Intel partners with Extramarks to tap into $40-billion private school sector

Multinational tech giant Intel has entered into a partnership with digital education company Extramarks to tap into the $40-billion private school sector in India.

The alliance would offer optimised learning solutions based on Intel architecture (IA) to create and extend computing technologies for schools as well as students. At present, Intel education is operating in around 70 countries.

Extramarks Education is a kindergarten to Class 12 digital learning solutions provider, delivering various in-school and after-school solutions accessible both online and offline.

Under the tie-up, Intel would provide Extramarks with technology and hardware support. Extramarks would be providing its partner schools and students with tablets, interactive board, personal computers and other digital equipment.

"There are roughly 77 million students in private schools in India and we are definitely looking at those who would be acquiring devices in the next five years. We want to make sure that they use Intel devices," said Sam Al-Schamma, director - education sector (Asia Pacific and Japan) Intel.

While Intel has worked with various state governments in India on different digital education programmes, its tie-up with Extramarks is the first major step taken by Intel to enter the private education sector.

Extramarks which was launched in 2009 has 8,000 schools on board and would be adding around 50,000 smart classrooms by next year. The company, which has been till now working with schools on a B2B platform, plans to provide services directly to students as well. By next year, Extramarks would be catering to around seven million students.

The company also said that it would be earning around Rs 600 crore in revenue in financial year 2016-17. "In 2015-16 we earned around Rs 200 crore. In 2016-17 we would be earning around Rs 450 crore from private sector schools and another Rs 150 crore from the government sector," said Atul Kulshrestha, founder, chairman and managing director, Extramarks Education India Pvt Ltd.

The company added that it would be expanding its overseas operations in countries such as Africa, Russia, Malaysia and Indonesia. At present Extramarks is in schools across South Africa, Kuwait, Singapore and UAE.

Worldwide, it has seven offices and it is planning to recruit more people for its overseas operations. In India, Extramarks has 22 offices and around 1,700 employees.

In the long run, Al-Schamma said that for Intel the private as well as government sector education system would be a sizeable source of revenue generation. "The revenue which comes out of it is from the processor, it is indirect revenue. However, it is quite significant as far as the education market is concerned. Private sector at present is critical as they are now looking for digital education technology and the public sector can look at the technology adopted and replicate it," he said.