A child’s curiosity doesn’t need to be created; it already exists. What parents today are trying to do is protect it. Having grown up in an education system where memorisation often took precedence, many parents now want something different for their children--an environment where learning is not just about absorbing information, but about questioning, understanding, and applying it in the real world. This shift is quietly reshaping classrooms.
Schools are moving beyond textbooks and lectures, placing greater emphasis on critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. The rise of robotics, coding, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) laboratories reflects this change. With the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 reinforcing experiential learning, classrooms are increasingly becoming spaces where students are encouraged to experiment, build, and explore, preparing them not just for exams but for life beyond school.
India’s STEM education ecosystem continues to grow steadily, driven by rising demand for future-ready skills and increased investment in school infrastructure. As industries undergo rapid technological change, the skills required of the future workforce are evolving, prompting education providers to rethink how foundational learning is delivered.
Government-led initiatives such as the Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) programme have expanded their reach across thousands of schools, fostering a culture of innovation at the grassroots level. These initiatives are reinforcing applied learning as a core educational outcome.
Parental expectations are also evolving, with families increasingly seeking holistic development beyond academic instruction. This shift has driven demand for advanced science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratories, robotics and STEM learning spaces. Together, these developments are encouraging institutions to move beyond curriculum changes and invest in environments that enable applied learning.
{{/usCountry}}Parental expectations are also evolving, with families increasingly seeking holistic development beyond academic instruction. This shift has driven demand for advanced science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratories, robotics and STEM learning spaces. Together, these developments are encouraging institutions to move beyond curriculum changes and invest in environments that enable applied learning.
{{/usCountry}}One of the most significant outcomes of investing in STEM infrastructure is its ability to bridge the gap between theory and real-world application. Concepts once confined to textbooks are brought to life through hands-on experimentation. From building simple robotic models to writing basic code, students are actively engaging with core scientific and technological principles.
This experiential approach deepens understanding while building confidence, curiosity and resilience, traits valued in higher education and professional environments. Importantly, this transformation is not limited to metropolitan regions. We are seeing a trend in which schools in tier II & III cities are also beginning to invest in STEM labs and digital classrooms.
As expectations from schools grow, educational institutions need to continuously upgrade and maintain their infrastructure. To do this effectively, financial planning becomes critical. Schools must balance capital expenditure, such as investments in buildings, laboratories and digital classrooms, with their operating expenditures. A well-planned capex-opex strategy enables institutions to grow responsibly while preserving the quality of learning and student experience. Education-focused financial lenders have emerged as crucial enablers of this transformation, as they have the expertise to understand the unique needs of each institution and accordingly support their investment plans.
The growing presence of robotics, coding and STEM labs marks a defining shift in how education is being approached in India. What we are witnessing is not just an upgrade in infrastructure, but a broader change in mindset--from passive learning to active discovery. As schools continue to invest in these environments, they are not only improving immediate learning outcomes but also equipping students with the skills needed to navigate an increasingly complex and dynamic world.
(The views expressed are personal)
This article is authored by Vivek Kumar Baranwal, chief business officer – Education Loans Domestic Business, Avanse Financial Services.