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She also shares her perspective on building a sustainable education business while balancing learner needs, organisational growth and personal priorities.
India’s online higher education sector is evolving rapidly, creating new opportunities for working professionals to pursue advanced education without taking a break from their careers. At the same time, EdTech companies must navigate changing learner expectations, technology adoption and financial sustainability.
Ranjita Raman, CEO of Jaro Education, brings more than 18 years of experience in the education sector. Having started her career as a counsellor before taking on the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) and eventually becoming CEO, she has experienced the industry from the ground up. An alumna of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM Ahmedabad), Raman shares her insights on leadership, business growth and the future of online higher education.
Here are the excerpts:
Q1. You began your career as a counsellor and eventually became CEO of Jaro Education. How has your professional journey evolved over the years?
Ranjita Raman: I look at my journey at Jaro in three phases: understanding the market, learning to lead the business and eventually taking responsibility for its future.
I began my career as a counsellor when online education was still new to many working professionals. People wanted to learn, but there was hesitation about the online learning format, the value of a degree or certification and its acceptance among employers. This helped me understand early on that we had to build a business in an emerging category while also earning people's trust.
Over time, I took on team leadership and national sales responsibilities, followed by the role of COO and eventually CEO. Each stage brought new challenges and required me to look beyond individual performance towards team effectiveness, business growth and long-term organisational sustainability.
Q2. What were the biggest challenges in building trust in online education when it was still an emerging category?
Ranjita Raman: The opportunity was clear. Professionals wanted access to quality education without taking a break from their careers. However, turning this need into wider acceptance required patience. We had to address people's concerns about online learning, the value of degrees and certifications, and their acceptance among employers. It was equally important to help learners understand how a programme could fit into their professional lives.
These experiences shaped my understanding of the market and taught me that building an education business requires more than identifying demand. It also requires earning trust and demonstrating the relevance of the learning experience.
Q3. How did your transition into team leadership and national sales change your approach to business?
Ranjita Raman: When I took on team leadership and national sales responsibilities, the challenges changed. Expanding into more cities required understanding different markets and developing leaders who could take responsibility at the local level.
My individual performance was no longer the only measure of success. I also had to consider how the team made decisions, how consistently we worked and whether the business could sustain its growth over the long term.
During this period, I joined the Senior Management Programme at IIM Ahmedabad. The programme helped me examine my hands-on experience from a broader management perspective and understand how decisions made within one department can affect the entire organisation.
Q4. As CEO, how do you balance learner needs, business expansion and financial sustainability?
Ranjita Raman: Working at different levels of the business has helped me evaluate decisions from a broader perspective. When we plan an expansion, I focus on three factors: learner needs, our ability to deliver, and the financial discipline required to support the initiative. Every opportunity must meet all three criteria.
The education sector presents its own challenges because decisions involve access, quality and business sustainability. There is pressure to expand, launch new programmes and invest in marketing. However, a leader must assess whether there is genuine market demand for a programme, whether it will benefit learners and whether the business can sustain its commitment over the long term. Financial discipline is an essential part of responsible leadership in education.
Q5. How did Jaro Education’s listing in 2025 change your responsibilities as a leader?
Ranjita Raman: Jaro’s listing in 2025 made my responsibilities even clearer. Growth now comes with expectations from shareholders, alongside the needs of learners, university partners and employees. As CEO, my responsibility is to ensure that our decisions address immediate business needs while also proving sound over the long term. This requires evaluating opportunities carefully and understanding how decisions affect different stakeholders.
Looking back, I believe the most important part of my journey has been learning to make decisions with a broader perspective. I started by helping an individual choose the right programme. Today, I lead an organisation whose decisions influence the educational choices of many people. This role demands a different level of judgement and accountability.
Q6. What are the biggest opportunities and challenges for women aspiring to leadership roles in the education sector?
Ranjita Raman: I see opportunities at two levels: determining how education reaches people and taking greater responsibility for the business that makes it possible.
Today, decisions in education involve technology, university partnerships, programme relevance and financial sustainability. This creates broader opportunities for women to lead. Women who understand learners’ needs and can translate that understanding into sound business decisions can play an important role.
One of the biggest challenges is moving beyond performing well within a single department to contributing to the direction of the entire organisation. This transition requires broader experience. Managing a budget, leading an expansion or taking responsibility for a business outcome helps develop decision-making skills. Advice alone cannot replace this kind of experience.
Q7. What role should organisations play in preparing more women for senior leadership positions?
Ranjita Raman: Organisations need to create opportunities that allow women to demonstrate commercial judgement and lead through uncertainty. Women should be given assignments that involve meaningful responsibilities and opportunities to make decisions.
Mentorship is important, but it must be accompanied by real responsibility and the authority to make decisions. Leadership development requires practical experience, exposure to business challenges and accountability for outcomes.
Women aspiring to senior positions should also seek to understand the business beyond their immediate roles. If you work in sales, understand delivery as well. If you work in operations, learn how the business reaches new learners and generates revenue. Decisions at senior levels affect multiple departments, so it is important to understand how a decision will impact each area.
Q8. What advice would you give women who want to grow professionally while balancing personal responsibilities?
Ranjita Raman: I have learnt that it is not possible to give equal attention to every priority every day. There are periods when work demands more time and energy, while at other times, family or health may need to take precedence. Being clear about your ambitions helps you make these choices. However, every woman’s circumstances and support system are different.
I would encourage women who aspire to leadership roles to be clear about their ambitions. They should seek opportunities to take on greater responsibilities, become comfortable with numbers and financial matters, and contribute to decisions beyond their own departments.
In the boardroom, it is essential to present a well-considered point of view and be willing to take accountability for it.
