Why So Many Smart Indians Struggle to Speak Confidently
The problem is not your English.The problem is the education system you grew up in.
I say this carefully — not to blame teachers, not to attack schools, not to sound bitter.
Because teachers, in most cases, have the right intentions.
Many schools are trying.
Some colleges are doing excellent work.
But at the core, we need to acknowledge one uncomfortable truth.
Our education system has produced generations of people who struggle to function confidently in the real world — especially in today’s globally connected, communication-driven reality.
This shows up everywhere.
College students who know answers but don’t speak.
Professionals who are technically strong but hesitate in meetings.
Talented people who say, “I’m an introvert,” when they’re not.
Most of them are not introverts.
They are under-confident — and they’ve learned to label it politely.
That confidence gap didn’t start in adulthood.
It started in school.
We were trained to focus on theory, not application.
On completing the syllabus, not expressing ideas.
On ranks and marks, not real-world readiness.
The top few students got attention.
The rest — especially the creative, average, different thinkers — were rarely acknowledged.
And when confidence isn’t acknowledged early, it slowly disappears.
Then the world changed.
Social media arrived.
The creator economy exploded.
People started earning through speaking, teaching, explaining, performing, blogging, showing skills.
Suddenly, communication became currency.
People moved countries.
Changed careers.
Built personal brands.
And many Indians — especially those from the 80s, 90s, and even early 2000s schooling — realised something painful:
“My education gave me knowledge, but not confidence.”
I see this every day in my private coaching.
Highly successful professionals.
High-income individuals.
People who have “made it” on paper.
And yet, they still struggle to speak freely, confidently, influencefully.
This is important to say clearly:
They are successful despite the education system — not because of it.
That doesn’t mean all schools failed.
That doesn’t mean teachers failed.
It means the system wasn’t designed for today’s world.
And here’s the most important part.
You cannot go back and change the education you didn’t receive.
But for the first time in history, you can replace what was missing.
Earlier generations had no choice.
If you wanted to improve communication, you needed classes, courses, institutes — adult education systems that were expensive, intimidating, and slow.
Today, that barrier is gone.
AI has quietly made something possible that India has never had at scale:
Daily, judgment-free practice.
You can speak without fear.
Practise without embarrassment.
Repeat without shame.
Learn without depending on approval.
This is not about replacing teachers.
Teachers are needed more than ever.
This is about supporting learners — especially those the system left behind.
Schools are improving.
Many private schools are doing well.
My deeper concern is government schools and colleges — where the gap is widest and the need is greatest.
If India truly wants large-scale change, AI cannot remain a paper policy, a workshop, or a photo opportunity.
It must enter daily classrooms, daily practice, daily learning — especially in colleges.
The government is already investing in AI for India.
That’s good.
But real impact doesn’t come from quotes, conferences, or future promises.
It comes from experimentation today.
And here’s the truth many people need to hear:
You don’t have to wait for the system to change to change your life.
Start using AI now.
Start practising now.
Start building confidence now.
Because the problem was never your English.
The problem was that no one gave you enough space to use it.
AI can.
And if you use it right,
you won’t just survive the future —
you’ll finally feel equipped for it.
The problem is not your English.The problem is the education system you grew up in.
I say this carefully — not to blame teachers, not to attack schools, not to sound bitter.
Because teachers, in most cases, have the right intentions.
Many schools are trying.
Some colleges are doing excellent work.
But at the core, we need to acknowledge one uncomfortable truth.
Our education system has produced generations of people who struggle to function confidently in the real world — especially in today’s globally connected, communication-driven reality.
This shows up everywhere.
College students who know answers but don’t speak.
Professionals who are technically strong but hesitate in meetings.
Talented people who say, “I’m an introvert,” when they’re not.
Most of them are not introverts.
They are under-confident — and they’ve learned to label it politely.
That confidence gap didn’t start in adulthood.
It started in school.
We were trained to focus on theory, not application.
On completing the syllabus, not expressing ideas.
On ranks and marks, not real-world readiness.
The top few students got attention.
The rest — especially the creative, average, different thinkers — were rarely acknowledged.
And when confidence isn’t acknowledged early, it slowly disappears.
Then the world changed.
Social media arrived.
The creator economy exploded.
People started earning through speaking, teaching, explaining, performing, blogging, showing skills.
Suddenly, communication became currency.
People moved countries.
Changed careers.
Built personal brands.
And many Indians — especially those from the 80s, 90s, and even early 2000s schooling — realised something painful:
“My education gave me knowledge, but not confidence.”
I see this every day in my private coaching.
Highly successful professionals.
High-income individuals.
People who have “made it” on paper.
And yet, they still struggle to speak freely, confidently, influencefully.
This is important to say clearly:
They are successful despite the education system — not because of it.
That doesn’t mean all schools failed.
That doesn’t mean teachers failed.
It means the system wasn’t designed for today’s world.
And here’s the most important part.
You cannot go back and change the education you didn’t receive.
But for the first time in history, you can replace what was missing.
Earlier generations had no choice.
If you wanted to improve communication, you needed classes, courses, institutes — adult education systems that were expensive, intimidating, and slow.
Today, that barrier is gone.
AI has quietly made something possible that India has never had at scale:
Daily, judgment-free practice.
You can speak without fear.
Practise without embarrassment.
Repeat without shame.
Learn without depending on approval.
This is not about replacing teachers.
Teachers are needed more than ever.
This is about supporting learners — especially those the system left behind.
Schools are improving.
Many private schools are doing well.
My deeper concern is government schools and colleges — where the gap is widest and the need is greatest.
If India truly wants large-scale change, AI cannot remain a paper policy, a workshop, or a photo opportunity.
It must enter daily classrooms, daily practice, daily learning — especially in colleges.
The government is already investing in AI for India.
That’s good.
But real impact doesn’t come from quotes, conferences, or future promises.
It comes from experimentation today.
And here’s the truth many people need to hear:
You don’t have to wait for the system to change to change your life.
Start using AI now.
Start practising now.
Start building confidence now.
Because the problem was never your English.
The problem was that no one gave you enough space to use it.
AI can.
And if you use it right,
you won’t just survive the future —
you’ll finally feel equipped for it.
