The education sector in India is vast and robust filled with opportunities to shape the future of millions of young minds. However, despite a large student population, the country faces challenges in delivering quality education that meets global standards and industry requirements. Recognizing this gap, Manas Mehrotra—with his diverse educational background and professional experiences—embarked on a mission to enhance educational standards.
After completing his schooling, Manas pursued degrees in commerce, chartered accountancy and law in India, followed by a stint at Ernst & Young. Realizing the need to further equip himself for his vision, he travelled to the U.S. to pursue an MBA.
It was during this period that his focus shifted toward the education sector. Conducting extensive research on schooling and the K-12 segment, Manas identified critical gaps in India’s educational framework, such as outdated pedagogy and a disconnect between learning outcomes and industry needs.
Driven by the desire to address these issues, Manas took on advisory and leadership roles, including serving as an Advisor at Kara4Kids and Trustee at Greenwood High School. His commitment to improving educational quality reflects his belief that innovative teaching techniques and a focus on matching educational outcomes with industry demands are essential to transforming the sector.
Passion Meets Purpose
In his role as an advisor, Manas draws motivation from several key sources that drive his engagement and effectiveness. He finds inspiration in witnessing students achieve their goals, overcome challenges and grow both personally and academically. “Seeing students excel and navigate their paths is incredibly rewarding,” he states.
Manas stays motivated by actively engaging with students and understanding their requirements while recognizing that teachers are key policymakers in education. His approach centers on building genuine and effective relationships with students, which he believes is crucial for developing a passion for learning. By addressing complex issues and seeking innovative solutions, he is driven to make a meaningful impact. Implementing strategies through teachers and policymakers is fundamental to his efforts, ensuring that his initiatives resonate and thrive within the educational environment.
He continuously sets personal and professional goals, staying focused and motivated through innovation and creativity. By focusing on these sources of motivation and employing these strategies, Manas ensures a positive outlook and sustained effectiveness in his role, ultimately benefiting students in a constantly changing environment.
Holistic Success
For Manas, defining success in preparing students for the future means focusing on holistic development beyond traditional metrics. He emphasizes cultivating future-ready skills, helping students achieve personal goals and aspirations, ensuring their well-being and preparing them for both the workforce and higher education.
Manas also highlights the importance of guiding students to navigate complex challenges and develop strong values and ethical principles. “By focusing on these broader aspects of success, I enable students to excel academically and grow into well-rounded individuals,” he asserts. This approach equips students to thrive in a shifting future and embrace a wide range of opportunities.
Embedding Critical Life Skills in Educational Programs
Manas emphasizes that core life skills are crucial for students’ personal and professional success. He integrates competencies such as critical thinking, problem-solving, effective communication, collaboration, adaptability, digital & financial literacy, and cultural awareness into educational programs.
Manas states, “Integrating these skills into educational programs enhances students’ ability to navigate a challenging world.” His strategies include designing curricula that embed these skills across subjects, implementing project-based learning to apply multiple skills and conducting assessment and feedback sessions. He prioritizes teacher training to ensure educators effectively teach and model these skills.
Supporting extracurricular activities and fostering community and parental involvement further strengthens students’ life skills. This approach reflects his vision of how educational institutions should evolve to prepare students comprehensively for the future.
Aligning Strategy with Society
In the current job market, many prevalent careers now didn’t even exist a decade ago. To prepare students for such an unpredictable future, a forward-thinking approach is essential, with cultural sensitivity playing a pivotal role.
Understanding the diverse and advancing societal environment is crucial for equipping students with the skills they need to thrive in future careers. Cultural sensitivity helps students navigate the shifting contours of society, which is increasingly important as new job roles emerge in our interconnected world. By developing an environment where students learn to communicate respectfully and effectively across various cultural contexts, we prepare them to excel in a global career field.
