Byju’s is an app that helps students prepare for exams like JEE, NEET, CAT, etc. and has been the first choice of students over the years. In this article, we talk about the pros and cons of using Byju’s app to prepare for exams so that you can decide whether or not it is right for you. Read on to know more about Byju’s!
Pros and Cons of Byju’s App – What is it?
If you aren’t familiar with it, Byju’s is a new mobile app that teaches students how to learn math. The app boasts thousands of videos, worksheets, assessments, teacher-student interaction tools and tests. Students use the app for class or on their own time to improve their grades in school as well as for entrance exams. The app even has motivational tips on how to study efficiently so you can maximize your results by studying smarter instead of harder. In theory, it’s an excellent concept – but does it work? I decided to put my money where my mouth is and try out some lessons from different grade levels (5th grade up through 12th) to see if I could pass math class with just my phone!
Who makes it?
Byju’s (ब्यूजुएस) is a personalised edutainment app, currently available in India, United States and Australia. It is developed by Think & Learn Private Limited, a company that has previously partnered with several educational firms like NIIT and Value Schools among others. It was founded by Byju Raveendran, an alumnus of IIT Delhi, IIM Bangalore and Stanford Graduate School of Business. This app offers online learning programs for students to use on their phones at school or home. Students can avail course material through subscription packages or through membership plans with schools.
How does it work?
Students can easily access the app by connecting their device to Wi-Fi or by purchasing an internet connection for a nominal fee. Students can choose from lesson packages based on their level, as determined by an initial diagnostic test. There are more than 250,000 practice questions in total, as well as over 3,500 hours of video content. The application offers in-app coaching for students who take any one of its 200+ skill tests, which helps pinpoint weak areas for improvement. Some students may enjoy using Byju’s simply because it is interactive; they won’t feel like they are just passively watching or listening to someone talk about information they should know.
The cost – pricing structure
You can try Byju’s for free, but you will have limited features. For unlimited access to content (exercises and videos), you’ll need to subscribe to a monthly plan at ₹999. The 6-month plan is available at ₹499 per month while a yearly subscription costs ₹2,349. There are no contracts or hidden fees; you can cancel your subscription any time after purchasing.
Things To Know Before Buying Subscription
Subscription services are gaining traction in India as mobile internet penetration increases. These include monthly or annual recurring payments for music, apps, e-books, online food delivery, et cetera. The biggest advantage of paying a recurring fee is convenience—for instance, you might forget to download music albums or keep track of new books on your own, but subscriptions take care of that for you. One con is that payment for subscriptions may be inconvenient if you don’t have an Indian bank account (some subscription services only accept non-Indian credit cards), especially if you’re buying them from another country. Another risk is that service can get shut down due to legal problems; after all it’s illegal to sell pirated content in India.
What are the alternatives?
In one sense, there aren’t any. As far as we know, there is no other app that teaches K-12 content while providing a platform for students to practice what they learn through assessments. There are probably a few apps out there with similar functionality but teaching adults how to do their jobs; Coursera has courses that train individuals in marketing skills, for example. But in terms of where learning takes place—the classroom or at home on an app—there really isn’t any competition.
What Should I Prefer ?
- A quality education is really hard to come by these days. In times like these, when high costs are associated with colleges and universities for even remote, low-quality courses, a free quality alternative can go a long way. One such online learning platform is Byju’s. But what makes it so good? And what are its shortcomings? Let’s look at some pros and cons so you can decide for yourself.