billion and is expected to touch $30 billion by 2020. Currently, in the K-12 segment, there are 1.5 million schools with 260 million students. Of the 1.5 million schools, 1.1 million are run by the government. As per the University Grants Commission report published in 2016, India is to host to 751 universities and over 35,539 colleges.

Digital Education Market Size to Grow

The distance education system contributed a quarter of student enrolments in the higher education system, with over 29 million students enrolled in higher education systems. The demand for quality education exists at both levels: student and teacher. The education sector in India is still striving to meet the demand for good teachers. It is estimated that India currently has a shortage of 1.4 million trained teachers.

Renowned education providers such as Educomp, Tata Class Edge, Pearson, and TeachNext are coming up with interactive software to aid teachers in classroom teaching. However, usage of digital technologies in institutes of higher education is still in its nascent stages and efforts are being made to fine-tune these technologies to adapt to the needs of University students.

In short, content development is yet to mature in colleges and universities across India. Looking at the current trends, it is expected that online higher education market will witness considerable growth in the next five years and aid in distance learning programmes. However, since these courses are limited to theoretical content currently, adoption of virtual classroom concepts could bring a practical component in the online medium.

In addition, more students, especially from tier 2 and 3 cities are expected to adopt different online channels for competitive exams. Also, gamification, the approach of introducing fun elements like video game design in learning, is fast gaining acceptance, thanks to BYJU and Cuemath. Needless to say, all these online channels have opened up ways for teachers and trainers.

All they have to do is to upgrade them a bit to match up to the current digital education.   Like our blog? Let us know. Comment below.