Forged in Fire: Why India’s Academic Pressure Makes Some of the World’s Toughest Professionals By Naveen Santhosh



I recently came across a thought-provoking post by Pranjali Awasthi on LinkedIn, where she described the intense and often unforgiving academic system that many Indian students grow up in. As someone who has experienced this firsthand, her words resonated deeply with me.

Our Childhood Isn’t Really Ours

In India, growing up is rarely about exploration or personal growth. It's about preparation. Preparation for entrance exams, for marks, for rankings. Children are handed IIT-JEE or NEET books before they’ve had a chance to explore what they truly enjoy. Coaching centers, test series, and peer competition become our world at an age when we should be playing and discovering.

It’s not a childhood — it’s a high-pressure training camp.

The System Is Tough — But It Works

Despite the flaws, this system produces results. That’s the hard truth.

Many of the top engineers, CEOs, and tech professionals around the world are a product of this academic furnace. What it builds in us is undeniable:

Resilience

Discipline

Focus

The ability to perform under stress


We learn to wake up at 4 a.m., study for 10+ hours, compete with lakhs of students, and never complain. The pressure doesn’t break everyone — some of us come out stronger than ever.

But Can We Do Better?

Just because the system works for some doesn’t mean it’s right for all.

We need an education culture that also allows for:

Emotional wellbeing

Creative freedom

Diverse career choices


Success should not be defined only by ranks or institutions. It should be defined by growth, passion, and personal purpose. It’s time we stopped measuring students by a single number or test.

My Take

I’m pursuing my dream of becoming a tech leader and a future CEO, and for that, I’m thankful to the discipline the Indian system instilled in me. But I’m also aware of the mental toll it takes.

We are not strong because of the system alone — we are strong because we endured it.

It’s time to build a system that challenges students, yes, but also supports them — one that believes not just in marks, but in people.

Thank you, Pranjali Awasthi, for sparking this much-needed conversation.

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