'Not a single day learning how to be happy': IAS officer with IIT-IIM degrees points out what’s missing in school education

From IIT to IIM, India has one of the best education system in the world but it lacks something crucial, according to IAS officer Divya Mittal.

Divya in a post on X wrote: "It taught me how to crack tough exams and manage big responsibilities. But it never taught me how to quiet my own mind or handle loneliness. We spend many years learning how to achieve, but not a single day learning how to be happy."

Mittal then listed the life lessons she believes are missing from school education. She spoke about emotional regulation, saying students are taught science and mathematics but never how to process heartbreak, stress, or emotional suffering. According to her, schools often confuse silence with peace, leaving many adults unable to handle their emotions in healthy ways.


She also highlighted the absence of lessons on deep communication and boundaries. While students learn to write essays and speak formally, they are rarely taught how to express vulnerability, stand up to workplace bullying, or say “No” without guilt.


On critical thinking, Mittal argued that schools reward those with the “right answers,” whereas real life demands curiosity and questioning. She warned that blindly accepting opinions without examining their origins creates adults who follow ideas without independent thought.

The IAS officer also stressed the importance of financial literacy, saying students spend years solving mathematical equations but are never taught how debt, impulsive spending, or money-related stress can shape their lives and relationships.

Mittal further pointed to missing lessons on self-discipline, handling loneliness, reading people, mental health maintenance, and self-awareness. She noted that adulthood often feels isolating because people are never taught how to enjoy solitude or become their own emotional support system.

Her post quickly struck a chord online, with many users agreeing that schools focus heavily on academic performance while neglecting emotional intelligence, mental health, and practical life skills that are essential in adulthood.

"This entire thread is a mirror to the Indian education system. The part about Deep Communication hits the hardest. We are literally trained to write 2000-word essays to impress examiners, but we freeze when we have to set a basic boundary with a boss or say a simple no. It takes decades to unlearn this suppression. Beautifully written, ma'am," wrote one user.

Another added that "the aspects not covered in our academic journey are learnt by us through our individual life experiences and which remain with us till our existence on this planet".