International Youth Day 2025 – Are We Raising Thinkers or Followers

For decades, education has been hailed as the great equalizer, the tool to unlock opportunity, critical consciousness, and civic participation. But what we often fail to ask is what kind of minds we are cultivating in the process. Are students being taught how to think, or merely what to think? Are they encouraged to question, debate, and innovate—or expected to conform, memorize, and obey?

Across classrooms, campuses, and coaching centers, an observable pattern has emerged: the prioritization of performance over understanding, of standardization over creativity, and of compliance over curiosity. Rote learning, rigid syllabi, high-stakes testing, and reward systems focused solely on grades continue to define academic success. As a result, many young people leave school with credentials—but without confidence in their own thinking, without the courage to question systems, and without the skills to navigate ambiguity.

On the topic of whether our current education system encourages independent thinking or rewards conformity, Education reformist Mr. Kuldip Sarma, who is also Pro-Chancellor of Medhavi Skills University said, “In many parts of India’s education ecosystem today, tradition still privileges rote memorisation over curiosity. For example, while NEP 2020 aims to embrace critical thinking, recent surveys suggest that only around 30% of students actively engage in problem-solving tasks at school—highlighting the gap between policy and practice. In industry partnerships with academia, employers openly lament that young graduates can follow instructions well, but often struggle to challenge assumptions or innovate. This conformity isn’t born of laziness, it’s a survival strategy within an exam-driven system. As we push forward under the banner of Atmanirbhar Bharat, true self-reliance requires cultivating thinkers, not just followers. We need environments where students are encouraged to dissent, iterate, and rethink. Otherwise we risk producing workforce-ready graduates who aren’t world-ready innovators.”

Dr. Shivendra Mathur, Registrar and Adjunct Associate Professor, NIIT University added, “Given that the education landscape is evolving, and we are beginning to see a promising shift towards independent thinking today, following a growing demand for experiential learning, interdisciplinary curricula, and project-based approaches. However, the legacy systems that dominate the educational landscape promote a culture where memorisation is prized over exploration, and compliance often matters more than curiosity. That said, there is a growing recognition that the future belongs to original thinkers, the ones who can question, imagine, and problem-solve in diverse, dynamic environments. NIIT University is contributing to this change by embracing student-centred pedagogies that celebrate curiosity, critical thinking, and real-world problem-solving. At NU, this vision is brought to life through deeply integrated industry partnerships, cutting-edge research opportunities, and a curriculum designed to blend academic rigour with hands-on application. This ensures that learning goes beyond textbooks, equipping students with both technical expertise and the confidence to think independently.

Classrooms are evolving into dynamic spaces where questioning is encouraged, interdisciplinary connections are explored, and innovation is nurtured. Project-based learning, design thinking, and collaborative projects are replacing passive memorization, empowering students to become agile, original thinkers.

The shift is undeniable. Educators today increasingly recognize that the future belongs to those who can adapt, innovate, and challenge the status quo, not just follow instructions. If we want a generation capable of solving complex global problems, adapting to change, and thinking beyond the obvious, we must first stop punishing them for colouring outside the lines. While systemic transformation takes time, the momentum toward a more engaging, thought-provoking education system is stronger than ever. This is an exciting era for learning, one where we are not just preparing youth for the world as it is, but equipping them to shape the world as it could be.”

Mr. Varun Dhamija, Chief Digital Strategy Officer, TimesPro said, “While India’s traditional schooling framework has long been critiqued for its emphasis on rote memorisation and high-stakes examinations, recent policy reforms are beginning to rebalance that equation. Platforms such as SWAYAM democratise access to hundreds of interactive, self-paced courses —from engineering to liberal arts—allowing learners to pursue topics outside prescribed curricula and cultivate self-directed inquiry. Meanwhile, the NEP explicitly prioritises conceptual understanding over exam-driven recall, embedding critical thinking and creativity into its core recommendations and promoting flexible, multidisciplinary pathways. The forthcoming National Digital University will further erode geographic and institutional silos by offering seamless credit mobility and a vast spectrum of electives across affiliated campuses, signalling a shift away from uniformity toward learner-centred autonomy.

This article examines the intellectual and moral consequences of such an education model. It explores how current systems, especially in developing nations, often silence independent thought rather than foster it. It also proposes a fundamental reimagining of education—one that centers critical thinking, ethical reasoning, creativity, and emotional intelligence as core competencies.

The question isn't merely academic. In an era shaped by climate crises, AI, digital misinformation, and geopolitical tension, the next generation must be more than competent—they must be conscious. If we fail to raise thinkers now, we may be nurturing a future filled with passive consumers, uncritical citizens, and reluctant leaders.

