ConnectEd Technologies Revolutionizes Government Schooling with Tailor-Made Edtech Solutions

In India, the quality of a child's education—and by extension, their entire life trajectory—is often a matter of chance. It is determined by the socio-economic background of their family and the city or village where they were born. While private schools in urban centers have rapidly migrated to digital learning, the government schooling system, which caters to millions, has often been left behind or served with technology never intended for its unique environment.

Enter Lehar Tawde, Co-founder of ConnectEd Technologies. Alongside his partner Lavin Mirchandani, Tawde is building an education technology social enterprise that specializes in large-scale developmental projects for government schools. By designing "tailor-made" tools—entirely in vernacular languages and linked to state board curricula—ConnectEd is ensuring that 21st-century education is a right, not a privilege, for every Indian child.

From conducting primary research in Palghar to impacting over 2 lakh students across 8 states, Tawde’s journey is a blueprint for scaling social impact through specialized engineering.

The Problem: Repurposed Tech in a Fragmented System

Tawde’s initial research in 2014 revealed a disturbing trend: most "good intentions" in government school digitization were failing because the technology being used was designed for private schools. Taking an edtech product meant for a high-end urban classroom and dropping it into a rural government school often resulted in low engagement and wasted resources.

"Every piece of technology around us is designed keeping a user in mind," Tawde explains. "Just taking an edtech product designed for a private school and providing it to a government school... may not be the best thing to do operationally or from an impact perspective."

The Solution: Tailor-Made Vernacular Ecosystems

ConnectEd Technologies focuses on three core solutions: large-scale school digitization, remote digital content (accelerated by the pandemic), and mass awareness campaigns. Their primary differentiator is User-Centric Design for the government school context.

Their content isn't just translated; it's designed for the "grasping power" of students in these schools, focusing on basic fundamentals where they often fall back. By partnering with socially responsible organizations (CSR) and government bodies, they provide these tools entirely free of cost to the end-user.

Implementation: The Leap from "Sentiment" to Palghar

ConnectEd didn't start as a business plan; it started as a "sentiment" between two MBA classmates from NMIMS Bombay who wanted more challenging and impactful work. They spent six months on secondary research before quitting their comfortable jobs in 2014 to move to Palghar for primary research.

Supported by the District Collector, they gained access to 570 government schools. This "feet on the ground" approach allowed them to see the reality of classroom delivery. "Technology allows you to standardize delivery," says Tawde. "This interaction will retain its quality even ten years later, which is not the case with in-person interactions."

The Human Side: Humility and Responsibility

Tawde is deeply humbled by the "matter of chance" that determines life trajectories. This realization drives his sense of responsibility toward the people within his organization and the students they serve. He believes that entrepreneurship is a "team effort" that goes far beyond throwing capital at a problem.

To maintain his focus, he advocates for regular "breathers." "Take a break; it's very important," he advises. "Friday night, Saturday, Sunday is just 'me time'... read a book just to kind of get your head out of the other work." This balance is what allows him to lead a young, passionate team through the high-pressure world of government and social enterprise work.

Future Vision: The NEP 2020 and Digital De Facto

Tawde sees a "world of a switch" happening in the government schooling space. The adoption of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the massive mindset shift during the pandemic have made online education "de facto" even for rural families. He envisions a future where technology standardizes the quality of lecture delivery across all 28 languages of the Indian schooling system.

Key Takeaways for Social Entrepreneurs

• Research is Non-Negotiable: Don't rely on secondary data. Go to the field, talk to the District Collectors, and understand the user's "grasping power" firsthand.
• Design for the End-User: A "free" product isn't successful if it's not usable. Tailor your hardware and content to the specific environment of the beneficiary.
• Ownership Beyond the Job Description: In an ecosystem enabler, founders and early hires must "don multiple hats" and take responsibility for the entire chain of delivery.
• Standardization is Scalability: Use technology to ensure that a child in a remote block of Maharashtra gets the same quality of lecture as one in a metro city.

As ConnectEd Technologies continues to expand to 45 cities and international growth markets like the Middle East, Lehar Tawde remains committed to the "enjoyable process" of self-development through social impact. By bridging the digital gap in public schooling, he is ensuring that for the next generation of Indians, success is no longer just a matter of chance.