From Idea to Impact: Dinesh Gupta’s Journey with Vikalp India

An interview with Dinesh Gupta, Founder & CEO of Vikalp India Pvt. Ltd

In this engaging interview with Dinesh Gupta, Founder and CEO of Vikalp India Pvt. Ltd, we delve into his inspiring journey of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Dinesh shares the vision behind Vikalp India, a company dedicated to creating sustainable solutions that empower communities.

His insights into the challenges and triumphs of building a successful enterprise provide a unique perspective on the intersection of business and social impact.

Can you share the story behind the founding of Vikalp India and what inspired you to create a K12 educational platform?

Dinesh Gupta: My journey in education began after a brief career in journalism, when I founded a publishing house with the goal of enhancing school textbook content. Through my interactions with numerous educationists, I discovered that children learn best through hands-on experiences.

I encountered several educationists who had independently developed effective teaching materials. Recognizing an opportunity, I evolved my business model to consolidate their ideas and provide experiential learning resources, including learning tools, textbooks, and a mobile learning app.

The success of our online, activity-based learning model, which empowers teachers to provide individualized attention and engaging online classroom practice, led to the foundation of our online K12 platform, Vikalp Online School.

What are some of the key challenges you faced when establishing Vikalp India, and how did you overcome them?

Dinesh Gupta: The primary challenge was shifting people’s mindset. Traditional schooling was deeply ingrained as the sole custodian of knowledge, and any disruption was met with resistance. Many couldn’t fathom that online schooling could effectively replace a physical school.

Additional challenges arose from preconceptions about online classes being boring and ineffective. There were concerns that students wouldn’t grasp concepts explained online, would lose interest without direct human interaction, and would suffer from excessive screen time.

We addressed these challenges by implementing experiential learning. Concepts were introduced through learning tools, and students engaged in activities to learn by doing. This approach made classrooms more dynamic and interactive.

With only 5 or 6 students per class, teachers could provide individualized attention. By observing students during activities, teachers could identify who understood the material and who needed additional support. Probing questions encouraged reflection and deeper thinking.

This approach made the teaching-learning process more engaging. Since students weren’t constantly looking at a screen and were actively involved with tools or exercises, their screen time was significantly reduced.

How does Vikalp India differentiate itself from traditional educational institutions and other K12 platforms?

Dinesh Gupta: While traditional schools operate in physical classrooms, Vikalp is an online school. Although there are other online schools, they often simply replicate traditional teaching methods in a digital environment.

Vikalp stands out by implementing experiential learning in everyday teaching-learning practice. Every concept, from basic counting to advanced trigonometry, is introduced using interactive learning tools.

This approach allows students to discover concepts through hands-on experiences, reinforce their understanding with mobile apps, and apply their knowledge in workbook exercises.

Can you elaborate on the specific methodologies or approaches you use to implement experiential learning in your curriculum?

Dinesh Gupta: Our methodology is grounded in the work of experiential learning pioneers like John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, and Jean Piaget, and closely aligns with David Kolb’s experiential learning model. In essence, it is a practical application of Kolb’s approach within a school curriculum.

The first stage of our methodology introduces concepts through learning toys, providing children with a concrete, hands-on experience where they can play and discover independently. Foundational learning occurs through interaction with physical objects.

The second stage utilizes probing questions to encourage reflection and critical thinking.

In the third stage, learning continues through mobile games, where children reinforce and reflect on their understanding through interactive play.

As concepts solidify in the fourth stage, pen-and-paper exercises are introduced. Children begin to conceptualize and think abstractly, gradually transitioning from concrete to abstract thinking.

Finally, in the fifth stage, children experiment and apply their knowledge. Their activities and written work are assessed, generating a diagnostic report that informs further learning and any necessary remedial planning. And the learning cycle continues …

How do you ensure that your platform remains accessible and inclusive for students from diverse backgrounds?

Dinesh Gupta: Vikalp India’s inclusive policy aims to provide access to quality education for all children, regardless of their learning abilities, by incorporating flexible admission criteria, adapting curriculum to individual needs, training teachers in inclusive practices, and integrating students with mild disabilities into mainstream classes with necessary support and accommodations, all while focusing on a Universal Design for Learning approach. 

Key elements of Vikalp India’s inclusive policy:

• Flexible admission policy
• Individualized learning plans
• Integration with mainstream classes
• Teacher training to address diversity
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
• Collaboration and support
• Life skills development
• Incorporating life skills training into the curriculum to empower all students. 

Overall, Vikalp India’s inclusive policy strives to create a learning environment where every child feels valued, supported, and has the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of their abilities. 

How do you envision the future of K12 education in India, and what role do you see Vikalp India playing in that future?

Dinesh Gupta: The job market is rapidly evolving due to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). Jobs involving repetitive tasks, such as typing, accounting, and even routine coding, are increasingly at risk of automation.

The jobs of the future will demand critical thinking skills, including the ability to analyze, apply, evaluate, and create.

Traditional schools often do not prioritize these skills, leaving students to develop them after graduation. However, students in our activity-based online school have been cultivating critical thinking skills from the earliest stages of their education.

This gives them a significant advantage in the job market, as they are already equipped with the skills employers are seeking.

This demonstrates the importance of adopting activity-based learning in schools, particularly in online environments. Online schools that simply replicate traditional lecture-based methods are not adequately preparing students for the demands of the modern workplace.

What are some misconceptions about experiential learning that you would like to clarify?

Dinesh Gupta: One misconception is that experiential learning is confined to activities or games periods. In reality, experiential learning extends far beyond that.

Students need to experience the concept being taught, which can be achieved by staging the concepts using concrete materials that allow students to see, touch, and interact with the subject matter.

Regardless of whether is easy topic like counting or difficult topic like probability, hands-on materials are essential for creating a genuine experiential learning environment.

Another misconception is that some progressive schools have fully embraced experiential learning. While some schools have incorporated activity-based methods, these efforts are often limited and may be used primarily for marketing purposes.

Even many online schools, despite using technology, still adhere to traditional lecture-based methods where students remain passive recipients of information.

It’s important to remember that in true experiential learning, students are active “doers” who discover concepts through hands-on activities. They are not simply told facts but are encouraged to discover them at their own pace. This is discovery-oriented learning.

As our conversation with Dinesh Gupta concludes, his passion for driving positive change through Vikalp India is evident. His commitment to sustainability and community empowerment highlights the potential of businesses to make a meaningful difference.

Dinesh’s journey serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to create impactful solutions in today’s world.

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