People sometimes ask me whether I have a personal grudge against commercial coaching classes.
Some even wonder whether my criticism is simply a reaction against companies like Byju’s.
The truth is very different.
My concern doesn’t come from looking at students.
It comes from looking at adults.
As an IVF specialist, I meet highly educated patients every day—engineers, lawyers, chartered accountants, managers, and IT professionals. They have impressive degrees, successful careers, and high incomes.
Yet when they walk into my clinic, many of them become completely passive.
They don’t ask questions.
They don’t challenge assumptions.
They don’t verify claims.
They accept whatever the doctor tells them because they assume that authority must be right.
That worries me.
Intelligent But Not Independent
Many IVF websites publish exaggerated success rates.
Many clinics recommend expensive tests and treatments with little scientific evidence.
A patient who can think critically can separate fact from marketing.
Unfortunately, many cannot.
They are overwhelmed by jargon and intimidated by authority.
As a result, bad doctors get away with poor practice, unnecessary interventions, and misleading claims.
And then patients conclude that all doctors are dishonest, giving the entire profession a bad name.
The real problem isn’t bad doctors.
The real problem is that patients have never been taught how to think independently.
The Root Cause Lies in Our Education System
When I asked myself why educated adults struggle to evaluate evidence, the answer became obvious.
Our education system rewards obedience, memorization, and examination scores.
Students spend years being spoon-fed information.
Success means reproducing the teacher’s answer, not questioning it.
Curiosity is discouraged.
Independent thinking is seen as disruptive.
By the time these students become adults, they have become conditioned to depend on authority figures.
First it is the tuition teacher.
Then the college professor.
Then the boss.
Then the doctor.
Then the politician.
At no stage are they encouraged to ask, “How do you know this is true?”
This Is Not Just A Medical Problem
The same pattern exists everywhere.
Bad lawyers exploit uninformed clients.
Bad chartered accountants exploit uninformed taxpayers.
Bad architects exploit uninformed homeowners.
Bad engineers exploit uninformed customers.
In every profession, informed consumers force professionals to maintain high standards.
Passive consumers encourage mediocrity.
Critical thinking is not an academic luxury.
It is an essential life skill.
Why I Care So Deeply ?
Some people think education is not my field.
But education affects everything.
It determines whether patients can make informed healthcare decisions.
It determines whether citizens hold politicians accountable.
It determines whether entrepreneurs create jobs or merely wait for government employment.
Our greatest national resource is not our minerals or our factories.
It is our people.
If they cannot think independently, India cannot reach its potential.
I’m Not Interested in Criticizing. I’m Interested in Building.
Anyone can complain about schools.
Anyone can criticize tuition classes.
Anyone can blame parents or governments.
That doesn’t solve anything.
I would rather build a better alternative.
That is exactly why we created ApniPathshala and Teach to Earn.
We believe children deserve a safe learning space where they learn with friends, supported by caring adults and empowered by technology.
Instead of depending on one teacher standing in front of a classroom, every child can access the world’s best teachers online through a personal computer and an AI tutor.
The goal is not to prepare students for the next examination.
The goal is to prepare them for life.
Sarkar and Bazaar Have Both Failed
Government schools struggle because teachers often lack accountability and resources.
Commercial coaching classes have turned education into a profit-maximizing business.
Neither system puts the student first.
When both Sarkar (government) and Bazaar (market) fail, Samaj (society) must step forward.
Education is a public good.
Communities should take ownership of educating their own children.
Technology now makes this possible at a fraction of the traditional cost.
Why This Is Personal ?
I was fortunate.
I won what I call the ovarian lottery.
I was born into circumstances that gave me opportunities many children never receive.
My own children were fortunate too.
But luck should not determine a child’s future.
Talent is equally distributed.
Opportunity is not.
As a society, we have a responsibility to close that gap.
Perhaps My Motivation Is Selfish
One day I will grow old.
One day I will need a doctor.
When that happens, I don’t want to be treated by someone who got into medical college simply because they memorized enough facts to score high marks.
I want a doctor who can think.
Who asks questions.
Who evaluates evidence.
Who tailors treatment to the individual patient instead of blindly following protocols or obeying senior consultants.
That kind of doctor is created by a good education system.
Not by a coaching factory.
The Future Belongs to Independent Learners
The purpose of education is not to produce obedient employees.
It is to create confident, curious, self-directed human beings who can stand on their own feet.
Children who learn how to learn will never become victims of misinformation or authority.
They will become informed patients, responsible citizens, ethical professionals, and thoughtful leaders.
That is the vision behind ApniPathshala.
Not another school.
Not another tuition class.
But a movement that helps children think for themselves.
Because the greatest gift we can give the next generation is not information.
It is the ability to discover the truth for themselves.