What they don't teach in classrooms

India's education system is one of the largest in the world.

- Dhiraj Sharma

Every year, millions of students step out of schools and colleges with degrees, mark sheets, and accolades. Yet, many find themselves unprepared for life beyond the classroom.

Ask a fresh graduate how to file taxes, face a job interview, cope with anxiety, or manage finances and chances are you will get a nervous smile or a blank stare. Our classrooms have taught them algebra, anatomy, and even the atomic number of sulphur, but rarely the skills to live life practically.

Across India, from small towns to metro cities, the academic journey of a student is a 'race' — from primary school exams to board marks, entrance tests to competitive coaching, degree percentages to placement packages. In this run for scores and certificates, we forget that education is not just about earning a living, but about learning how to live!

Lifeless education: Our system still rewards rote learning, test-taking and the toppers. But it rarely equips students with life skills to deal with stress, moral dilemmas, or the everyday frustrations of life. Schools' emphasis remains on being 'topper material' — as if real life comes with a report card. Mental health is barely acknowledged. According to the India Today-MDRA survey (2022), 75% of Indian students between the ages of 14–24 years reported experiencing high stress levels due to academic pressure.

How can we expect our students to grow into resilient, emotionally mature adults if they are never taught how to pause, breathe, or process failure?

Lost virtues: In the era of fast-scrolling digital gratification, patience is an endangered virtue. Students rarely learn how to wait for results, success, or even another's viewpoint. Discipline, often misunderstood, is narrowly confined to dress codes and classroom silence. True discipline — managing time, respecting others, setting personal boundaries and cultivating personal consistency — is left to chance and parenting.