Quizizz Adds Regional Language Classes To Capture India’s Edtech Pie After US Success

With Indian regional language content becoming a key adoption factor for content and edtech platforms, it’s logical that some of the world’s largest edtech platforms would be eyeing this route for success in India. After earning success in the US and western markets  Bengaluru-based edtech platform Quizizz has now integrated Indian regional language support to strengthen its presence in the Indian market.

Quizizz cofounder and CEO Ankit Gupta told Inc42 that teachers in India can now use Quizizz platform for free and conduct online learning sessions with their students in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu among others.

Founded in 2015 by Gupta and Deepak Joy Cheenath, Quizizz is an edtech platform that uses games and memes in its lessons to make learning more engaging for students. Gupta said the company recorded 50 Mn MAUs globally and has seen massive adoption in the US.

Quizizz lets teachers conduct formative assessments in class or for distance learning programmes by combining gamification elements with self-paced learning and instant feedback. Using the platform, teachers can create their own quiz or choose from quizzes created by other educators for the curriculum or other topics for learning.

Gupta explained that teachers can use Quizizz before starting a lecture and get real-time analytics on understanding the current knowledge gaps of the class and adjusting the lecture accordingly.

At the end of the class, Quizizz can help the teacher get feedback on knowledge retention basis the score. This may help teachers assign customized practice and homework quizzes to the kids.

“Once a teacher has created their content, they can use it in a live class or assign it for the homework. Teachers can generate a code that is shared with students. We have also integrated the product with major LMS including Google classroom to share the joining instructions with students,” Gupta explained to us.

The company further claims to have millions of active teachers and 1.5 Bn questions being solved by students every month on the platform.

Talking about the launch of vernacular support, Gupta said, “Because of Covid-19 situations, more students were moving to remote learning. But teachers faced challenges due to infrastructure issues, things were a little slow in the adoption of technology and Covid-19 situation ended up creating this opportunity.”

He added that the product has been helping classes around the world so the company wanted to push for it further in India as well. “In the Indian subcontinent, we have seen 25% week-on-week growth during Covid-19 with overall double-digit growth,” Gupta said.

Talking about the monetisation model, Gupta added that Quizizz is free classrooms and also has a freemium model for businesses. “But the focus has been more on the business front rather than monetisation. With a team of 20, we have grown mostly organically through word of mouth across conferences, being referred by teachers etc,” Gupta said.

Issues With Edtech In India

However, in India, replacing classroom learning with online education is riddled with hindrances. The biggest challenge is the lack of stable internet connectivity in many parts of the country, which particularly affects the lower economic strata and rural population.

According to the 2017-18 National Sample Survey report on education, only 8% of all Indian households with members between five to 24 years of age, have access to both computer and internet. While it is possible to access online classes on smartphones, only 24% of Indians own smartphones. And there too, the usage of the devices is not always with the student.

According to an IAMAI and Nielsen report based on IRS data, India has over 504 Mn active internet users as of November 2019 and growing. Even despite the proliferation of 4G internet thanks to Jio and the rising digital penetration in rural areas, not everyone is able to get steady connectivity through the day — either due to latency or network overload.

Talking about challenges, Gupta said that the lack of infrastructure is the primary reason for the slow adoption of edtech products and services in India. Covid-19 has forced the classrooms to a remote setting and changed the perception of edtech from “good to have” to a “must-have” in India, he added.

He added that for many teachers in India, this is their first experience working with technology and they are learning and deploying tools in realtime.

“The ecosystem in the US is more mature, most of the schools had the bandwidth and devices in the classrooms this accelerated the adoption of technology. Teachers saw how technology can help them save time, give more data, and open new modes of learning. They have now made technology an integral part of their teaching. Professional development programs and PD networks in the US also help keep teachers up to date with the latest tech,” Gupta said.

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