India Wants to Lead the World—But Who’s Leading Its Classrooms?

India is racing ahead—digitally, economically, and infrastructurally. With a projected GDP of over $5 trillion by 2027, smart cities and expressways are rising across the landscape. But beneath this glittering ascent lies a quieter emergency: a generation growing up with fractured attention, rising anxiety, and civic apathy.

We honk more than we think. We jaywalk as if it’s a birthright. We build flyovers without forecasting future traffic or climate realities. And in this rush toward material success, we are raising a generation that’s academically equipped but professionally adrift, because what’s taught in classrooms rarely aligns with the evolving demands of the modern corporate world.

• Global Education Rankings: Where India Stands!

📚 Source: Data Pandas Education Index: 2025

India’s ranking isn’t just a number—it’s a mirror. Despite having some of the world’s most expensive private schools, our system fails to deliver equity, emotional intelligence, or civic consciousness.

• The Elite Paradox: India’s Most Expensive Schools

India’s top schools now rival Ivy League tuition—without necessarily offering Ivy League values. Here’s a snapshot of the most expensive institutions in 2025:

* International Baccalaureate (IB), * IB MYP – Middle Years Programme (Ages 11–16yrs), *IB DP – Diploma Programme (Ages 16–19 yrs), *IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education)—is a globally recognized academic qualification for students aged 14 to 16, typically taken in Grades 9 and 10., *ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education, ISC* (Indian School Certificate), CBSE* ( Central Board of Secondary Education)

Even parents earning ₹50 lakh annually struggle to afford these fees. And yet, despite the cost, many students still attend coaching classes—because their basics aren’t strong. This has created a parallel economy of education, where prestige is purchased, but clarity is outsourced.

• Ivy League Dreams: Prestige Without Preparation

Parents, disillusioned by India’s overpriced and underperforming schools, often send their children abroad. Ivy League institutions like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton are seen as the ultimate passport to success. But the reality is shifting and sobering.

• Placement Decline: In 2025, Harvard University’s placement rate dropped to 77%—its lowest in over a decade. Even Ivy League graduates are struggling to find jobs in a slowing global economy.

• Bias in Admissions: Indian and Asian-American students face systemic bias in Ivy League admissions. Malcolm Gladwell recently criticized Harvard’s legacy-driven model for favouring affluent white students over merit-based applicants.
• Mismatch with Industry Needs: Traditional MBAs are losing relevance in a world that values technical skills, adaptability, and emotional intelligence over generalist business knowledge.

Prestige is no longer a guarantee. It’s a gamble—and one that most families can’t afford to lose. The world is changing, and so must we. But our transformation must be anchored in values that have stood the test of centuries: discipline, empathy, and clarity of purpose.

So, is there an existing model that can turn this into a reality? The answer to that question is yes!

1. Khan Sir’s Model: Education Rooted in Empathy

While elite schools charge ₹7–20 lakh per year, Khan Sir’s Patna-based coaching revolution charges as little as ₹200 per course. His model is built on:

• Accessibility: Reaching millions via YouTube and mobile apps
• Cultural Relevance: Teaching in Hindi and local dialects
• Emotional Connect: Using humour, analogies, and storytelling
• Civic Awareness: Infusing patriotism and practical wisdom

Khan Sir proves that education doesn’t need marble floors, it needs moral grounding. His classrooms are not just spaces of learning, but laboratories of empathy.

But, since Khan Sir’s platform is not affiliated with a government-recognized degree or diploma and operates independently, it falls under the taxable category unless structured as a non-profit trust or charitable institution.

Why This Matters?

Khan Sir’s entire ethos is affordability—charging ₹200–₹500 per course to reach millions of underserved students. An 18% GST on such services:

• Adds financial pressure on students from lower-income backgrounds
• Undermines grassroots education models that democratize learning
• Contradicts the spirit of India’s skilling and youth empowerment missions

This I feel is a perfect moment to push for GST exemption on non-profit, civic-rooted coaching models—especially those that serve tier-2, tier-3, and rural India. If Khan Sir’s model were recognized as a public good, it could be taxed at 0% or 5%, making it even more accessible.

Why This Must Change

Taxing Khan Sir’s model is like taxing a lifeline. It discourages affordability, punishes innovation, and contradicts India’s skilling mission.

1. Beyond Grades: How Finland Builds Resilient Minds, Not Just Academic Machines”

Finland’s education system is globally admired for its quality, equity, and student-friendly approach:

• No standardized exams until age 16
• Teachers must hold master’s degrees
• Shorter school hours, minimal homework, and play-based early learning
• Personalized feedback instead of rote memorization
• Free education at all levels for EU/EEA students

• All education—including civic and emotional modules—is tax-free, publicly funded, and equity-driven.

Finnish students consistently rank among the top in global assessments like PISA*. Their success isn’t built on pressure—it’s built on presence.

(In Finland, PISA refers to the Programme for International Student Assessment, a global benchmark conducted by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) every three years to evaluate the learning outcomes of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science.)

