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What started as a supplementary tool for classrooms has grown into the billion-dollar industry it is today, making education more accessible, inclusive, and comprehensive than ever before.
India's journey has been remarkable. With a large youth population and deep internet penetration, edtech has become a significant driving force for learning and education. COVID-19 has played a catalyst, motivating teachers and students to adopt digital education on a large scale.
India currently supports some of the largest global edtech firms, as well as a growing group of individual educators and informal learning networks. Millions of people rely on free content to learn various subjects, prepare for competitive exams, and develop new skills. The result is a fundamental digital revolution that is making education accessible and transforming the learning process, especially in Tier II and Tier III cities.
India's growing digital learning ecosystem
makes India the second-largest e-learning market after the United States (US). According to Market Research Future, the Indian edtech industry, valued at ₹1,10,198 crore ($12.75 billion) in 2024, is projected to surpass ₹5,29,384 crore ($61.25 billion) by 2035. However, a significant portion of this growth lies not in formal edtech apps, but in free content provided by individual educators on platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn.
In 2024, India will have over 886 million internet users, 55% of whom will be from rural areas. This growth is driven by some of the lowest mobile data costs in the world, with a gigabyte (GB) costing approximately ₹13.98 (US$0.16). Digital education is a regular experience for a large portion of the country.
Amid this growth, YouTube has emerged as India's largest informal learning platform, providing flexible, affordable, and relevant educational content. Educational videos are viewed millions of times every day, and most of them come from smaller towns. This user base has transformed informal online education into a full-fledged learning system.
The Rise of Informal Online Teachers in India
A new wave of self-made educators has reshaped India's education landscape. These creators are not backed by venture capital or institutions; they are former teachers, engineers, or professionals who began uploading videos and built large student communities. Patna-based Khan GS Research Center (Khan Sir) has approximately 24.8 million subscribers.
Known for his humorous and satirical take on educational topics, he has been a popular creator for government exam preparation among Hindi readers. Physics Wallah, founded by Alakh Pandey, grew its subscriber base from two million in 2019 to 13.7 million by March 2025. Starting with physics tutorials, the channel now offers full-fledged Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) preparation and has launched its own learning app.
Learnohub, created by Roshni Mukherjee, offers over 7,000 free videos for grades 6-12 across three channels. Their channels have a combined subscriber base of over three million and are particularly popular for their NCERT-based science and math education.
StudyIQ focuses on the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), and other competitive exams and provides lectures in multiple Indian languages. Currently, it has nearly 25 million subscribers across multiple channels and is known for its regional reach and detailed analysis.
Popular for its live-streamed lessons and exam preparation resources, Unacademy's WiFiStudy has over 15.7 million subscribers. Its real-time classes and quizzes have made it popular among railway and banking exam aspirants.
These educators' success spans a variety of content categories. Students can benefit from course-related channels like LearnHub, while exam prep students are drawn to creators like Khan Sir and StudyIQ. For those looking to improve their English fluency, channels like Awal Madan and LearnX offer bilingual coaching.
YouTube has also become a major platform for building practical skills. From video editing to programming, cooking, financial literacy, and farming techniques, informal educators are enabling millions of people to learn employment-relevant skills for free. This diversity of topics, combined with unlimited access, makes YouTube India's most inclusive digital classroom.
Why does it work in India?
Accessibility is a key reason for the success of informal edtech in India. Its content is free, and students only need a simple smartphone and mobile internet connection to access it anytime, anywhere. This low barrier to entry has made digital education accessible even to economically weaker sections.
Another factor is localization. Major edtech platforms focus on English-medium learners. In contrast, local edtech platforms offer education in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, and other regional languages. Their natural accents and cultural context make concepts easy to understand. A major reason for their popularity is their trust. These creators often deliver lessons daily or weekly, connecting directly with their audience and creating a sense of continuity. Audiences begin to see them not only as teachers but also as mentors.
Importantly, the demand for affordable coaching beyond metropolises has fueled this trend. With offline coaching centers expensive or unavailable in smaller cities, these content creators have emerged as a lifeline for millions of aspirants.
The government's role in enabling digital education
Although informal educators operate independently, government programs have played a significant role by expanding digital infrastructure. The Digital India initiative, launched in 2015, aimed to increase internet access, promote digital literacy, and build a knowledge-based economy. Its emphasis on rural connectivity and smartphone adoption indirectly benefited the informal sector.
Launched during the pandemic, the PM e-Vidya scheme aimed to bring all online and television-based education initiatives onto a single platform. It accelerated the adoption of digital teaching methods across states and strengthened the culture of virtual learning. BharatNet, India's fiber-to-village broadband project, continues to expand connectivity in rural India. As more villages gain access to high-speed internet, more students will be able to access online educational content.
The National Education Alliance for Technology (NEAT) is a government initiative that aims to provide learning tools through partnerships with edtech firms. Its aim is to increase employability and ensure access to quality education for disadvantaged learners. These programs have laid the foundation for a thriving informal education ecosystem, even if they don't directly involve content creators.
The future of informal education in India
The future of informal online education in India is very bright. With the increasing use of smartphones and the internet, the number of students accessing informal sources of effective and affordable education will increase. This new wave will be primarily dominated by regional content as creators delve deeper into rural areas. New types of content such as shorts, livestreams, interactive quizzes, and AI-learning support are also gaining popularity.
Others are experimenting with hybrid models, in which free YouTube channels are supported by paid courses or apps, to strike a balance between large audiences and financial sustainability. If digital infrastructure and public policy continue to support the Indian informal education ecosystem, it will eventually become a component of a nationwide skills and learning strategy.
More importantly, these creators are not just teachers, but storytellers, motivators, and role models. They represent a new and groundbreaking approach to education where the learner, not the institution, is at the center. In doing so, they are making an invaluable contribution to shaping a new definition of education for an entire generation.
