How India's education audiovisual (AV) market is entering new growth phase as AI reshapes classrooms?

India’s educational audiovisual (AV) market is making a dramatic shift from static projectors to intelligent, interactive learning ecosystems driven by AI integration and government digital mandates. Experiencing a 45–50 per cent CAGR over recent years, interactive flat panels and 4K displays are transforming classrooms into two-way collaborative hubs, making students and faculty members more engaging towards each other.

The entry of AI-powered displays allows educators to generate content dynamically, automate lesson summaries, and track engagement in real time, increasing the efficiency of the learning of student learning. Moreover, cloud-based tools like the Optoma Management Suite enable seamless hybrid environments, connecting physically present and remote students across institutions.

Crucially, digital setups have become far more accessible. Prices for active displays have dropped to nearly a quarter of their cost five years ago, aided by EMI models and government initiatives under PM Narendra Modi. Looking ahead, experts project a transition toward energy-efficient laser projections, simulation-based experiential learning for higher education, and fully immersive, multi-wall interactive classrooms.

Experts weigh in on the audiovisual (AV) market

Experts are also seeing the development as a great opportunity for students, teachers and industry, enabling these products to meet both demand and supply. Even with more demand for these products, it also helped institutions and digital tutors to get into the market at affordable prices.

1. The latest SNS Insider report projects strong growth in the global Educational Audiovisual Systems market over the next decade, driven by digital learning and classroom modernisation. From your perspective, what are the biggest factors accelerating this transformation in India, and how does the country's trajectory compare with global trends?

Vijay Sharma, Managing Director, Optoma Technology (India) Pvt. Ltd: India is a reflection of a global educational market. Whatever happens globally, it comes to India. Previously, the projectors used in the classes were able to provide one-way information. In the last 5-6 years, projectors have been replaced by Audio Visual display which enable multiple activities and engage students. This is not only one-way communication but also two-way, increasing engagement between teacher and students equally. The market for these products has witnessed a growth of nearly 45-50 CAGR in the last 5 years and is still growing exponentially. These displays have become a core part of projectors, becoming main products among them, which can be seen not only in India but in the global market as well. These products are very convenient for teachers as it engages the students and enable them to communicate with each other easily and make them learn fast. Upon this, the government is also investing a lot in private and government institutions. Initially, the initiative began in Gujarat; later, it expanded to other states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand and many more. This investment has been going on for the last 10 years across India.

2. Artificial intelligence is increasingly finding its way into classrooms through AI-powered displays, collaboration platforms, and intelligent learning tools. How do you see AI redefining the role of visual technologies beyond conventional projection, and what impact could this have on teaching and student engagement?

Vijay Sharma, Managing Director, Optoma Technology (India) Pvt. Ltd: AI-powered displays are helping teachers develop content quickly and make lessons more engaging through interactive tools, real-time education, and content sharing. These systems integrate not just with hardware but also with educational software platforms, allowing students to participate more actively in the classroom and significantly boosting their engagement and learning outcomes. Traditionally, projectors were the primary classroom tool, offering largely one-way communication. Today, that has evolved into an interactive, collaborative, and data-driven learning space, and AI has played a key role in this shift, particularly through AI-powered displays now entering the market. We're seeing a clear transition from simply displaying information to enabling genuine interaction. Modern interactive panels, combined with wireless collaboration tools and smart visual solutions, allow teachers and students to connect, collaborate, and learn more effectively, whether they're physically present in the classroom or joining remotely. This is where these displays are playing an increasingly important role in the industry.

3. As Indian schools, colleges, and universities continue investing in digital infrastructure, what changes have you observed in their technology priorities? Are institutions now looking beyond hardware towards integrated, future-ready learning ecosystems?

Vijay Sharma, Managing Director, Optoma Technology (India) Pvt. Ltd: Today, the higher education industry has evolved significantly. Earlier, institutions used to buy only standalone devices, but now they are also investing in collaboration tools. At Optoma, we offer solutions like the Optoma Management Suite (OMS) and Optoma Screen Share (OSS). With these tools, learning is no longer confined to a single classroom; it extends across multiple institutions and environments. For instance, a teacher in one classroom can deliver lessons to students learning remotely, a trend that gained momentum during COVID and has since evolved into hybrid learning. Brands like Optoma are now investing not just in hardware, but in solutions that help schools move from purely physical classrooms to hybrid ones. We recently executed a project with the Bangladesh government, installing around 2,000 interactive lab panels in government schools, alongside OMS. This allows institutions to enable hybrid learning while also helping authorities monitor whether teachers are actually using the hardware in classrooms.

4. Despite increasing investments, many institutions continue to face challenges around budget constraints, scalability, training, and technology adoption. What do you believe are the biggest barriers to implementing smart classroom solutions in India, and how can the industry address them?

Vijay Sharma, Managing Director, Optoma Technology (India) Pvt. Ltd: This trend wasn't visible before. Earlier, institutions invested in only a limited number of classrooms because information and hardware options were restricted; schools would pick a few select classrooms and simply buy the hardware. Today, the industry has built an ecosystem that makes these setups far more affordable, offering EMI and lease solutions so schools can equip more classrooms, not just with hardware, but with complete digital classroom setups. Installing a display or projector alone doesn't achieve digitisation; schools also need to invest in learning management software and OMS. When institutions see that this improves teachers' lives, boosts school performance, and comes at a lower cost, they're more willing to invest. This growth is largely driven by affordability. Five years ago, an active display cost around Rs 7-8 lakh; today, it costs roughly one-third or one-fourth of that. EMI and financing options have also made it easier for schools to invest, and competition plays a role too; when one school adopts these solutions, others take notice and follow suit. The government has also played a major role. Over the last three to four years, investment from the government side has increased significantly, with more government schools moving toward digital classrooms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push for digital classrooms and digital blackboards made it mandatory for every school to have at least one smart classroom, along with a skill development project requiring an interactive display or projector. Initially, schools viewed this as an added cost. Over time, however, they've recognised the returns: easier teaching, better student engagement, and improved learning outcomes, making the investment worthwhile.

