The Impact of Digital Learning Platforms on Higher Education in South Asia (2015–2025)

Abstract

From 2015 to 2025, digital learning platforms significantly reconstructed higher education in South Asia by providing expanded access while simultaneously exposing deep structural inequities. This study examines the impact of digital learning in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh through the lens of constructivist learning theory, focusing on the gaps between policy ambition and practical implementation. Findings show that although national policies—such as India’s NEP 2020, Pakistan’s HEC COVID-19 guidelines, and Bangladesh’s blended learning initiatives—accelerated digital adoption, they struggled to address systemic challenges including inadequate infrastructure, limited faculty preparedness, socio-cultural resistance, and rural–urban disparities. Constructivist principles advocating interactive, student-centered learning were rarely realized due to institutional inertia, resource constraints, and uneven digital literacy. Across the region, marginalized groups—especially rural, low-income, and female students—were disproportionately disadvantaged, highlighting that expanded access does not guarantee equity. The study proposes a regional equity-oriented framework emphasizing infrastructure investment, capacity building, inclusive pedagogy, long-term policy integration, cultural sensitivity, and collaborative governance. Overall, the research concludes that digital transformation in South Asia holds transformative potential but requires deliberate, context-sensitive, and equity-driven strategies to avoid reinforcing existing inequalities and to support sustainable, inclusive higher education aligned with SDG4.