Mohit Bansal, an IIM Ahmadabad Alumnus, launched an innovative digital platform in the late 2017 with co-founder, Anil Kumar. This digital platform provided the opportunity for children (5-13 years) to practice and enhance Math and English skills through intuitive quiz based learning. At a time when other education firms were focussing on imparting knowledge and concepts, Mohit had built a platform for kids to practise such concepts. According to Mohit, the biggest challenge for kids from class I-VIII was not on the basis of comprehending basic concepts, but rather the lack of practice. This electronic platform, known as iChamp, soon became India’s first multiplayer gamified practice platform for school students.
In 2005, the idea of iChamp came to Mohit’s mind, when he realised the gaps in the Indian educational system which was leading to poor learning outcomes for kids from an early age. He, however, had to park this idea when he began venturing in other avenues of the education and gaming industry. Years later, the execution resumed, and the app was finally introduced to the Indian market. “The primary idea behind the App was the belief that students, like adults, respond best to competition ie they would try to give their best if a task is structured as a challenge and rewards linked with it. Hence iChamp has short duration challenges wherein students compete with their peers and try to win challenges that give them points which can be later redeemed for gifts and prizes,” said Bansal.
He also believes that the Indian e-education space is completely crowded with video/animation based concept learning apps. “There are some apps that allow practise, but they are mostly question banks. iChamp is a practise App, which combines three features of gamification – challenge, reward and recognition. We saw a unique opportunity in India, as there is currently no other education App that is only focussed on practise and rewards students for solving questions,” said Bansal.
Mohit Bansal’s success story is an example of the growing electronic forum and globalised India. He seized the opportunity in the growing gaming industry and served the society by catering to a greater cause. He turned his ideas into a platform that will not only entertain and delight but also enrich subject based skills among the youth.