*EU: European Union

*EEA: European Economic Area: Includes EU countries + 3 non-EU countries: Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein

1. Japan: Civic Education in Action

Japan’s education system emphasizes discipline, respect, and community responsibility. Children clean their own classrooms, serve lunch to peers, and learn that no job is beneath them.

This civic culture was on full display at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where Japanese fans cleaned stadiums after matches—win or lose. They brought their own trash bags, picked up litter left by others, and left the stands spotless. Even the Japanese team left their locker room immaculate, with origami cranes and a thank-you note in Arabic.

This wasn’t a PR stunt. It was cultural DNA.
It’s what happens when civic values are taught from childhood—not just in textbooks, but in daily rituals.

Key Principles Behind Japan’s Tax Policy on Education

• Education as a Civic Right: Tax policy reflects Japan’s belief that education should be universally accessible and not burdened by commercial taxation.
• Support for Private Schools: Even private institutions, if certified under the Private School Promotion Law, receive tax benefits to ensure parity with public schools

• The On-going Civic Crisis in India: When 100% Marks Still Fail to Build 100% Citizens”

India’s literacy rates have soared, and students now score a staggering 98–100% in board exams; reflected in Delhi University’s recent cut-off percentages, where top colleges demand 98.5% and above for admission. Yet, despite this academic inflation, we face a civic crisis: honking replaces patience, jaywalking replaces discipline, and infrastructure collapses under a few hours of rain.

It’s time we learn from Finland, where education nurtures emotional intelligence and civic responsibility, and Japan, where respect and public behaviour are taught as daily rituals. After all, the true measure of education isn’t how well we score—it’s how well we serve.

Remember: The road to progress isn’t just paved with concrete—it’s paved with consciousness

• The Real Infrastructure: Breath, Balance, Belonging

If we want children who grow into law-abiding, empathetic adults, we must teach them to:

• Breathe consciously (Sudarshan Kriya in schools)
• Reflect deeply before reacting
• Listen actively to diverse voices
• Act ethically, even when no one’s watching

This isn’t spiritual fluff—it’s civic muscle. Breathwork isn’t just a wellness tool, it’s a foundation for emotional regulation, patience, and clarity.

Think of India as a body, where GDP is its muscle & roads are the bones. But education? That’s the nervous system. If it’s reactive and impulsive, the whole body suffers. If it’s calm and coordinated, the nation moves with grace.

• The Call to Action: Raise Stewards, Not Just Students

India doesn’t need more coders—it needs conscious coders. Not just engineers, but empathetic engineers. Not just citizens, but ‘Stewards of Freedom’.

And, if you wonder who are the ‘Stewards of Freedom’?

Well, to be a steward is not merely to possess something, but to protect, nurture, and elevate it. So, when we say “stewards of freedom,” we’re not referring to passive beneficiaries of independence, but to active guardians of its spirit.

It means:

• 🛡️ Living freedom as a responsibility, not just a right
• 🧠 Thinking critically and acting ethically, even when no one is watching
• 🫱🏽‍🫲🏽 Serving society with empathy, not exploiting it for personal gain
• 🪷 Honouring the sacrifices of the past by building a more conscious future
• 🚸 Teaching the next generation that freedom isn’t inherited, it’s earned daily through discipline, civic behaviour, and compassion

In essence, a steward of freedom is someone who doesn’t just wave the flag,               but embodies its meaning in how they walk, speak, build, and breathe.

To achieve this, we must:

• Integrate breathwork and meditation into daily school routines
• Redesign curriculum to include civic empathy and emotional literacy
• Train teachers in presence, patience, and poetic pedagogy
• Measure success not just by grades, but by grace
• Regulate private school fees and bring elite institutions under a national committee—headed by educators like Khan Sir who understand ground realities

• Conclusion: Reclaiming India’s/ Bharat’s Soul

If we want to build a better nation, we must first build better human resource. That means investing not just in metro cities, but in micro cities and rural India. Talent is not confined to urban ZIP codes (or DIGIPIN: India’s Digital Addressing Future) —it breathes in every village, every tier-2 town, every child who dares to dream beyond their postcode.

We need more educators like Khan Sir—who simplify knowledge, speak the language of the people, and teach with conviction, not commercialism. Or better yet, we need an education system that resonates with Khan Sir’s style: accessible, emotionally intelligent, rooted in values, and fiercely practical.

Think of the movie 3 Idiots. The character of Rancho didn’t just learn—he questioned, he connected, he created. He didn’t chase degrees; he chased understanding. That’s the kind of learner India needs. That’s the kind of teacher India must produce.

Because the real race isn’t for marks—it’s for meaning.

The real exam isn’t in the classroom—it’s in life.

And the real syllabus isn’t just algebra—it’s altruism.

Let’s build a nation where:

• Every school is a sanctuary of clarity, not confusion
• Every teacher is a torchbearer, not a taskmaster
• Every child is not just a student, but a steward of India’s soul

The road to real progress lies in building infrastructure of consciousness. Roads that anticipate rainfall. Cities that respect pedestrians. Citizens who think before they honk, and breathe before they react.