IIT Guwahati Developing VR Metaverse for PM SHRI Schools—But is the Metaverse Still the Future?

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati is set to develop India’s first VR-enabled metaverse platform for PM SHRI schools, transforming how students engage with complex subjects like mathematics, science, and social studies. The initiative, named “Gyandhara,” is being developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Department of Education, Assam Government and will be piloted in 56 PM SHRI Adarsh Vidyalayas across Assam later this year.

However, as India moves towards metaverse-driven education, a pressing question remains—is the metaverse still the future? Once touted as the next big thing in digital transformation, the metaverse has seen declining interest in several sectors globally. While education may provide a new space for its application, questions remain about its long-term sustainability.

The Gyandhara Metaverse is designed to bridge gaps in conceptual learning by creating interactive, immersive 3D environments where students can visualise complex topics in their local languages. The metaverse will use virtual reality (VR) technology to create a dynamic learning experience that goes beyond traditional methods like blackboards and textbooks.

Dr Keyur Sorathia, Associate Professor at IIT Guwahati and the project’s lead, explained that the initiative will help students develop creativity, critical thinking skills, and global collaboration opportunities.

“At Gyandhara, we are developing an educational metaverse that will provide students aged 13 to 18 with engaging, immersive learning experiences. Our goal is to create an interactive and dynamic learning environment that fosters deeper understanding and critical thinking,” Sorathia told PTI.

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He further emphasised that the metaverse will eventually expand beyond Assam to cover schools across North East India and later to the rest of the country. The project aims to support students in classes 8 to 12, focusing on subjects that require high levels of visualisation and engagement.

“The idea is to transform how students engage with complex topics by creating a metaverse environment where lessons are delivered in local languages,” he added.

Can the Metaverse Survive Beyond the Hype?

While IIT Guwahati’s initiative is a significant leap in edtech, globally, the metaverse has faced setbacks. What was once projected to be the future of the internet, workspaces, gaming, and education has now struggled to maintain relevance.

A 2024 report by EM360 Tech highlighted how Meta (formerly Facebook), which had invested billions in the metaverse, failed to gain mainstream adoption. The company’s ambitious Horizon Worlds platform, designed to bring people into virtual spaces, fell short of its expected user engagement. Even Microsoft, Disney, and other tech giants quietly scaled back their metaverse projects, pivoting towards more practical AI-driven applications.

A key reason behind this decline is high costs, lack of consumer adoption, and unclear monetisation models. The educational sector, however, remains an area where the metaverse could still thrive, as VR-based learning platforms provide interactive experiences that traditional teaching methods cannot replicate.

Experts believe that while corporate-driven metaverse applications are shrinking, education, healthcare, and industrial training may keep the concept alive. India’s adoption of VR-based learning through initiatives like Gyandhara could provide a real-world use case for the metaverse, ensuring its continued development despite its waning popularity in other sectors.

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If Gyandhara succeeds, it could revolutionise learning in India, making STEM subjects more accessible and engaging. However, challenges remain, including:

• Infrastructure gaps: Not all schools have access to high-speed internet and VR-compatible hardware.
• Teacher training: Educators must be equipped to integrate VR tools effectively into the curriculum.
• Affordability: VR technology remains expensive; scaling up across public schools could be financially challenging.

Despite these obstacles, India’s willingness to explore metaverse-based education signals a strong commitment to digital transformation. Whether the metaverse remains the future of education or becomes another tech trend that fades away will depend on the success of projects like Gyandhara and their ability to deliver real learning outcomes.