Case Study Background
SanskritikPathshala, headquartered in Udaipur, Rajasthan, has emerged as India's leading alternative education institution, pioneering a unique blend of homeschooling methodologies with traditional Gurukul principles. Founded in 2010 as a small learning center with just 15 students, it has grown exponentially to support over 12,000 families across India and has established learning hubs in 18 cities, with virtual programs reaching students in 22 countries worldwide.
Dr. Aditi Sharma, Founder and CEO of SanskritikPathshala, recently unveiled "Vidya Parampara 2035" – an ambitious vision merging ancient wisdom with modern educational approaches. "Education is undergoing a fundamental transformation globally," emphasizes Dr. Sharma. "While the pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital learning, we believe true education must nurture the whole child – mind, body, and spirit – as our ancient Gurukul system did. Our approach draws inspiration from Nalanda University's multidisciplinary education model, where learning transcended boundaries of subjects and embraced holistic development."
Mr. Vikram Patel, CHRO at SanskritikPathshala, has identified several critical talent management challenges:
- High turnover rates (28% annually) among specialized educators with expertise in both traditional knowledge systems and modern pedagogy
- Difficulty in standardizing skill assessment across diverse teaching methodologies (Vedic mathematics, experiential learning, and digital content creation)
- Limited visibility into educator capabilities across decentralized learning hubs
- Inconsistent performance evaluation methods between in-person and virtual facilitators
- Need to preserve ancient teaching methodologies while fostering innovation in modern educational practices
- Challenges in developing specialized educators who can serve as true "gurus" in the traditional sense while leveraging modern technologies
"Our talent approach must honor the guru-shishya parampara (teacher-student tradition) while embracing technological innovation," explains Mr. Patel. "According to our analysis, we're competing not just with conventional schools but increasingly with edtech platforms for specialized talent. The Ministry of Education's emphasis on the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020, which explicitly acknowledges India's knowledge traditions, makes this the perfect time to transform our talent management approach."
To address these challenges, SanskritikPathshala has decided to implement SAP SuccessFactors Talent Intelligence Hub as the cornerstone of its talent transformation journey.
Implementation Challenge
As the implementation consultant engaged to support this strategic initiative, you must address the following questions that incorporate both technical and organizational considerations specific to this unique educational model.
Case Study Questions
- Skills Ontology Development
SanskritikPathshala needs a comprehensive skills framework that bridges traditional Gurukul teaching approaches with modern homeschooling methodologies. How would you design a skills ontology within the Talent Intelligence Hub that captures both ancient pedagogical practices (like oral traditions, personalized mentorship) and contemporary educational skills (digital literacy, adaptive learning technologies)? Include specific skill categories and explain how you would structure the relationships between different teaching competencies.
- Growth Portfolio Implementation for Holistic Educators
How would you configure the Growth Portfolio feature to empower SanskritikPathshala's educators to track and prioritize their development across both traditional and modern domains? Explain how the system would recommend skills based on the Nalanda model of multidisciplinary learning while respecting the individualized pathways of different educators.
- Guru-Shishya Competency Framework
Dr. Sharma believes that the current competency framework doesn't adequately reflect the depth of the guru-shishya relationship central to the Gurukul tradition. How would you evolve SanskritikPathshala's competency framework using TIH to incorporate elements like spiritual mentorship, ethical guidance, and personalized instruction that characterize traditional Gurukul education?
- Data Migration and Integration Strategy
SanskritikPathshala currently documents educator competencies through a combination of traditional assessments (performed by master educators) and modern evaluation tools. What approach would you recommend for migrating this diverse data into the Job Profile Builder (JPB) as a prerequisite for enabling the Talent Intelligence Hub? Include considerations for preserving the nuanced assessment approach of traditional systems.
- Learning Integration for Educator Development
SanskritikPathshala follows the ancient principle that "the true teacher is an eternal student." How would you integrate the Talent Intelligence Hub with SAP SuccessFactors Learning to create personalized development journeys that honor this traditional value while addressing skill gaps in modern educational methodologies?
- Opportunity Marketplace for Knowledge Exchange
The Nalanda tradition emphasized knowledge exchange across disciplines. How would you design and implement the Opportunity Marketplace within TIH to facilitate cross-disciplinary experiences and mentorships among educators? Explain how this would help preserve specialized knowledge in areas like Vedic mathematics, Sanskrit, and traditional arts while fostering innovation.
- AI-Driven Insights for Preserving Traditional Knowledge
With many master practitioners of traditional subjects approaching retirement age, SanskritikPathshala risks losing irreplaceable knowledge. How would you leverage the AI capabilities within TIH to identify critical knowledge transfer needs and facilitate succession planning for specialized teaching roles? Include specific use cases for predictive analytics.
- Strategic Workforce Planning for Expansion
Dr. Sharma's "Vidya Parampara 2035" vision includes establishing 50 new learning hubs globally by 2035. How would you utilize the Talent Intelligence Hub to support strategic workforce planning for this expansion? Explain how the system could help identify, develop, and deploy educators who embody both traditional Gurukul values and innovative teaching approaches.
- Change Management for Traditional Practitioners
Many senior educators at SanskritikPathshala follow traditional teaching approaches and may resist technology-driven talent management. Design a comprehensive change management strategy that respects traditional values while demonstrating the benefits of the Talent Intelligence Hub. Include specific engagement approaches for different stakeholder groups.
- Performance Measurement Aligned with Gurukul Values
Traditional Gurukul education valued character development and wisdom over standardized metrics. How would you design a performance measurement framework within TIH that honors these traditional values while providing actionable insights for modern educational outcomes? Include specific metrics that bridge ancient educational philosophies with contemporary learning objectives.
Implementation Context
When developing your responses, consider these additional factors:
- SanskritikPathshala competes with both traditional schools and innovative edtech platforms for specialized talent
- The organization maintains a dual culture blending traditional Gurukul values with contemporary educational practices
- Recent government initiatives like the National Education Policy 2020 emphasize India's knowledge traditions while promoting modern skills
- The parents who choose SanskritikPathshala seek both traditional values and competitive modern education for their children
- Many of the most effective educators have non-traditional backgrounds, including homeschooled individuals who bring unique perspectives to teaching
Your implementation approach should balance technical excellence with organizational change requirements, ensuring that the Talent Intelligence Hub delivers both immediate improvements and sustainable long-term value in addressing the critical talent challenges facing SanskritikPathshala.
Evaluation Criteria
Students will be evaluated on:
- Understanding of SAP SuccessFactors Talent Intelligence Hub capabilities
- Ability to align technical implementation with homeschooling/Gurukul educational needs
- Practical approaches to data migration and system integration that respect traditional knowledge systems
- Creative solutions to user adoption challenges among diverse educator groups
- Appreciation of the historical context of Indian educational traditions and their modern applications
- Integration of AI and advanced analytics to drive strategic talent decisions while preserving traditional wisdom
Made with Bullet