Background

Antarang Foundation is committed to empowering youth aged 14-25 by bridging the gap between education and employment. Through structured career guidance sessions in government schools and community centers, they help students explore diverse career opportunities, build essential skills, and transition smoothly into higher education, employment, or entrepreneurship.

While their in-person sessions provided valuable career insights, Antarang sought a scalable solution that would enable students to access career guidance anytime, anywhere. In 2021, they experimented with multiple WhatsApp groups to share job opportunities, career resources, and workshops. However, challenges like limited engagement, lack of personalization, and difficulty tracking student participation highlighted the need for a more efficient approach.

To address these gaps, Antarang implemented a WhatsApp chatbot, transforming how they connect with and support students. This case study, based on insights from Cibel Mascarenhas, Sr. Associate – Product Development at Antarang Foundation, explores their chatbot journey, the challenges they faced, and the impact it has had on career guidance accessibility.

The Challenge

Before integrating a chatbot, Antarang faced several challenges in delivering career guidance effectively

• Scattered Communication – Managing multiple WhatsApp groups for workshops made it difficult to track engagement and share resources efficiently.
• Low Engagement & Ignored Messages – Many students either left the groups or ignored messages, limiting the effectiveness of the communication.
• Low Student Participation in Live Sessions – While some students engaged in workshops, many were hesitant to participate in live virtual discussions but responded better to WhatsApp-based follow-ups.
• Lack of Personalization – Due to the large number of students, there was no scope for sending individualized career guidance, making it harder to cater to specific needs.
• No Tracking Mechanism – Antarang had no way to measure how many students engaged with the shared posts or resources.
• Lack of On-Demand Access to Career Resources – Students needed career-related information beyond scheduled sessions, but there was no structured way to provide it.
• Parental & Teacher Involvement – Many parents and teachers wanted access to career guidance information to better support students, but there was no dedicated channel for them.

To overcome these challenges, Antarang needed a scalable, trackable, and personalized solution—leading them to explore the potential of a WhatsApp chatbot.

The Solution: WhatsApp Chatbot Powered by Glific

In April 2021, Antarang Foundation piloted its WhatsApp chatbot using Glific, aiming to provide personalized career guidance at scale. By leveraging WhatsApp’s widespread accessibility, the chatbot transformed how Antarang engaged with students, teachers, and parents.

• Career Guidance Beyond the Classroom – Students could now access career resources, explore alumni success stories, and get answers to their career-related questions anytime.
• Self-Paced Learning – Those who missed classroom sessions could still engage with learning materials and take aptitude tests through the chatbot.
• Scalable Outreach & Accessibility – With WhatsApp’s familiarity, students, teachers, and parents could easily receive career guidance without needing to download an additional app.
• Streamlined Communication – Instead of manually managing multiple groups, the chatbot automated session reminders, test links, and career resources, ensuring consistent engagement.

Impact & Results

• 6x growth in outreach and stakeholder engagement through WhatsApp
• Workshop attendance jumped from an average of 20 students per session to 100 per session
• 150% average increase in workshop attendance, with some sessions seeing a 200% rise
• 50,000+ students have used the chatbot since its launch in 2021.
• 60-70% of students rated the chatbot as highly useful for career guidance.
• High Engagement with Career Content – Many students use the chatbot not just to retrieve information but to explore career options and ask deeper questions.
• More Personalized Support – Students frequently search for information on specific career paths (e.g., “How do I become a doctor?”), showing a clear demand for self-directed learning.

Key Learnings

1. WhatsApp is the Preferred Learning Platform – Many students were more comfortable engaging via WhatsApp compared to websites or apps, making it an effective tool for learning and support.
2. Automating Career Resources Helps Bridge Gaps – Students who missed in-person or online workshops could still access career resources, retaining and reinforcing what they learned.
3. Scaling Career Guidance to Parents & Teachers – The chatbot isn’t just for students—teachers, facilitators, and parents can also use it to better guide students.

The Future of Antarang’s Chatbot

Antarang aims to expand the chatbot’s reach, making it a universal career resource that is accessible to all, whether they have attended a live session or not. They also plan to explore AI-driven solutions to enhance career guidance experiences and further personalize learning pathways.

“We want the chatbot to be open to anyone. Right now, it’s student-focused, but we see potential in expanding it to teachers, parents, and facilitators to help them understand careers better.” – Cibel Mascarenhas

How Glific & Community Support Helped

Collaborations at Glific Sprints & Workshops – Antarang benefited from Glific community events, where they connected with other NGOs, discovered new use cases, and received hands-on support to optimize their chatbot.
No Coding Required – Despite not having a technical background, Antarang’s team found Glific’s no-code platform easy to navigate and implement.
Ongoing Support & Iteration – The Glific team’s approachability allowed Antarang to identify challenges, request improvements, and refine their chatbot experience.

Final Thoughts

By leveraging WhatsApp automation, Antarang Foundation has transformed career guidance into a more accessible, scalable, and engaging experience. The chatbot continues to bridge gaps in career decision-making, providing students with the resources they need—anytime, anywhere.

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