Gurgaon entrepreneur Rajiv Khati, Founder and MD of TashTam Group, has ignited a nationwide conversation with a viral LinkedIn post that calls out India’s toxic learning culture. Posted on April 12, 2025, Khati’s bold critique argues that middle-class parents are raising weak kids by prioritizing performative knowledge—books, audiobooks, and certificates—over real-world courage and discipline. “Parents celebrating their child’s digital bookshelf instead of their real-world courage,” he writes, highlighting a disconnect that’s struck a chord with thousands. This article explores Khati’s arguments, the cultural trends fueling this issue, and actionable steps to raise resilient children in 2025.
Decoding the Toxic Learning Culture
Khati’s post zeros in on a growing obsession with consuming information without applying it. He points to specific behaviors among middle-class families:
- Performative Reading: Parents proudly share their kids’ “Top 10” book lists online, treating reading as a status symbol rather than a tool for growth.
- Audiobook Overload: Children listen to audiobooks about grit, leadership, and resilience, yet rarely face situations that test these qualities.
- Certificate Chasing: The focus is on collecting credentials—online courses, diplomas—while neglecting practical skills like problem-solving or risk-taking.
- Avoiding Discomfort: Kids are sheltered from failure or hardship, leaving them unprepared for life’s challenges.
This culture, Khati argues, mistakes information for transformation, producing children who are book-smart but lack the backbone to navigate the real world.
Why “Weak” Kids?
Khati’s use of “weak” doesn’t imply physical frailty but a lack of mental and emotional resilience. Middle-class parenting, he suggests, often prioritizes:
- Academic Pressure: The race for top grades and elite institutions overshadows creativity and independence.
- Overprotection: Parents shield kids from setbacks, limiting their ability to develop grit.
- Digital Dependency: Excessive screen time—courses, apps, audiobooks—replaces hands-on learning experiences.
These trends align with broader concerns about India’s education system, where rote memorization dominates, and critical thinking takes a backseat. The result? A generation that excels in exams but struggles with adaptability.
The Context in 2025
Khati’s critique lands at a pivotal moment. India’s middle class faces mounting pressures: education costs have surged (private school fees up 25% in cities like Delhi since 2020), while average salaries remain stagnant at ₹10-12 lakh annually for many professionals. Parents, desperate for their kids to secure stable futures, double down on academic credentials, believing they’re the safest bet. Yet, AI automation and a shifting gig economy demand skills like resilience, creativity, and adaptability—qualities Khati says are being sidelined.
Social media amplifies these anxieties. Posts celebrating kids’ reading streaks or course completions go viral, but rarely mention real-world achievements. Meanwhile, health concerns—like rising obesity rates among urban teens (up 15% in a decade)—point to a broader neglect of holistic development, reinforcing Khati’s warning.
Solutions for Parents
To break free from this toxic cycle, Khati’s insights suggest practical steps for 2025:
- Promote Action Over Consumption: Encourage kids to apply one idea from every book or course—like practicing perseverance by completing a tough project.
- Embrace Discomfort: Let children face small failures, such as losing a game or solving a conflict, to build resilience.
- Balance Digital and Real: Limit audiobooks and apps, replacing them with activities like sports, volunteering, or building something tangible.
- Value Skills Over Certificates: Enroll kids in workshops for coding, public speaking, or financial literacy to foster practical abilities.
- Lead by Example: Share your own stories of overcoming challenges to show that courage trumps credentials.
The Other Side of the Debate
Khati’s critics argue that middle-class parents face real constraints:
- Systemic Barriers: India’s competitive exams (JEE, NEET) reward rote learning, leaving little room for experimentation.
- Economic Pressures: With limited resources, parents prioritize academics as a proven path to upward mobility.
- Cultural Norms: Valuing knowledge and discipline is a strength of Indian upbringing, not a flaw.
While these points hold weight, Khati’s core message—knowledge must lead to action—offers a way to complement, not replace, academic focus.
Why This Matters Now
In 2025, India stands at a crossroads. The global job market increasingly values adaptability, with 30% of current roles at risk of automation by 2030, per industry reports. The middle class, long seen as India’s backbone, risks falling behind if kids grow up equating success with a digital bookshelf. Khati’s post is a call to rethink parenting priorities, ensuring children are equipped for a world that rewards doers, not just learners.
How to Move Forward
- Engage Online: Join LinkedIn discussions to share ideas on raising resilient kids.
- Learn with Purpose: Read books like Grit by Angela Duckworth, but challenge kids to test the concepts in real life.
- Connect Locally: Attend parenting seminars in cities like Gurgaon or Delhi to explore practical strategies.
- Track Progress: Set monthly goals for kids to apply one new skill, like budgeting or public speaking, and celebrate their efforts.
India’s toxic learning culture is a habit, not a destiny. By shifting from celebrating consumption to fostering courage, middle-class parents can raise kids who are strong, adaptable, and ready for 2025’s challenges. Start today—
