Disha — Building India's Education-to-Employment Infrastructure
Vision
Build a trusted, scalable education-to-employment system for 100M+ Indians from first principles.
Project Structure
disha/
├── research/ 10 data files — the evidence base
├── frameworks/ 7 strategy docs — how to think about this
├── operations/ 11 blueprint docs — how to build this
└── expert-questions/ 5 interview guides — how to validate this
Phase 1: Research (Complete)
| # | File | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| 00 | research/00-structural-forces-framework.md |
Master framework — primitives, forces, constraints |
| 01 | research/01-demand-side-learner.md |
Demographics, GER, dropouts, aspirations, willingness to pay |
| 02 | research/02-supply-side-institutions.md |
Institutions, faculty, infrastructure, regulation, costs |
| 03 | research/03-employer-side.md |
Hiring volumes, employability gap, emerging skills, salary/ROI |
| 04 | research/04-government-policy.md |
NEP 2020, Skill India, budgets, NSQF, state policies |
| 05 | research/05-china-plus-one-industrial.md |
Manufacturing shift, semicon, EV, defense, GCCs, skill gaps |
| 06 | research/06-ai-technology-disruption.md |
AI impact, AI in education delivery, digital infra, new models |
| 07 | research/07-labor-mobility-social-forces.md |
Remittances, migration, gender, caste, language, funding |
| 08 | research/08-operations-research.md |
Center setup costs, trainer salaries, placement benchmarks, tech tools |
| 09 | research/09-gtm-distribution-research.md |
Hub-spoke models, CAC data, employer acquisition, content production |
Phase 2: Frameworks (Complete)
| # | File | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | frameworks/01-trust-equation.md |
Trust = Outcomes x Recognition x Proximity x Social Proof |
| 02 | frameworks/02-three-markets.md |
Aspirational / Striving / Foundational India segmentation |
| 03 | frameworks/03-value-chain-redesign.md |
Current broken chain vs Disha chain with ROI math |
| 04 | frameworks/04-flywheel.md |
Growth engine — what accelerates vs kills it |
| 05 | frameworks/05-wedge-strategy.md |
Where to start: sector, geography, format, audience, pricing |
| 06 | frameworks/06-moat-architecture.md |
4 moats: employer network, outcome data, vernacular content, regulatory |
| 07 | frameworks/07-scaling-sequence.md |
Phase 1-4 roadmap with capital needs and kill conditions |
Phase 2: Operations (Complete)
| # | File | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | operations/01-center-architecture.md |
Hub / Spoke / Digital — three-tier model |
| 02 | operations/02-org-design.md |
Team structure, hiring sequence, scaling from 3→50 centers |
| 03 | operations/03-curriculum-architecture.md |
Foundation + Vertical + International tracks, NSQF mapping |
| 04 | operations/04-trainer-model.md |
10x cascade: Master → Hub → Facilitator → AI Tutor |
| 05 | operations/05-placement-engine.md |
Pre/during/post training, employer tiers, international mobility |
| 06 | operations/06-tech-stack.md |
Build vs buy, AI tutor, content engine, analytics |
| 07 | operations/07-unit-economics.md |
Per student, per center, break-even, sensitivity analysis |
| 08 | operations/08-revenue-model.md |
4 streams: student, employer, government, international |
| 09 | operations/09-quality-assurance.md |
Input/process/output quality, PMKVY lessons, transparency |
| 10 | operations/10-regulatory-pathway.md |
NCVET → SSC → Skill University → Deemed University |
| 11 | operations/11-gtm-distribution.md |
Student/employer/govt acquisition, content localization |
Phase 2: Expert Validation (Ready)
| File | Target Expert |
|---|---|
expert-questions/for-education-operators.md |
Ex-NIIT, Aptech, Allen, coaching chain operators |
expert-questions/for-employers.md |
GCC hiring heads, IT/manufacturing HR, staffing companies |
expert-questions/for-policy-people.md |
NSDC, state skill missions, NEP implementers |
expert-questions/for-edtech-founders.md |
Masai, Scaler, PhysicsWallah, failed edtech founders |
expert-questions/for-investors.md |
Education VCs, PE firms, impact investors, CSR heads |
Research Gaps (To Be Addressed)
- Healthcare as standalone force — 6.5M allied health shortage, 2.4M nursing gap, massive export demand
- Financialization of education — NBFCs, ISAs, micro-payments, credit guarantees
- Media & narrative influence — YouTube/Instagram as career discovery channels in Tier 2/3
Next Steps
- Conduct expert interviews using question guides
- Iterate on frameworks and operations docs based on expert feedback
- Build financial model with validated unit economics
- Identify co-founders / founding team