Veranda RACE collaborates with NEMI Education and IIT Indore to launch online BFSI skilling program

Veranda RACE, a wholly owned subsidiary of Veranda Learning Solutions Limited, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NEMI Education to launch a new IIT Indore-certified Post Graduate Program in Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI). This industry-aligned course, delivered online, is designed to equip aspiring professionals with critical domain knowledge and practical expertise needed to thrive in the evolving financial services sector. The inaugural cohort is expected to commence on May 1, 2025, with a course duration of four to six months.

This initiative aligns closely with the company’s broader strategic mission to bridge India‘s well-documented skill gap in BFSI roles. The partnership leverages IIT Indore’s academic prestige, NEMI Education’s curriculum design via its skilling arm Drishti CPS, and Veranda RACE’s nationwide reach in competitive training and professional development. The course delivery will integrate expert faculty instruction, manager-led practical learning, and advanced tech platforms—ensuring accessibility and high-quality engagement for learners across India.

How does this IIT Indore-certified BFSI course fill India’s finance sector skill gap?

India’s BFSI sector, a cornerstone of national economic activity, has consistently battled a disconnect between formal education and job-readiness. Traditional academic degrees often fail to meet the dynamic needs of this sector, especially amid rising digital transformation and regulatory complexities. The new course offers a compact, high-impact alternative—a four- to six-month Post Graduate Certificate tailored for immediate employability and upskilling.

The course structure includes contributions from IIT Indore faculty, practicing professionals, and a digital-first platform—creating a hybrid education model tailored for India’s aspiring professionals in Tier I, II, and III cities. With Veranda RACE’s strong foothold in exam training and career coaching, the program is expected to attract a wide base of learners looking to transition into or advance within financial services. By focusing on practical relevance and sector-specific outcomes, the initiative supports key government programs like Skill India and aligns with increasing private sector demand for digital-savvy, compliance-trained professionals.

What makes this online BFSI program a breakthrough in India’s digital learning landscape?

One of the key differentiators of the program is its certification from IIT Indore, one of India’s premier institutes. In a market saturated with generic online courses, this credential adds significant weight for prospective employers and gives learners a clear edge in the job market. Moreover, the collaboration ensures that the course is not just academically rigorous but also industry-relevant—thanks to NEMI Education’s structured skilling approach.

Unlike conventional MBA programs that require heavy investments of time and capital, this post-graduate certificate offers a faster and more accessible path to industry entry. Delivered entirely online, it combines live lectures, recorded content, collaborative exercises, and career mentorship into a single platform. This format is especially critical in post-pandemic India, where learners seek flexibility, and employers demand job-ready candidates.

The program mirrors global trends toward modular, outcome-focused education. As hiring managers increasingly favour credentials that demonstrate tangible skills over traditional degrees, Veranda RACE’s BFSI program aims to deliver immediate value. Its tech-driven model also ensures inclusivity by extending access to underserved geographies, furthering Veranda’s mission to democratise quality education.

What are the leadership perspectives behind this collaboration?

Akshay Bajpayee, Chief Executive Officer of NEMI Education, described the initiative as a step toward generating “industry-ready talent” through a practical and academically robust framework. He emphasised that the IIT Indore certification would raise the employability quotient of graduates, enabling a smoother transition into high-growth BFSI roles.

Santhosh Kumar, CEO of Veranda RACE, reiterated the company’s commitment to career empowerment through technology-enabled learning. He noted that the collaboration aligns with Veranda’s core vision of delivering outcome-driven education that meets modern workforce expectations. This perspective highlights how the partnership fits into Veranda Learning Solutions’ wider strategy of building future-ready professionals.

Founded in 2018 by the Kalpathi AGS Group, Veranda Learning Solutions has rapidly evolved into a diversified edtech player with presence in K-12 education, test prep, study abroad, and software training. As a publicly listed company, it continues to position itself at the intersection of innovation and scalable education.

How does this development impact Veranda Learning’s stock and investor sentiment?

The announcement of this high-profile collaboration arrives at a pivotal moment for Veranda Learning Solutions. Listed on both BSE and NSE under the symbol VERANDA, the company’s stock closed at ₹209.60 on April 3, 2025, marking a 2.03% decline from the previous session. This comes after a short rally on April 1, when the stock rose to ₹218.87, reflecting investor optimism surrounding recent announcements, including its earlier tie-up with IIT Madras.

Over the past 52 weeks, Veranda’s share price has fluctuated between ₹135.00 and ₹360.25, indicating heightened volatility. The current market capitalisation stands at approximately ₹1,528.84 crore. However, despite its strategic partnerships and expanding educational portfolio, the company reported a net loss of ₹193.83 crore in the December 2024 quarter on a total income of ₹98.38 crore.

This weak bottom line, coupled with a return on equity of -43.0% and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.3, raises investor caution. Additionally, the fact that 36.23% of promoter holdings are pledged introduces further financial risk. Institutional participation remains low, with Foreign Institutional Investors (FII) holding just 1.12% and Domestic Institutional Investors (DII) holding 0.35% as of the latest filings.

From a sentiment perspective, the new IIT Indore collaboration is likely to be viewed as a forward-looking move that may strengthen long-term revenue and brand positioning. However, the company must demonstrate financial discipline and operational efficiency to translate strategic initiatives into shareholder value.

Buy, Sell or Hold?

For investors, Veranda Learning Solutions presents a high-risk, high-reward profile. Those with a long-term horizon and appetite for speculative growth stories in the edtech sector may consider a hold strategy while awaiting clearer signs of profitability and debt reduction. Short-term investors may prefer to wait for more consistent earnings visibility before committing. Given the company’s current financial structure and promoter pledging levels, it does not yet qualify as a buy for conservative portfolios.

What does this mean for India’s BFSI skilling landscape and Veranda’s future?

This collaboration with IIT Indore and NEMI Education marks a meaningful evolution in Veranda’s skilling portfolio. By integrating top-tier academic input with career-focused delivery, the program aligns with the demand-supply dynamics of India’s financial services labour market. It also reaffirms the potential of digital-first education to scale, personalise, and standardise quality learning experiences across the country.

As Veranda Learning seeks to cement its place as a full-spectrum education provider, the success of such programs could offer a roadmap for similar initiatives across healthcare, legal, and tech sectors. While market reception remains cautious amid financial headwinds, initiatives like this suggest the company is not only expanding its offerings but recalibrating its value proposition around employability and sectoral alignment.

For learners, this course could be a springboard into BFSI careers. For Veranda, it may just be the beginning of a new growth chapter—one that will need to be supported by strong financial stewardship and sustained operational impact.