New Delhi   : Following two years of remote, hybrid, and socially distant learning, students are returning to classrooms now. Despite the disruption, the pandemic ushered in a new learning mechanism for students in India that’s set to cement itself further going forward. Brainly, India’s leading online learning platform conducted a survey with middle and high school students to understand the generic sentiment of Indian students about returning to traditional classroom settings and what it holds for them.

Despite the recent spike in cases, around 81.4% students said that they feel safe about returning to schools. While 67% expressed excitement on returning to class, around 56.4% were happy about the possibility of meeting their friends and teachers. But it’s undeniable that online learning is a reality for everyone now and the newer education models that surfaced during the pandemic shall continue to exist hereafter.

Mr. Narasimha Jayakumar, Managing Director, India, Brainly, commented on the survey results and said, “It is a huge transition for students to return to classrooms after almost two years of shutdown. Education in India has undergone a paradigm shift during the pandemic and there is a definitive change in how Indian students are pursuing learning. While schools have resumed operations, the real challenge lies in attaining academic rigour and motivation. That is why Brainly decided to interact with students and understand their sentiments on the changing landscape. Our research shows that, sociability is the primary reason why most students are choosing to go back to school. This also proves that technology, can’t replace friendship and social interactions.”

Apart from the general sentiment about going back to schools, the Brainly survey revealed that  27.1% of students picked Mathematics as their most favorite subject while 39.3% attributed it to be the most challenging. English emerged as the second most loved subject garnering 26.7% votes followed by science that stood at 24.3%.

Of the classroom activities Indian students enjoy the most, 36.5% said that they liked giving presentations, while 23.4% spoke in favor of debates. There was growing enthusiasm for extracurricular activities with 57.1% students expressing their liking for the same whereas 49% of students opted for sports as a favorite activity.

Reflecting on the growing adoption of technology in learning, 73.6% of students polled confirmed that they use online platforms for homework and 30.5% said that they use gadgets regularly. Online education has enabled access to vast reserves of information for students, which was not a possibility in the traditional setting.

“The value of online learning is starting to become clear to both students and parents. Owing to the assurance and quality that edtech promises, there is a growing preference towards hybrid learning models that will take precedence and become a norm for modern day education. Brainly is focused in its efforts to make online learning a more immersive and personalized experience in India and expand its services to make quality learning available to all.” added Mr Jayakumar.