Respect for Teachers Is Fading

From ustads in villages to modern coaching centers, the teacher- student bond has been reduced to a mere transaction in Kashmir.

- Muskan Shafi Malik

I grew up believing that the bond between a teacher and a student was sacred. It was not tied by blood or money, but by respect and trust. My parents often spoke of a time when teachers were part of the family, shaping not just lessons but life itself.

In villages across Kashmir, the ustad or masterji was a community elder, consulted on weddings, disputes, and everyday matters. Children served them food and water, not as duty but as love.

Today that bond feels fractured. Parents around me spend lakhs on coaching centers for medical and engineering entrances, but hesitate to support the local molvi sahib or Urdu teacher who offers moral grounding.

I have seen this countless times. It is not only about affordability, it is about perception. Success in competitive exams is treated as the only pathway, while moral education is seen as irrelevant.