Millions of Indian engineering graduates become unemployed each year—not because they lack talent, but rather because of their antiquated college education.
Students that receive little exposure to contemporary skills like robotics, AI, solar technology, or EVs sometimes graduate unprepared for the workforce. The Economic Survey 2023–24 indicates that only 51.25% of Indian graduates are considered employable.
This was more than just a statistic to Himansu Sekhar Panda, a young Odisha engineer at the time. His curiosity was piqued by a flying drone at a tech festival, but he was unable to pursue it because he lacked a lab or mentor.
Himansu Sekhar Panda, an entrepreneur from Odisha, established Skyy Rider Institutions in 2018 with the goal of closing this gap; the company subsequently changed its name to Skyy Skill.
Skyy Skill Academy: Transforming Education in India
Three main learning approaches are now used by Skyy Skill Academy, an EdTech firm based in Odisha:
Online live programs offer two-year access to recordings of instructor-led sessions in real-time rather than dull pre-recorded movies. Dropout rates, the largest issue facing India’s ed-tech sector, were resolved by this technique.
Eighty percent of students drop self-paced classes. The entrepreneur from Odisha claimed that live instruction kept students interested.
Hybrid learning is a combination of 70–80% online learning and 20–30% in-person lab instruction in Skyy Skill’s city centers, including IIT Kanpur. ideal for professionals that are employed.
Full-time Offline Programs: Students get hands-on experience with EV batteries, AI kits, solar diagnostic tools, and more at campuses in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Bhubaneswar, ensuring they graduate genuinely prepared for the workforce.
The cost is still reasonable and accessible to students. Short-term certifications begin at ₹2,000, but even long-term programs that guarantee employment have a ceiling of ₹20,000 to ₹1.5 lakh.
Become an Entrepreneur by Cycling Every Day
Himansu, the founder of the EdTech company Skyy Skill, was raised in a tiny village in Odisha. His parents were employed by the government, his mother being a teacher and his father in the public sector.
He was an intelligent student who always had a strong desire to mentor others. Himansu was clear from the beginning that he intended to achieve something unique, significant, and meaningful.
Life, however, had other ideas first. Himansu joined Triveni Turbines Limited, a business in collaboration with General Electric, with a package of ₹7–8 LPA after receiving his engineering degree.
Even though he could make his parents proud, he didn’t enjoy the business life.
He made the decision to quit his work because he wanted to start his own business and help young people develop their skills. However, he had to pay ₹3 lakh to be released from the work because it was based on a contract or bond.
To save money on gas or public transportation, he purchased a bicycle and rode it for more than ten kilometers every day. He quit his job in 2017 and used just ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 to start Skyy Rider Institutions, which is now Skyy Skill.
2 lakh students were trained throughout India, up from 18 students.
By 2024, the EdTech startup located in Odisha will have trained over two million students through online, hybrid, and offline programs, having started with a tiny summer internship for eighteen students.
In 2023 alone, more than 800 students were hired by prestigious firms like Ampere, Gravton Motors, Tata Technologies, and Ola Electric.
Additionally, Skyy Skill has created more than 60 Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in colleges in Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Odisha, raising partner institution placement rates by 40–50%.
Revenue Increased from ₹30,000 to ₹10 Crore—Wholly Bootstrapped
The creator, Himansu Sekhar Panda, used only ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 in savings to bootstrap the EdTech company situated in Odisha. Himansu used personal marketing in the early days, going to campuses and dorms to spread the word. In its first year of operation, the academy made about ₹30 lakh in revenue despite having few resources.
Unexpected difficulties arose in 2019 when Cyclone Fani hit, damaging training facilities valued at ₹10 lakh. Revenue suffered as a result, and growth momentarily paused. But the academy’s approach, which combined offline instruction with college collaborations, began to garner attention and build a solid foundation for the future.
Revenue declined when the COVID-19 pandemic struck because all physical training had to cease. However, the EdTech startup from Odisha swiftly adjusted, enrolling more than 3,500 students and switching to live online sessions. In addition to stabilizing their income, this action demonstrated that their strategy could support online education on a large scale.
Skyy Skill Academy experienced tremendous scaling following the outbreak. To satisfy the increasing demand, they began establishing Centers of Excellence (CoEs) within institutions and launched full-time offline and hybrid programs. To further accelerate their growth, the institution also started collaborating with CSR projects, such as the Shell Foundation.
The EdTech company from Odisha has already generated an astonishing ₹10 crore in revenue annually while operating entirely on its own without outside investment.
Next Steps: A University of Skill
Skyy Skill Academy is preparing for significant expansion in the future. It intends to construct a specialized university for skills where businesses vie for the best students.
The EdTech business from Odisha also intends to grow to more than 200 Centers of Excellence around the country, providing cutting-edge instruction with tech-driven learning and solid industry connections.
It also intends to start producing lab equipment in order to provide technical institutes throughout India with high-quality, reasonably priced instruments.
By 2025, Skyy Skill Academy hopes to generate ₹25 crore in income and establish the framework for its Skill University.
