I Don’t Believe In...: Infosys Founder Narayana Murthy Weighs On Coaching Classes Culture

Murthy also pointed out that rote learning has unfortunately dominated the education system in India, which hampers the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills

Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy has expressed his scepticism about coaching classes. He believes they are unnecessary for students who engage attentively with their teachers in the classroom and are not an effective solution for exam preparation. “Coaching classes are the wrong way to help children to pass examinations,” Murthy said. 

“I don’t believe in coaching classes,” he added. Murthy made these remarks on Monday during the launch of Paul Hewitt’s 13th edition of the popular book ‘Conceptual Physics’ in Bengaluru, reported Money control.

“Many students who attend coaching classes often do so because they aren't paying close attention to their teachers in the classroom. In addition, their parents may lack the expertise to support them effectively, which is why they might see some benefit in these classes,

“Most people who go to coaching classes, they don't listen to their teachers carefully in the class and poor parents, they are not as competent to help them and therefore they see some value” Murthy said. He made this statement in response to questions about student suicides in Kota, Rajasthan, and whether coaching institutes are a stepping stone to IITs and NITs.

Murthy also pointed out that rote learning has unfortunately dominated the education system in India, which hampers the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. He stressed that the true aim of education should be "learning how to learn."

He added that the goal of education extends to fostering analytical thinking and identifying unsolved problems. “Education's significance lies first in observation. Next, it involves analysing the reasons behind observed differences. The third step is to propose a hypothesis. Finally, this hypothesis must be examined by others and verified for accuracy.”

Murthy also discussed the importance of parents creating a disciplined home environment to support their children's studies. He pointed out that parents cannot expect their children to focus on their studies while they themselves are engrossed in watching movies. He made this statement in response to a question about how students can maintain focus amid social media distractions and other influences.