The modern education system, in most parts of the world, was born out of the industrial age. It was designed to serve an economy that required uniformity, discipline, and compliance. The teacher stood at the front of the classroom as the sole authority, and students were expected to listen, absorb, and repeat. The model was efficient for creating workers for factories and clerks for offices—but not for creating innovators, activists, or visionaries.

Despite global progress in technology and pedagogy, this industrial-era mindset still persists. Students in many countries continue to be ranked, streamed, and judged on their ability to recall information under pressure. Teachers, often overworked and under-supported, are forced to focus more on completing the syllabus than nurturing minds. And parents, shaped by their own educational traumas, push children toward “safe” careers rather than fulfilling or intellectually stimulating ones.

This cycle creates a system where asking questions can be risky. A student who challenges a teacher, disagrees with a textbook, or expresses an unconventional opinion may be seen as rebellious or disrespectful. In some educational environments, conformity is mistaken for discipline, and obedience is mistaken for learning.

But thinking cannot be taught in silence. Critical inquiry cannot thrive in fear. And intellectual growth cannot happen when knowledge is presented as a finished product, rather than a process open to revision, reinterpretation, and doubt.

It is not uncommon today to find young people with degrees but without direction. They can pass exams but cannot analyze a news article. They can follow instructions but cannot lead a discussion. They can work hard but struggle to work smart.

The global shift toward standardized testing has exacerbated this problem. Countries compete on international education rankings like PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment), pushing schools to prioritize test scores above intellectual development. As a result, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and ethical judgment—skills essential for navigating the real world—are often sidelined.

Suggesting about changes how someone can help transform education into a system that nurtures creativity and critical thinking, Mr. Varun Dhamija, Chief Digital Strategy Officer, TimesPro said, “I believe that to truly transform education, we must harness AI strategically while nurturing creativity and critical thought. Policy must be paired with immersive, technology-driven pedagogy and learner-centred experiences that empower original thinking. AI-powered adaptive platforms can tailor content and feedback to each learner’s strengths, lifting them beyond rote tasks and freeing them to innovate, trust their intuition and challenge assumptions. AR and VR laboratories simulate real-world scenarios, support prototyping and deepen comprehension through hands-on discovery. Project-based learning in maker spaces and biannual hackathons instils proactive problem-solving, equipping students to drive change rather than keep pace.”

“The AI revolution is spawning entirely new sectors and job roles. Through executive education modules and industry-aligned micro-credentials, we at TimesPro promote continuous upskilling so that our learners can forge personalised career paths while those who follow the crowd risk being left behind by unconventional opportunities. As AI capabilities advance, cultivating ethical insights becomes paramount and learners must be ready to assess AI’s societal impact, safeguard fairness and navigate moral complexities. Encouraging leadership and collaboration will see professionals introduce fresh perspectives, disrupt groupthink and inspire teams, ensuring AI amplifies human potential. Underpinning these efforts, our academia must develop proficiency in facilitation, formative assessment and digital-tool integration so that technology uplifts pedagogy. By unifying these elements, education will produce innovators who adapt, question and conceive solutions that shape tomorrow.”

On that very note Mr. Kuldip Sarma added, “Transforming India’s education into a creative, critical-thinking ecosystem means reimagining both curriculum and culture. Industry-academia collaborations need to go beyond internships, fostering live problem labs where students co-create solutions to real-world challenges. Research suggests that participation in such labs boosts creative‐thinking scores by 20%. We should also train teachers not just as knowledge transmitters, but as facilitators of inquiry, empowering them with tools to nurture curiosity, debate, and even failure. At the national level, aligning skill development under Atmanirbhar Bharat with academic frameworks, be it through micro-credentials or project-based credits can incentivise experimentation over uniformity. If we measure success not by recall but by resilience, divergence, and design thinking, we’ll begin to raise thinkers who can lead India, not just technicians who follow the manual.”

Dr. Shivendra Mathur of NIIT University added, “Education is undergoing an inspiring transformation - shifting from memorization to innovation, from standardization to personalization. Today's most dynamic classrooms are alive with creativity, as students solve real problems through hands-on projects, collaborative thinking, and interdisciplinary exploration. This evolution could not come at a better time. As AI handles routine tasks, education is focusing on what makes us uniquely human: creativity, emotional intelligence, and logical thinking. Teachers are becoming innovation coaches and classrooms are turning into the idea labs, and failure is being rebranded as ‘learning’.”

