Building Foundations for the Future: Ajay Gupta on Bachpan Play School’s Journey and Vision

Can you share the journey of Bachpan Play School since its inception in 2004 and elaborate on the mission that drives your educational philosophy today? 

Since the inception of our Bachpan Play School in 2004, we have set out to address every gap that hindered the preschool segment in India from achieving its full objectives in terms of a child’s holistic development. We introduced age-appropriate and play-way methods of teaching, contemporary infrastructure, SPROUT Curriculum, interactive learning materials, and tech integration. The very essence of our journey has been determined by a strong desire to consolidate the foundation that can lead students to success in all aspects of their lives. However, given our objectives, one of the major challenges that Bachpan had to overcome on its journey was a blatant lack of awareness among parents about the significance of preschool education. 

Though we have succeeded in many ways in bringing preschool education to the forefront, we believe that much work still needs to be done. Our educational philosophy’s continued emphasis on children’s language, social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development is motivated by this very mission. 

With over 1200 branches nationwide and plans for global expansion, how has Bachpan's franchise model contributed to this rapid growth, and what criteria do you look for in potential franchisees?

Bachpan’s FOFO model has been a major component in our rapid growth and success. Since we were clear from the very beginning that we did not want to open just one school and cater to students in just one region, the FOFO model fostered our expansion as the “Education Services Provider” we endeavoured to be. Combined with our advanced approaches to quality education, it enabled us to reach lakhs of parents and students in hundreds of cities within a short period. If it hadn’t been for our dedicated franchise network that believed in our vision and mission, establishing 1200+ branches nationwide and aiming at global expansion would certainly have been a dream.  

Having said that, we look for a true passion in our potential franchise partners for working with children. After we identify the ideal match, our extensive support network ensures they have all they need to succeed. From setup to recruitment, training, marketing, inauguration, and day-to-day operations, we support our franchise partners every step of the way.    

In what ways is technology integrated into the learning process at Bachpan Play School, and how do you ensure consistency in educational quality across different franchise locations?

What has always differentiated Bachpan Play School is our integration of technology and values into the teaching-learning process. Our SPROUT Curriculum is the strongest preschool curriculum in the market, backed by 35,000+ hours of research by top experts in education and child psychology. To make students future-ready, SPROUT makes use of innovative tech learning tools such as the Speak-O-Kit (which is a set of nanotechnology-based speaking books and speaking pens, acting as a 24/7 passive learning tool), VR (which fosters immersive learning experiences), Robotime (which develops a basic understanding of STEM concepts through Robotics), Smart Classes (which activate student engagement), and the 360° Support App (which provides students with 500+ hours of digital educational content). 

All these cutting-edge tools have been developed in-house by our team and are Bachpan’s unique offerings. Through equal access to these tools and regular quality checks and training sessions for our franchise partners, we strive to ensure consistency in educational quality across our 1200+ branches.

Could you discuss some common challenges faced by new franchisees, and how does Bachpan support them to overcome these challenges?

One of the most common challenges faced by new franchisees is that their lack of prior experience in education and business makes them somewhat uncertain of their own capabilities. Also, they aspire to have a quick breakeven on their cost-effective investment, which is quite challenging without proper training and support. With more than 60% of our School Directors as women, we at Bachpan Play School take pride in our empowering franchise support that is conducive to a high ROI. We are with our franchise partners throughout their entrepreneurial journey and offer them end-to-end assistance in choosing the best location, setting up their school, recruiting the best talents, increasing student admissions, and facilitating everyday operations. Further, our 360° Support App and economies of scale help them save a lot of time, money, and resources. 

What are the key infrastructure and educational methodologies that differentiate Bachpan Play School from other preschool chains in India?

At Bachpan, our Concept Rooms are a distinctive feature of our infrastructure. With specialised rooms such as the AV Room, Doll Room, Ball Room, Dining Room, and Gym Room, we ensure that we tap the multiple intelligences of children in their early childhood only, i.e., when the time is right. Also, our holistic educational methodologies, powered by the SPROUT Curriculum and consisting of regular storytelling sessions, trips and excursions, and engaging activities like immersive VR tours, maximise students’ potential to do wonders in their lives and society. 

Additionally, we host exciting programs like ABCD (AHPS-Bachpan Competition of Dance), Bachpan Baby Carnival, and Olympiads for students. These unique programs greatly set us apart from other preschool chains in India, making Bachpan a vibrant community where children thrive, explore, and grow.

Given Bachpan's impressive revenue growth through franchising, could you outline the strategic initiatives that have enabled this financial success while maintaining affordability and quality in education?

The fact that we have our own manufacturing unit that caters to all the school-related needs of our franchise partners is important when it comes to Bachpan’s impressive revenue growth. Since we produce everything in-house, ranging from school uniforms to modular school furniture, it not only allows us to leverage the economies of scale and maintain affordability, but it also allows us to maintain the highest quality of education possible for parents and students. On top of that, we have our own books for students, developed by the R&D department in-house, and we have our own team of trainers that provide advanced training to our Directors, Counsellors, and Teachers. Strategic initiatives such as these have been tremendously crucial to our continued financial success and trustworthiness.