In the light of technological developments, Ed-tech technology in education has given a list of courses, tutorials, coaching for competitive exams, all in online mode. However, students, parents, and all stakeholders in education are advised to be alert while opting for online coaching offered by the Ed-tech firms.
A note issued by the Ministry of Education, has pointed out that some Ed-tech firms are luring parents in the garb of offering free services and getting the Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) mandate signed or activating the Auto-debit feature, especially by targeting the vulnerable families.
Hence, before deciding to opt for any Ed-tech platform, the do's and don'ts must be well considered. In addition, free services offered by the companies must be carefully analyzed.
For one to remain safe, there are several do’s and don’ts which the stakeholders of the education ecosystem may follow. Following are some out of the many:-
Do’s
Avoid the Automatic debit option for subscription payment since offers that seem free of cost might begin to ask for a paid subscription.
Read the terms and conditions before acknowledging the acceptance of learning software as your IP address or personal data may be tracked.
Ask for a tax invoice statement for educational devices purchase loaded with contents/app purchase/Pendrive learning.
Don'ts
Do not blindly trust the advertisements of the ed-tech companies.
Do not sign up for any loans of which you are not aware.
Do not install any mobile ed-tech applications without verifying the authenticity.
Currently, Edtech companies have grown rapidly, increasing the number of students/teachers enrolled in their learning platform. The growing number also means that platforms must heed complaints about the services provided. It is clear that Edtech companies that can be considered e-commerce entities must comply with the rules to avoid future liability, and must put in place a dedicated mechanism to verify compliance with the law.
Further to comply with the general rules of ASCI’s Code for Self-Regulation in advertising, the advertisements of Educational Institutions, including the Ed-tech companies and programs shall comply with several guidelines.
FPJ asked several Ed-tech users what steps they take to ensure safety and if they have faced any issues with Ed-tech previously.
A mother, Kajal Dhulla, whose child uses WhiteHat Jr, told FPJ, "Nothing as such as happened in my experience with WhiteHat Jr. I have not experienced any scams or offers that led me to pay higher amounts. The free trials have always been free, just like it is told. However, one thing I would say is that Ed-Tech learning is expensive. Lastly, to remain safe from all this, I make sure to not enter my credit card details before the trial period."
Another Ed-Tech learner, Neerav Shah, who uses Unacademy, stated that he did not experience any issues with the payment. "When I logged into Unacademy to register, I received a call from there itself. They sent a link, and the payment took place through them. Moreover, to check if the website is authentic or the offer is genuine, we can check through the Google security tab. Lastly, if any payment takes place, we can always report."
