EasyShiksha Taps Partnership Veteran to Spearhead Global Expansion

GURGAON, India – March 03, 2026 – In a strategic move signaling aggressive global ambitions, Indian EdTech platform EasyShiksha has appointed Ms. Deepti Barman as its new Head of Strategic Partnerships. The appointment is a clear declaration of intent from the Gurgaon-based company to move beyond its domestic stronghold and carve out a significant presence on the international stage by building a robust network of global alliances.

This decision comes as the global EdTech market, projected to reach over $400 billion by 2025, becomes increasingly competitive. For platforms like EasyShiksha, which has built its brand on democratizing education, forging strong partnerships is no longer just a growth tactic but a critical survival strategy. The new hire is tasked with navigating this complex landscape, building bridges with universities, corporations, and governments worldwide to accelerate the company's next phase of growth.

An Architect for Global Alliances

Ms. Barman joins EasyShiksha with a formidable track record spanning over a decade in strategic alliance and partnership development. Her professional background includes key leadership positions such as Head of Partnerships for India at KIT Global and Partner Alliance Manager at Jio Haptik Technologies. This experience has honed her expertise in creating scalable collaboration frameworks and managing high-value, revenue-focused alliances—skills that are directly aligned with EasyShiksha's expansionary goals.

Her mandate is extensive, covering global university and institutional collaborations, corporate skilling and certification alliances, government and ecosystem partnerships, and strategic technology integrations. This multi-pronged approach indicates a comprehensive strategy to embed EasyShiksha within various facets of the global education and professional development ecosystem.

In a statement regarding her new role, Ms. Barman expressed her enthusiasm for the task ahead. "EasyShiksha represents a powerful opportunity to build meaningful partnerships across the global education ecosystem," she stated. "I look forward to creating high-impact collaborations that drive innovation, accessibility, and measurable growth." Her focus on 'measurable growth' underscores the commercial imperative behind this strategic push.

A Strategic Pivot Amidst Fierce Competition

The timing of the appointment is crucial. EasyShiksha is entering a field dominated by global giants like Coursera and edX, platforms that built their empires on the back of strong university-first partnership models and deep industry connections. Coursera boasts collaborations with over 300 leading universities and industry players like Google and IBM, while edX was founded by Harvard and MIT. These competitors have set a high bar for academic credibility and corporate integration.

Sunil Sharma, CEO of EasyShiksha, acknowledged the importance of this strategic direction. "We are delighted to welcome Deepti to the EasyShiksha leadership team," he commented. "Her experience in building strong, performance-driven partner ecosystems will significantly enhance our global collaboration strategy and accelerate our long-term vision."

This vision appears to be one of rapid, strategic expansion. While research from late 2025 indicated EasyShiksha was an unfunded company, its self-description as a "fast-growing global EdTech platform" and this high-profile hire suggest a significant reliance on organic growth and the successful monetization of its partnership model. Successfully executing this strategy without substantial venture capital backing would be a notable achievement in a sector where competitors are often heavily funded. The challenge for Ms. Barman will be to build an alliance network that not only competes with established players but also delivers sustainable revenue to fuel this ambitious growth.

Scaling the Mission to Democratize Education

While tackling the global market, EasyShiksha can draw upon its successful domestic partnership model. In India, the company has established a strong foothold through its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) program with colleges and universities. This program allows institutions to integrate EasyShiksha's platform, offering students skill-based courses, virtual internships, and certification support at an affordable price point, often with co-branded certificates that enhance institutional credibility.

A prime example of this model's impact is the partnership with Kashmir Valley College of Arts & Science. Within just three months of implementation, the collaboration resulted in over 300 students completing certified courses and more than 180 participating in virtual internships, contributing to an 18% increase in campus placement participation.

This new global push can be seen as an effort to scale this mission of "democratizing education and empowering learners with industry-relevant skills." By expanding its network of academic and corporate partners internationally, EasyShiksha aims to replicate its domestic success and bridge learning and employment gaps on a wider scale. The company's focus on affordability and a unique combination of courses and internships, which has served as a key differentiator in the Indian market, will now be tested on the global stage. The success of this expansion will ultimately depend on the ability of its new leadership to forge alliances that are not only strategic but also genuinely accessible and impactful for learners across different cultures and economies.