🎙️ Ms. Navneet Sharma: From School Teacher to IELTS Leader

🎙️ Teaching, AI & Empowerment — A Conversation with Ms. Navneet Sharma

Navneet Sharma, a teacher and entrepreneur, shares his journey from teaching to entrepreneurship. He talks about his experience in AI in education, the impact of women in leadership, and the challenges faced by schools in adapting to the new reality.

In this exclusive Punjabi podcast episode, educator and entrepreneur Ms. Navneet Sharma shares her inspiring journey from a school teacher to the founder of an IELTS institute. She reflects on the challenges in the education system, how AI is reshaping classrooms, and why real learning goes beyond just degrees.

A passionate advocate for women empowerment and practical education, Navneet talks openly about the state of government vs. private teaching, the rise of shortcuts in learning, and the role of parenting and social responsibility. A must-listen for students, teachers, and anyone who believes education is the true driver of change.

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📚 From Chalk to Challenge: A Teacher's Journey into Entrepreneurship

Raised in an Army background, Ms. Navneet Sharma began her teaching career in a boarding school in Pathankot before moving to Chandigarh. With a passion for English and education, she worked in reputed schools like Shivalik before starting her own IELTS institute in 2009.

"I started teaching 9-to-9 with small kids at home. No regrets—because I love what I do," she recalls.

💡 Key Insight: "Teaching isn’t a fallback career—it’s a calling. And those who follow it with heart, build futures."

📉 What's Failing in Indian Education?

Ms. Sharma paints a raw picture: outdated curricula, demotivated teachers, and systemic misalignment. “Marks are sky-high but knowledge is nil,” she warns.

She highlights how students are spoon-fed answers, while teachers chase syllabus deadlines without nurturing real understanding.

💡 Key Insight: "The syllabus changes. Students evolve. But if teachers don’t grow, education dies."

🤖 AI vs. Real Learning: Are We Training or Copying?

AI tools like ChatGPT are helping—but also hurting. Students use it to complete homework, but forget to learn. “Kids submit answers they don’t understand. It’s scary.”

She urges teachers to stay one step ahead by reading daily, updating vocab, and staying digitally literate.

💡 Key Insight: "AI is your calculator—not your brain. Don’t outsource thinking."

🧭 Career Confusion: No Guidance After 12th

“Students don’t know what to do. Parents follow the trend. Counselors are missing,” says Ms. Sharma.

She pushes for self-discovery: "Let a chef become a chef. Let a coder code. Don't push passions into cages."

• Focus on child’s natural strengths
• Support with skill-based experiences
• Avoid peer pressure decisions

💡 Key Insight: "Passion without guidance is a hobby. Passion with planning becomes a career."

🧠 Degrees Without Skills = Rising Unemployment

She interviews students with 89–90% in MCA/BTech—but they lack basic communication and reasoning.

"They can’t write or speak. It’s not a degree problem. It’s a learning problem." She adds that real success comes from self-learning, communication, and adaptability.

💡 Key Insight: "Companies don’t hire marks. They hire mindset."

📲 Why Parenting & Phones Are Hurting Kids

"Parents hand over phones, then ask why kids are distracted," she observes. Students spend hours scrolling but learn nothing. Physical activity is zero. Discipline is missing.

Ms. Sharma suggests spending real time with children—not just providing luxury. “We had fewer resources but better habits.”

💡 Key Insight: "Strong minds live in strong bodies. Parenting must be proactive—not automated."

🎙️ Final Thoughts from Ms. Navneet Sharma

In the concluding part of our Punjabi podcast, Ms. Navneet Sharma shares a heartfelt message for students, parents, and educators navigating the future of education.

💡 Key Insight: "Career clarity is more important than career comparison." – Ms. Navneet Sharma

She encourages families to stop forcing decisions based on society’s expectations. "Don't chase careers for package. Chase what matches your child's personality, curiosity, and natural energy."

According to her, today’s generation must break free from the pressure of fixed labels and marks-based validation. Whether someone wants to be a chef, coder, media artist, teacher, or entrepreneur, success depends on alignment with one’s strengths.

"In this AI-driven world, human depth, communication, and emotional intelligence are priceless."

💡 Key Insight: "Passion fuels excellence. If your work excites you, it will elevate you—and the country."

She advises students not to panic if their first job or course doesn’t work out. What matters is how well they adapt, learn, and grow. "Careers are not one-time decisions. They're a journey."

Her final note to all young learners: "Take time. Think deep. The world doesn’t need more toppers. It needs more thinkers."

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