This approach enhances students’ ability to adapt and collaborate in a multicultural setting and aligns them with the latest trends and innovations. It helps build a positive and inclusive professional image, ensuring students are well-prepared to seize opportunities and drive progress in their careers. Ultimately, integrating cultural sensitivity into education provides students with a competitive edge and supports their long-term success in the job market.
AI and ML as Game Changers
Manas calls attention to the transformative impact of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) on planning students’ futures. AI and ML enable personalized learning by adapting educational experiences to each student’s unique needs, strengths and learning styles. These technologies guide students toward relevant & future-proof skill sets and assist with grading, scheduling tasks and student management, thereby reducing administrative burdens.
Manas notes, “AI and ML enable analysis of vast amounts of educational data, providing valuable insights into student performance and instructional effectiveness.” They also enhance learning resources through virtual tutors and interactive simulations, supporting diverse learning needs and abilities.
As AI and ML become integral to various industries, preparing students for a technology-driven job market is crucial. Educational institutions must adopt these technologies early to remain relevant in the progressing world order.
Vision for Agile Learning
Manas prioritizes teaching students to be agile and solve real-world problems by honing their mental faculties and adaptability through practical experiences and reflective practices. He believes that “project-based learning, case studies and simulations immerse students in realistic scenarios,” developing creativity and real-life problem-solving skills.
Introducing design thinking and methodologies used in project management further develops students’ ability to navigate complex challenges. By encouraging experiential learning, reflection and collaboration, Manas aims to instill a mindset where students view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning, equipping them to thrive in dynamic environments.
Strategies for Bridging Current Systems with Future Needs
Manas addresses the challenge of bridging the gap between the current education system and future requirements by focusing on both systemic issues and practical strategies. He stresses the importance of examining best practices and current thinking in education.
“It is important to adopt a futuristic curriculum, embrace emerging technologies, promote consistency in learning, build industry partnerships, encourage flexibility and finally engage students in shaping their education,” he asserts. This comprehensive approach prepares students to meet the demands of the future.
Upholding High Standards in Education
Manas, an educationalist with a clear vision, is committed to instilling values such as curiosity and enthusiasm, which consistently drive success across the institutions he manages. He recognizes the unique needs of each setting but remains steadfast in his commitment to maintaining high-quality standards.
He emphasizes, “My work demands my time, but I have achieved a balance that upholds these quality standards.” As a thought leader and entrepreneur, Manas believes it is essential to excel in every venture, ensuring excellence in all his endeavors.
Values Driven Leadership
Manas adheres to a set of core values that significantly influence his approach to education and strategic planning, shaping his interactions with both students and colleagues. He firmly believes in equity & inclusion, innovation & adaptability, integrity & transparency, empathy and support, excellence & accountability, and resilience & perseverance.
“By embracing these values, I can create a more effective, supportive and dynamic educational environment,” he emphasizes. This commitment not only benefits students and colleagues but also contributes to a more successful and fulfilling educational experience for all involved.
The Leadership Qualities That Matter
Manas recognizes that education leaders today must navigate a continually advancing realm, requiring a diverse set of personal qualities to effectively guide their teams, support students, and drive positive change.
He highlights the urgent need for “visionary thinking, emotional intelligence, effective articulation, integrity and ethics, strategic thinking and courage and decisiveness.”
By embodying these qualities, education leaders can manage the dynamic elements of modern educational ecosystems, support their teams and create impactful learning experiences for students, ensuring that they are prepared to thrive in an ever-changing world.
Equipping Students for Tomorrow
Manas emphasizes the importance of emotional connection in education, stating, “Unless you connect emotionally with children and their parents, you cannot provide them with satisfying solutions.”
He believes that preparing students today for tomorrow requires more than just academic knowledge; it involves equipping them with the awareness and adaptability needed to thrive amidst technological advancements, shifting job markets and global challenges.
He stresses the need to address industry issues as they arise and keep students informed. By focusing on these strategies, educators and advisors can help students develop the competencies essential for success in an advancing world.
