Online Learning vs Offline Learning in 2025: What Do Students Prefer ?

Jessica Talukdar

As technology continues to evolve, the education system has undergone significant changes. In 2025, students are more likely to favor online learning over offline learning due to affordability, a wide range of options, broad accessibility, and flexibility.

Additionally, online platforms are gradually becoming more tailored to individual learning needs. With the help of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Augmented or Virtual Reality, many platforms now offer features that adapt to a student’s pace, preferences, and level of understanding. This shift towards a more personalized experience allows learners to engage with content in ways that feel more effective.

The COVID pandemic accelerated this transition. During lockdowns and social distancing, educational institutions across the world had no choice but to adopt virtual learning environments. In 2021 alone, platforms like Coursera recorded nearly 20 million new users. This trend didn’t just affect higher education; private coaching centers also had to shift online, using digital tools on a daily basis.

BYJU’S is a global education technology (edtech) company that thrived during the pandemic as online learning became widespread. Students of all ages, from primary school to competitive exams like JEE, CAT, and NEET, joined their courses. However, BYJU’S experienced a significant decline at the beginning of 2023. It failed due to poor financial management, high customer acquisition costs, quality control issues, retention problems, and regulatory issues. While its app and online learning platform were popular during the pandemic, its sales tactics, lack of focus on student education, expensive learning packages, and internal struggles led to its downfall.

As demand for a better online experience grew, so did investments in educational technology. For many students, this change provided flexibility and access to resources that weren’t available before. The result wasn’t a full replacement of traditional education, but the rise of blended models. And in 2025, students continue to explore both online and offline ways of learning.

ONLINE LEARNING: ACCESSIBILITY AND FLEXIBILITY

One of the biggest benefits of online learning is flexibility. Students can learn at their own pace, revisit recorded lectures, and access a variety of resources that would otherwise be limited by location.

However, some students still struggle with staying motivated, distractions at home, and technical issues like poor internet connectivity. Also, the lack of face-to-face interaction affects their overall development.

OFFLINE LEARNING: STRUCTURE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION

With schools, colleges, and universities now fully open again, traditional classroom learning has made a strong comeback. Many students still prefer offline education because of the structured environment, the chance to interact with peers, collaborate on group activities, and receive instant feedback from teachers. It also helps maintain discipline and routine.

Students develop social skills through participation in real-time discussions that allow different learning styles to thrive. However, offline learning can sometimes be rigid with fixed schedules and locations, which might not suit every student.

WHAT DO STUDENTS PREFER IN 2025?

A recent survey conducted in early 2025 among 2,000 college and high school students across India revealed that:

• 45% prefer a blended model (a mix of online and offline)
  
  

• 30% still favor offline classes for the discipline and social learning experience
  
  

• 25% choose online learning due to flexibility and wider access to resources
  
  

These numbers show that while traditional education continues to hold strong value, digital platforms have secured a permanent place in the education system. The blended model appears to offer the best of both worlds — combining structure with freedom.