Not education, but brands are being sold
In India, education has been considered a medium of knowledge, culture, and social change for centuries. Teachers have enjoyed special respect in society because they not only impart subject knowledge but also shape students’ personalities and character. However, changes in the field of education over the past few decades have significantly impacted this idealistic concept. In particular, the increasing number of competitive examinations, the attraction to government jobs, and the pursuit of better careers have transformed the coaching industry into a huge economic sector. Today, in many cities across the country, coaching institutes have established a parallel system within the education system, the impact of which is visible on schools, students, parents, and even policymakers.
In recent years, the proliferation of social media and digital platforms has further accelerated this trend. Many teachers and coaching institutes are reaching millions of students through YouTube, Instagram, and other mediums. This isn’t inherently bad. Technology has made education more accessible and played a vital role in providing quality content to students in remote areas. The problem arises when the purpose of education shifts from knowledge acquisition to personal brand building, promotion, and business expansion.
Recently, senior journalist Anjana Om Kashyap’s jibe at a YouTube teacher during a popular TV debate sparked widespread discussion on social media. Opinions on this incident may vary. Some consider it a sharp journalistic comment, while others see it as disrespectful to teachers. However, this controversy has raised an important question: has the field of education become increasingly publicized and commercialized? Is an environment being created to influence students and parents in which coaching is presented as a prerequisite for success?
The reality is that many parents today believe that their children cannot succeed in any competitive exam without coaching. This belief has gradually become so ingrained that the usefulness of school education is being questioned. Many families, putting a heavy financial burden on their families, send their children to expensive coaching classes. Thousands of students from small towns and rural areas migrate to cities considered coaching hubs. In this process, family savings, children’s mental health, and social life are all affected.
This situation isn’t just a result of students’ mindsets. It also reflects some genuine challenges within the education system. There’s often a disconnect between the curriculum taught in schools and the requirements of competitive exams. Many competitive exams require topics outside the school curriculum, specialized reasoning skills, or exam-specific strategies. As a result, students and parents feel that school education alone is insufficient. The coaching industry capitalizes on this perception and presents itself as the key to success.
However, it must be acknowledged that not all coaching institutes can be viewed with the same prism. Many institutes and teachers are sincerely providing quality guidance to students. They have provided opportunities to students who otherwise would not have access to better resources. Online education has made study materials accessible to millions of young people at low costs. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to portray the entire coaching sector negatively. The problem lies in the trend where publicity, personality cults, and unrealistic claims take center stage over education.
In the age of social media, some teachers have established themselves as brands. Their videos, posts, and advertisements are constantly presented to students. Success stories are highlighted, while the number of students who fail is less discussed. It is often given the impression that joining a particular teacher or coaching institute guarantees success. However, the reality is that success in any exam depends on many factors—a student’s hard work, family support, mental state, study resources, and time management are among them.
Another worrying aspect is the growing personality-centric culture in education. Some teachers seem more focused on self-promotion than on their subject or institution. Huge billboards, constant advertising, social media campaigns, and the resources spent on personal image-building raise the question: is the student the center of education, or the teacher’s brand? The goal of education should be the dissemination of knowledge, not the blind imitation of a personality.
The comparison of Hindi-medium and English-medium coaching culture has also been a topic of discussion. It’s often suggested that some Hindi-medium teachers rely heavily on publicity, while English-medium institutions prioritize institutional recognition. While this distinction isn’t entirely accurate, it’s clear that the trend toward personal branding through social media is more pronounced in certain areas. This also impacts students, who become more influenced by popularity and follower counts than the quality of content.
The role of the government and education regulators is also crucial in this entire scenario. If school education is strong enough to provide basic preparation for competitive exams, excessive reliance on coaching will naturally decrease. The National Education Policy has made efforts to make school education more skill-based and practical, but the impact of these reforms will take time to be felt on a widespread scale. Furthermore, the structure, curriculum, and evaluation system of competitive exams must be transparent and balanced, ensuring that there is no unnecessary gap between school learning and exam expectations.
The role of parents is no less important. They must understand that coaching can be a means to success, but not the sole prerequisite. It’s not advisable to accept the claims of any institution or teacher without due diligence. It’s essential to understand the difference between advertising and actual results. It’s more important to focus on children’s interests, abilities, and mental health rather than putting unnecessary pressure on them.
Students also need to understand that no teacher, no matter how popular, can replace their hard work. Digital platforms are excellent tools for learning, but they must be used judiciously. Popularity and quality are not always the same thing. Choosing a teacher or institution should be based not on their publicity, but on their educational value, subject expertise, and tangible benefits to students.
Ultimately, the question isn’t about a single journalist, a YouTube teacher, or a particular institution. The real issue is the increasing commercialization of education and the mindset that sells success as a commodity. The purpose of education is to develop thinking, understanding, and social responsibility. If this purpose is lost in the chaos of publicity, branding, and commercial competition, it will not only be the students who suffer, but society as a whole.
The need of the hour is to reconnect education with its original purpose. Strengthen schools, balance competitive exams with curriculum, establish transparent standards for coaching institutes, and convince students that their own hard work, discipline, and learning are the key to success. Only then will education truly become a vehicle for nation-building, not just a lucrative business.
