Will 2021 be a year of hope?

Samit Ray, Chairman of Adamas International school & Adamas World school, who runs a chain of schools in Bengal, spoke to Get Bengal at length.

Ray said, “COVID 19 was a major factor which has impacted the education industry. Students were offered online education and the teachers offered them their best through the online system. But the economic slump burdened with fees cut had a major impact in the growth and development of the education sector. The fees cut was necessary to certain sections of the society who could not afford it during the pandemic situation. The infrastructure development in the education sector will suffer for this in the next two years. Even the payment of the transport sector associated with the school transport system, nearly 450 people involved in the service in our schools, was impacted as buses were not plying and many parents refused to pay.”

Adamas International School

Ray, who is also Chancellor of the Adamas University, “I am hopeful if vaccines are out in the market and some new trouble does not crop up, there will be at least 60-65 percent recovery in the market. We used to receive students from North East, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand.

Samit Ray

“The education sector as a whole has been impacted in many ways. In our institute RICE, which trains students for government jobs, every year 6000 students from the outskirts of Bengal come and stay here. Contrary to this, last year there were a handful-1.5 to 2000 students. There was a sharp decline in student intake from districts like North & South 24 Parganas and Kolkata which witnessed the highest number of COVID surges. People in the semi-urban areas wanted to save themselves first and then get trained later for these exams,” Ray said. 

Ray, who is also Chancellor of the Adamas University, “I am hopeful if vaccines are out in the market and some new trouble does not crop up, there will be at least 60-65 percent recovery in the market. We used to receive students from North East, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand. According to our statistics, 70 per cent students from these states have stopped coming this year. The student intake has been affected. In addition to that, 2021 is an election year and there are concerns related to that also. The situation must be kept stable for the intake of students in the current year from other states.”

There was a sharp decline in student intake from districts like North & South 24 Parganas and Kolkata which witnessed the highest number of COVID surges. People in the semi-urban areas wanted to save themselves first and then get trained later for these exams,” Ray said.

Adamas-World-School

In terms of business, Adamas Group has been impacted for several reasons, intake of students and fees hike. “It was expected that students will stay in Bengal, but this has not actually happened. Contrary to the perception, the students from Bengal have ventured out to other states and abroad. So, there is double trouble, we did not get students from outside but our students left for other states,” Ray said.