Asci report calls out edtech ads for uneven focus on marks, maths, science

Gender imbalance evident with spotlight on boys; preference for celebs over teachers

Ahead of the Prime Minister’s “Pariksha Pe Charcha” (conversation on exams) on January 27, which will focus on issues such as exam-related stress, the Advertising Standards Council of India (Asci) has released a report on ads in the education technology (edtech) sector and their impact on students and parents.

It turns out that much like traditional education institutes, high scores in exams remain the primary benchmark of success in edtech ads, too – triggering the same pressures that students struggle with.

Also, maths and science dominate the ads, with an insignificant presence of other subjects. That’s not all. Within these