Narayana Murthy says he hates coaching classes: ‘Wrong way to help children…’

Narayana Murthy criticised coaching classes, saying that they benefit only inattentive students as he said education should focus on observation and analysis.

Narayana Murthy said he does not believe in coaching classes as the only students who require them are those who fail to pay proper attention to their teachers in the school classroom itself. 

Narayana Murthy believes coaching classes are unnecessary for attentive students, arguing they distract from genuine learning. He stresses that education should encourage observation, analysis, and hypothesis testing, guiding students to think critically and solve real-world problems.

He said, “Coaching classes are the wrong way to help children to pass examinations, I don’t believe in coaching classes.

He added, “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."

Narayana Murthy on rote learning

Rote learning cannot be a focus of education as it hinders thinking and is not helpful in solving real-world problems, Narayana Murthy said, asserting that the purpose of education is “learning to learn.”

Narayana Murthy on the purpose of education

He said, “The importance of education is, first, to observe. Second, to analyse why this difference is coming out. Third is to offer a hypothesis. And finally, that hypothesis is observed by many people… and then verified if that thing is fine.”

Earlier, Narayana Murthy was asked by a 12-year-old at the Teach for India Leaders Week how he could become like the Infosys co-founder. Narayana Murthy then responded, “I don’t want you to become like me. I want you to become better than me for the greater good of the nation."

He said, “My father taught me to manage time through a timetable, which played a crucial role in my securing fourth rank in the state SSLC exam."