SRI CHAITANYA EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Leading the Way to the Educational Revolution…
All of us in our childhood knew that education followed a predictable pattern. The simple educational structure where exams were straightforward, and success often depended on discipline and rote memorization. But today’s educational systems are undergoing a paradigm transition that is worth our attention.
Education nowadays takes place in more inclusive settings with an emphasis on helping students develop their comprehension, application, and problem-solving skills. Why not, too? After all, surviving in the cutthroat world of today is difficult without the ability to solve problems. These establishments are all dedicated to fostering flexibility and critical thinking.
Sri Chaitanya has deliberately moved away from traditional paradigms to embrace a more inclusive and varied approach to learning, joining a long list of prestigious schools that have acknowledged the need for change. Their objective goes beyond only imparting knowledge of subjects to include critical thinking, problem-solving, and analyzing abilities in the overall curriculum.
Sushma Boppana, the CEO & Director of the institution asserts that their goals of education in this new era are to provide students with the skills they need for success in the real world, a greater understanding of subjects, and lifelong learning.
In talks with our team, Sushma shared a lot about the institution’s vision for the betterment of its students and creating a mark in empowering the upcoming generations. This whole story compiles the excerpts of the conversation held with her over a virtual meeting.
The career trajectory
Sushma started the conversation by sharing about her exemplary journey and how she ended up joining the institution. Well, her path to becoming a transformative force in the education space was deeply rooted in her outlook on holistic learning and her remarkable journey from the United States back to India. She is a proud alumnus of Sri Chaitanya and BITS Pilani.
Sushma took on the Chief of Academic Planning role at Sri Chaitanya in 2007. After completing her B.Tech. at BITS Pilani, she pursued her Master’s in IT from a prestigious U.S. university. She started her career with a number of American companies, such as American Electrical Power, before deciding to get into the family company.
As the Director of Sri Chaitanya and the Founder of Infinity Learn, Sushma is committed to moving the emphasis from merely academics and towards the entire development of learners. Her commitment lies in offering many educational opportunities that stimulate ingenuity and analytical reasoning in the students. Her method places a strong emphasis on the value of cognitive and social-emotional development to prepare pupils for both exams as well as life.
Revamping the educational methodologies
Sushma’s journey back to India was driven by a desire to bring the empowering educational methodologies she observed in the U.S. to Indian students. Witnessing the stark differences in educational approaches, she recognized an opportunity to walk the untrodden path. She approached her parents who were already established educationists and provided a strong foundation for the learners’ dreams to turn into reality. After getting support from her parents, Sushma decided to take the plunge, leaving behind a comfortable life in corporate America.
Sushma’s dedication extends beyond business where she is committed to empowering girls and women through education. Sri Chaitanya, founded by her parents as an all-girls institution in 1986, has been promoting gender equality and opportunity for decades. Today, with over 60% of its workforce being women, Sri Chaitanya continues to break barriers and foster independence and self-reliance among its students.
Under Sushma’s guidance, the company emphasizes the importance of continuous investment in R&D to stay competitive and relevant. Her dynamic leadership and commitment to innovation have positioned the institution is a pioneer in the field of educational services in India.
What gives them an edge in the industry?
Not just one, but many factors come into play to make Sri Chaitanya a standalone educational institution. Today, it operates more than 950 branches PAN India where they are serving over 950,000 students.
Unlike typical schools, Sri Chaitanya offers a dual focus. First is delivering a standard curriculum and second preparing students for highly competitive exams like Olympiads, NEET and JEE. This holistic approach helps students understand their academic and psychological strengths and weaknesses over the years, giving them a significant advantage.
Exam preparation is greatly aided by the institution’s extensive foundation. The strategic methodology of Sri Chaitanya consists of a well-thought-out curriculum, organized homework, set study times, and special assessment techniques. All of them are thoroughly backed by substantial research and experience, especially in the engineering and medical entrance exams. With the help of an experienced group of educators and administrators, the curriculum is carefully designed to make the most of students’ optimum time for preparation.
“In 2023, Sri Chaitanya created history as their classroom program students secured All India Rank 1 in the Open Category in JEE Main, JEE Advanced and NEET. In 2024, M V Adhitya secured gold medal in the prestigious International Mathematical Olympiad held in UK. The hon.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji congratulated for the brilliant performance which catapulted India to the best ever feat, securing 4th position amongst other countries. This was possible as Adhitya maxed 5 out of 6 problems and had an individual score of 99.34% which is the best overall. The same year, 4187+ students qualified in JEE Advanced and 9512+ students are set to become doctors.”
