Prime Highlights:
- UpGrad is expanding its Learning Support Centre (LSC) network across India to make skill-based, job-ready education more accessible.
- The company aims to strengthen its hybrid learning model, combining online and offline training for better learning outcomes.
Key Facts:
- UpGrad has already opened 11 centres in cities such as Pune, Kolkata, Indore, Bhopal, and Bengaluru.
- The network is expected to grow to 40 centres by March 2026, following a successful pilot phase.
Background:
Edtech company upGrad is expanding its Learning Support Centres across India to provide easier access to job. These centres will offer 4–6 month short-term courses in popular fields such as Data Science, Machine Learning, and Full Stack Development.
According to Manish Kalra, COO Offline, upGrad, India’s workforce is at a critical juncture where millions of graduates enter the job market every year, yet employability remains a major challenge.
“Our Learning Support Centres are not traditional coaching classes but structured environments focused on making learners job-ready. The idea is to combine academic strength with industry relevance and guided mentorship,” Kalra said.
The company’s investment strategy involves partnering with franchise partners in Tier II and emerging cities to build a scalable, employability-driven ecosystem that maintains consistent academic standards while reaching more learners.
Kalra added that learners today achieve faster growth when they combine theoretical knowledge with real-world industry experience. “These centres are a natural extension of our mission, to help learners gain an instant skilling edge through short-format, industry-designed programs,” he said.
Industry data shows that India produces around 1.5 million engineering graduates annually, yet only about 45% meet industry employability standards. The company is inviting young entrepreneurs as franchise partners after a successful 2024 pilot, paving the way for nationwide expansion.