Varun Singh, Marketing Consultant at Optoma Technology (India) Pvt. Ltd: When digitisation first came to our schools, it was seen purely as a cost. But over time, schools have realised the value of implementing digitised classrooms, not just in terms of ease for teachers, but also in how much students are able to learn and engage with the process. Today, most private institutions in India, as well as many government ones, recognise this cost as an investment, even if some remain hesitant, depending on their infrastructure or the promoters behind them. Regardless, the results are visible — in the quality of teaching and learning outcomes on both ends.

5. India's education sector is undergoing rapid digital transformation, supported by government initiatives and institutional investments. What business opportunities do you see emerging for the Pro AV industry over the next three to five years, and which segments are likely to witness the strongest growth?

Vijay Sharma, Managing Director, Optoma Technology (India) Pvt. Ltd: This shift is clearly visible across universities and colleges, as every school wants its classrooms digitised. We're also seeing growing demand for experiential learning; simulators are now being developed in schools, particularly in medicine and engineering institutes. It's no longer just about interactive or large-format displays; institutions want simulators that let students experience real-life scenarios and learn more effectively before stepping into the field. The Government of India is investing heavily in this space, and combined with the ongoing push for skill development, these solutions will help students learn more effectively. It's important to recognise that India isn't an isolated market; this mirrors a broader global trend of increased investment in education infrastructure. Today, both government and private institutions are willing to spend more on upgrading their infrastructure. What started as a shift from traditional classrooms to interactive displays is now evolving toward simulation-based setups. This represents a real growth opportunity across the market, making it essential for schools to keep pace with their competitors. I don't see this momentum slowing down over the next 5-6 years; if anything, it will keep growing across the board, from hardware manufacturers to software developers, content designers, and system integrators.

6. Sustainability is becoming an important consideration for educational institutions when making technology investments. How are factors such as energy efficiency, lifecycle costs, and ease of maintenance influencing purchasing decisions in the education sector?

Vijay Sharma, Managing Director, Optoma Technology (India) Pvt. Ltd: This is very important because educational institutions buy in bulk. If we're talking about one or two classrooms, individual choices don't carry much weight, the same way our household energy decisions rarely make a significant impact unless we're dealing with high-consumption devices like refrigerators. Take projectors, for example. Ten years ago, they consumed 300-400 watts of power. Today's projectors deliver the same brightness at roughly one-third of that, around 100-120 watts. For schools with 10 or 25 classrooms running similar devices, that kind of efficiency gain adds up significantly. Environmental sustainability has also become a major focus. At Optima, we've invested heavily in this, 4-5 years ago, we redesigned our projectors to use plastic bodies made from 50% recyclable materials, while shrinking packaging size to a third of what it used to be. This means a single shipping container that once carried 1,000 projectors can now carry 2-3 thousand, reducing transportation-related power consumption per unit. We've also shifted from mercury lamp projectors to laser-based ones, extending projector lifecycles from around 3-4 thousand hours to 20,000 hours, meaning classrooms won't need replacements for 15-20 years. While laser projectors once cost significantly more due to lower demand, prices have now become far more affordable, improving both accessibility and sustainability. This shift isn't limited to projectors; displays have seen similar reductions in power consumption. Notably, Europe will prohibit imports of non-green lamp projectors starting in 2027, a regulation likely to influence global standards as more regions follow suit.

7. Looking ahead, what are the key trends you expect will shape technology-enabled education in India over the next five years, and what should educators, policymakers, and technology providers prioritise to ensure digital transformation delivers meaningful learning outcomes?

Vijay Sharma, Managing Director, Optoma Technology (India) Pvt. Ltd: One trend we've seen is the shift toward interactive displays in classrooms, and I believe this will continue. We started with basic hardware, a display or projector, but now we're talking about AI-integrated interactive displays. This trend will likely continue for the next 4-5 years, and it's a positive development for the education industry, benefiting teachers, students, and institutions alike. The business is evolving with collaboration software and devices, helping ensure that investments schools make actually get used effectively in classrooms. This isn't limited to interactive displays alone; displays paired with OMS-based software solutions will play an important role in education over the next 4-5 years. Institutions want assurance that their investments won't become outdated. One positive shift is that displays are now coming in 4K instead of HD, so content creators will need to upgrade accordingly. We'll likely see content move from HD to 4K over the next 2-3 years, since better content availability speeds up adoption and learning. From a hardware standpoint, we're ensuring products are future-proof so buyers don't need frequent upgrades. That said, there's a clear shift from lamp to laser projection, and now from laser to full-featured AI-collaborated interactive displays, a trend that will continue over the next 2-3 years.

Varun Singh, Marketing Consultant at Optoma Technology (India) Pvt. Ltd: Looking at what's happening in the European market, and what will happen in the Indian market beyond the next five years, the next chain of evolution will move from single-panel interactivity to entire classroom interactivity. Right now, we're restricted to looking at a blackboard, roughly a 10x4 feet structure. What we're doing, and what's happening in European nations, is turning the entire space in front of the classroom into a complete interactive experience. When this goes beyond the space in front and extends to all the walls, it will transform entry-level classrooms, where a child can see and feel an entire lesson all around them. If you want to see the heart, you can see the heart from all directions. If you go deeper into this, lessons in history and biology will benefit from this kind of interactive environment, which will define the next wave of change.