What do Bengaluru’s Scaler, Gurugram’s Master’s Union, Bengaluru’s Mesa, Kolkata’s Nexis and Mumbai’s IIDE (Indian Institute of Digital Education) have in common?

To begin with, all are “booster shots” or even alternative ways to spend one’s time after completing school (Class XII) instead of enrolling in a regular bachelor’s degree - which has been reduced in many instances to a worthless piece of paper - in one of the country’s myriad but mostly indifferent quality colleges.

Some Pros

Another commonality is that all these companies are exploiting the inability of Indian colleges, with their dated syllabuses, to keep up with the times. All of them offer an experience different from the usual fare dished out at legacy universities around India, be it teaching by industry professionals or internships in companies that are in sectors students intend to join, making those who graduate job-ready, industry-aligned and skill-focused.

Instead of waiting for students to get a taste of real life after their bachelor’s and during an MBA or another Master’s level programme, these new institutes are trying to grab the student early if he or she has a reasonable idea of which field they wish to pursue..

While traditional universities and colleges continue to lay strong academic foundations, today’s job market demands digital-first skills, adaptability, and a professional portfolio. Employers no longer seek just graduates but professionals who can hit the ground running from day one so that those who hire them are spared the trouble of training and teaching them the initial ropes. That’s where industry-driven UG programmes, offering a curriculum that integrates real-world exposure, industry mentorship, and applied learnings are coming in.

The inability of Indian colleges to keep their content relevant is being exploited eagerly by the new companies. These are options that make you work-ready at 21; at 18 and 19, the internships they will do will give them a taste of what is to come when they seek permanent employment.

All these courses encourage students to obtain an online degree on the premise that the traditional bachelor’s degree as we knew is dying and ask students to make better use of their time by attending offline classes on their campuses where the students will be exposed to “real life” problems and solutions, often delivered by the best in the business.

“The stamp of a bachelor’s can literally be acquired from anywhere. Options like we are offering will allow you to acquire that stamp regardless but gain a more all rounded education in digital marketing........

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