Sushma elucidates that the institution also realizes its Corporate social responsibilities. In line with this, they offer scholarships up to Rs. 1,000 crores to learners who are ambitious through SCORE, the biggest talent hunt test in India.
This program ensures that access to high-quality education is not hampered by budgetary limitations. The institution also invests in faculty development and training, employing over 50,000 teachers and staff across its branches and providing opportunities for educators from diverse backgrounds and experience levels. Indeed, the institution stands on a model that is symbiotic where there is a win-win for everyone involved in it.
Cognitive and emotional abilities
In our world, AI is revolutionizing many functional tasks, and the importance of cognitive and social-emotional skills cannot be overstated. At Sri Chaitanya Educational Institutions, these skills are fundamental for preparing young students for success both academically and personally, and they are essential for effective leadership.
Through a range of activities and talks, Sri Chaitanya emphasizes these points heavily. They support cooperation and ongoing growth as they think that students, parents, and the school can work together to help build these abilities gradually. As a result, Sushma’s leadership adds tremendous value in developing a child’s cognitive and socioemotional skills from an early age.
They understand how to offer learners the resources they need to overcome difficult obstacles and collaborate to achieve common objectives. Building a foundation for lifetime accomplishment and fulfillment is the goal of this team effort, not only achieving academic success. Their methodology guarantees that pupils are adequately prepared to confront the future with self-assurance and adaptability.
Infinity Learn
Sushma happened to lay the foundation of Infinity Learn which is India’s eminent AIpowered learning platform devoted to expanding outcome-based education. She shared that the motive behind the venture was the realization of the limitations of traditional education. By bringing Sri Chaitanya’s pedagogical skills to tier 2, 3, and 4 cities, this program seeks to democratize access to high-quality education, dismantling obstacles and empowering students across the country.
Every student may realize their full potential thanks to the synergy between Infinity Learn’s revolutionary methodology and Sri Chaitanya’s established history, which heralds a transformative period in education.
The courses offered by Infinity Learn have surpassed expectations by hitting significant benchmarks in many sectors. “Over 300 students qualified for JEE Advanced 2024, with 31 students scoring 99th percentile or higher and 3 achieving ranks in the Top 100 in JEE Main 2024. Moreover, 11 students secured ranks in the Top 1000. And this is just the beginning…” shared Sushma.
Quality education is accessible to every child
Sushma moved ahead to explain that Sri Chaitanya’s original goal was to allow children in the nation, regardless of their circumstances, easy access to affordable education. She clarifies that their value, which is ingrained in their culture, is to help every student who wants to study and succeed in the best possible manner.
In its first year of operation, Sri Chaitanya had 87 girl children in its class. Yes, they favor and support girl education and have facilitated special benefits for female students in their educational facility. Its main goal is to get pupils ready for competitive examinations at the local, state and national levels.
In 1991, the organization grew to include Hyderabad boys’ colleges. Sushma joined the institution in 2006 and found ways to improve their performance on national tests such as the IIT Joint Entrance Exam and NEET. Having attended the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, she was aware of the many advantages of exposure to national universities. Her joining was indeed in favor of the academic and cultural growth it offers students.
Introducing innovative solutions, K-10 expansion
Sushma Boppana is the face of innovations in the institution. She always emphasizes the need for continual improvement in education, highlighting challenges encountered at Sri Chaitanya. Initially, focused on higher secondary education, they faced difficulties in achieving uniformity due to students’ varied academic backgrounds and aspirations.
To address this, they expanded their offerings to include kindergarten through 10th grade, ensuring students received a consistent and thorough education from an early age. By integrating training for competitive exams such as the Olympiads and SCORE, India’s largest Talent Search Examination into their curriculum, they aimed to build students’ confidence and skills for nationallevel competitions. Sushma emphasizes the importance of schools in exposing both students and parents to necessary skills and opportunities.
When the global pandemic hit the world, schools were impacted negatively. During this time, Sri Chaitanya quickly adapted to online learning just by gaining insights into the strengths and limitations of virtual classrooms. Sushma and her team discovered a hybrid model where they combined online and offline education so that learning couldn’t be hampered in any way.
Eventually, it became a huge success and was most effective. Despite these advancements, she acknowledges the challenges faced by students from modest backgrounds who struggle with limited access to technology. Her promise to provide equitable education led to the development of platforms supporting both online and offline learning, ensuring all students could thrive regardless of their circumstances.