“At NIIT University, this vision is embedded into the learning model through industry-aligned projects, long-duration internships, and global research collaborations that start from the first year. Students work directly with industry experts, engage in design thinking workshops, and collaborate across disciplines, building the adaptability, innovation, and critical thinking required for the future. From design thinking workshops to global virtual collaborations, today's students are gaining precisely the skills needed to thrive in tomorrow's world. The future of education isn't just about preparing students for the world - it's about empowering them to reshape it.”

Even in higher education, many students report that lectures are monologues, not dialogues. They are rarely asked to develop their own ideas, and when they are, they fear being wrong. This creates a mindset where knowledge is consumed passively, not co-created. And where failure—an essential component of learning—is avoided at all costs.

Moreover, this emphasis on academic performance can lead to a deep psychological toll. Anxiety, depression, and burnout are rising among youth globally. Many students no longer see learning as joyful or meaningful; instead, it becomes a relentless pursuit of external validation. When education is reduced to a rat race, we should not be surprised when students emerge from it feeling directionless or disillusioned.

The danger of raising followers is not merely individual; it is societal. When we do not train people to think critically, we leave them vulnerable to manipulation. We see this today in the widespread dissemination of misinformation, in the growing appeal of authoritarian ideologies, and in the passive acceptance of unjust systems.

A society of followers is easier to govern, but harder to transform. It lacks the moral and intellectual muscle to challenge corruption, resist dogma, or reimagine alternatives. In contrast, societies that value dissent, debate, and diversity of thought tend to be more resilient, more just, and more innovative.

Education, therefore, is not just about economic productivity—it is about democratic integrity. It is about whether future citizens will have the courage to say no when everyone else says yes, to defend truth in an age of propaganda, and to think for themselves even when it is inconvenient.

Yet, despite these challenges, there is hope. Around the world, educators, institutions, and youth themselves are pushing back against traditional norms and reimagining what learning can look like.

Progressive schools are experimenting with inquiry-based learning, where students begin with questions rather than answers. Universities are offering interdisciplinary programs that blur the boundaries between science, arts, and philosophy. EdTech platforms are providing access to global perspectives and allowing students to learn at their own pace.

Perhaps most inspiring is the rise of youth-led movements—on climate change, gender justice, political reform, and mental health. These young leaders may not always come from elite institutions, but they think independently, speak fearlessly, and act with purpose. They are not waiting to be taught how to think; they are already thinking critically about the world and seeking to change it.

To build a future filled with thinkers, not followers, we must undertake structural reforms. These include:

Redesigning curricula to emphasize critical thinking, ethics, creativity, and collaboration alongside core academic subjects.
Training educators not just to deliver content, but to facilitate inquiry, encourage dissent, and create psychologically safe classrooms.
Reducing the weight of standardized testing in evaluating student worth, and promoting alternative forms of assessment such as portfolios, presentations, and project-based learning.
Involving students in decision-making, giving them a voice in how they learn, what they learn, and why they learn.
Encouraging failure as a learning process, and fostering resilience, self-awareness, and adaptability as key outcomes of education.

These shifts require political will, cultural change, and sustained investment. But they are not utopian. Several countries and communities have already begun implementing such models—with measurable success.

Finland, for instance, has moved away from standardized testing and toward holistic, student-centered learning. In India, alternative schools like Rishi Valley and Riverside have been pioneering experiential and values-based education for decades. In South Korea, initiatives are underway to reduce academic stress and foster creativity. These examples show that change is not only possible—it is already happening.

But educational reform cannot be left only to policymakers or institutions. Parents, too, must reconsider what success looks like. Is it better for a child to be obedient and high-scoring, or curious and courageous? Employers must reward original thinking, not just academic pedigree. Media must promote stories of intellectual integrity, not just celebrity success. And youth themselves must resist the temptation of easy answers, and instead embrace the difficult, beautiful work of thinking.

The future is not a place we inherit; it is a place we shape. And shaping it will require young people who are not content to follow the path laid before them, but who dare to question it, reroute it, or even build a new one.

As we mark International Youth Day, we must look beyond the speeches and slogans. We must ask ourselves—honestly and urgently—whether we are giving our youth the tools to think freely, act wisely, and lead boldly. Are we inspiring them to imagine better worlds, or conditioning them to survive in a broken one? Are we building schools that ignite questions, or factories that suppress them?

The stakes could not be higher. In an age where climate change threatens life, AI challenges humanity, and division fractures societies, passive knowledge is not enough. We need engaged thinkers. We need active citizens. We need conscious creators.

The call is clear, and the time is now. We must rethink education not as a system of instruction, but as a process of awakening. Only then will we raise a generation not of followers, but of leaders of thought, custodians of truth, and architects of a more just and thoughtful world.