When the Future Demands More Than Computer Science: The first seed at CBSE Schools!

Dear Friends,

When the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 says, “while roughly 170 million new jobs could be created by 2030, about 92 million could disappear,” I was wondering what this really looks like. In fact, the report says it is a net growth, but it is uneven. I am further amused!

On deeper reading, it states, “Analytical thinking and problem-solving remain essential, but resilience, communication, and adaptability are catching up fast.” It also says AI isn’t coming — it’s already part of daily work. The report concludes that the human side of work — engagement, leadership, and trust — will be the real difference-maker.

Further, this year at the World Economic Forum 2026, Elon Musk predicted that robots would outnumber humans in an AI-driven economy.

I am closely monitoring where these trends will lead. Just two days ago, CBSE made the appointment of socio-emotional and career counsellors mandatory in all affiliated schools. It clearly states that mental health and career guidance are critical at the school level.

What does this mean?

Every CBSE school must appoint one regular Counselling and Wellness Teacher (socio-emotional counsellor) for every 500 students. Additionally, the appointment of a Career Counsellor is compulsory. The Counselling and Wellness Teacher must possess a graduate or postgraduate degree in Psychology, or a postgraduate degree in Social Work with specialization in mental health or counselling. The minimum qualification for a Career Counsellor is a graduate or postgraduate degree in Humanities, Science, Social Sciences, Management, Education, or Technology.

In India, there are around 27,000 CBSE schools. This means 50,000+ new jobs are created through this policy alone. If all schools across India implement a similar policy, then nearly 15 lakh schools would require close to 30 lakh counsellors! Now you can imagine how BA/BSc Psychology courses are in high demand.

Recently, the famous Prof. Bharat from Harvard University visited India and addressed the India Today Conclave. A reporter asked him: What courses are going to shape the future, and what is your ward studying? I was truly fascinated by his answer. He said the future will always be about creativity, psychology, critical thinking, etc. As far as I understood, he was not very keen on Computer Science. Please listen to him between 26–32 minutes in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHJ2CBXWas8

I echo him completely.

After listening to this, I strongly felt the need for a career counsellor in every school and college. Traditionally, we advise students to take CSE/ECE so they can get high-paying jobs and settle well. I have stopped saying this anymore.

The world is undergoing a major transition. In this phase, rather than blindly following package trends, we must follow the Heads-On, Hearts-On, Hands-On, and Heels-On framework, which I designed 15 years ago. When I promoted it back then, people listened but said it was too theoretical and lacked evidence.

Today, I am gaining confidence that it is no longer just theory — the future is clearly trending in this direction.

More about the framework and my earlier reflections:
https://shorturl.at/EZ5uO
https://shorturl.at/6wJAT
https://shorturl.at/xP6oM

Ravi Saripalle

When Everything Is Artificial, Authenticity Becomes Power!!Chief AI Officer and Chief Authenticity Officer Coexist!

Dear Friends

Last week, I had an opportunity to moderate a session at the Andhra Pradesh Digital Technology Summit 2026 in Visakhapatnam. As part of the session, I was moderating three startup founders. This time, rather than talking more about numbers, I asked the founders to share emotional moments from their journeys—their personal lives, the support rendered by spouses, children, and parents, and the unseen sacrifices behind their success.

From the time I started the Inspire to Innovate (i2i) Storytelling Movement (i2iTM.blogspot.com) in December 2010—now successfully completing 15 years—I have fundamentally believed that real and truthful stories remain the driving force of the human race. We still hear the stories of the Ramayana, Mahabharata, or Jesus Christ and reflect on them to perfect our lives. No matter what AI does or how robotics assists our lives, the truth remains the same: real stories will continue to drive humanity, even in the future.

You might be wondering why I am repeating the phrase real stories multiple times. Recently, we attempted to submit a joint proposal (Swiss National Science Foundation & Indian Council of Social Science Research) with one of my Swiss friends. Later, we realized that we were not eligible. Interestingly, the proposal repeatedly mentioned that “Natural persons carrying out scientific research in Switzerland or with close links to Switzerland are eligible to submit an application.”

Earlier, I had not noticed such language so explicitly. As AI is progressing, we now need to clarify this. As many of you know, in October 2017, Sophia was granted Saudi Arabian citizenship, becoming the first robot to receive legal personhood in any country. Sophia is not a natural person

During my moderation, I also spoke about the following statistics:

• Stories help us retain ~60–70% of information, while pure statistics offer only ~5–10% (retention).
• Stories activate multiple parts of the brain—logic, emotion, and imagination (engagement).
• Close to 90% of our decisions are emotional and later justified by logic (decision-making).

This is also a reminder to all teachers, including myself:

• Teach cases, not just concepts.
• Share journeys, not just outcomes.
• Build narratives, not just frameworks.

As I mentioned earlier, stories and emotions build businesses. Recently, an incident caught my attention. A Chinese father quit his job and travelled 900 km to his daughter’s university after she complained about poor canteen food. He set up a food stall near the campus, cooking her favourite home meals every day. When the daughter shared this story online, it went viral—millions were touched by a father’s boundless love and sacrifice.

As we enter the AI world, many times we do not know whether a story is developed by AI or a human, whether an artwork is created by AI or a human, or whether a model is produced by a 3D printer or an artisan. We are entering such a blind spot.

The words “real” and “truthful” may become patentable terms in the future. 

Ravi Saripalle

Schooling Without Movement: A Silent Design Flaw

Dear Friends,

Recently, I was talking to a 6th-class student studying in a corporate school. The student wakes up at 6 AM and goes to school by 8 AM. They have regular classes till 4 PM, and special classes are conducted from 4 PM to 6:30 PM! The school does not have any playground or greenery. The school operates from Monday to Saturday. Sunday is mostly spent sleeping and watching movies!

We can clearly see a deficiency in terms of physical, emotional, and psychological development. I was recollecting our school days. Our classes used to start at 9 AM and end by 4 PM. The school consisted of 25–30 classrooms on the ground, and 2/3 of the school was covered by a playground. We used to go by bicycle, which was 4 km away from our home. From 5 to 7 PM, time was dedicated mostly to play! I heard the word “IIT” for the first time in my +2! During school days, dreams and goals were mostly limited to becoming a high school teacher or a banker due to limited exposure. I am not saying we studied in a perfect model either.

However, recently I read a post by Alexey Navolokin, GM at AMD. In many Chinese schools, students pause class for 1–3 minutes and move together (hands and body are shaken simultaneously) — inside the classroom. It is not a dance, not military, nor system design.

It’s called Radio Calisthenics. It has been practiced nationally for decades to reset posture, circulation, and attention.

The reasons are obvious. Prolonged sitting reduces cognitive performance after 30–40 minutes. Short movement breaks improve focus and working memory by 10–15%. Light physical activity increases blood flow to the brain by up to 20%, and even 2 minutes of movement measurably reduces mental fatigue.

As AI scales execution, human attention becomes the bottleneck. While there was a transition from legacy software to enterprise-level systems, similarly, early school education needs an overhaul with physical and emotional activities embedded into the learning process.

What is your experience?

Ravi Saripalle

Watching Reels Damages Brain Function 5 Times More Than Alcohol Consumption and Smoking? Is It That Serious?

Dear Friends,

Recently, I surveyed a few students on how much time they spend watching Reels or consuming short videos. A few spoke genuinely, and a few did not! It looks like some of them are spending more than 2 hours per day. It is not just students; this survey applies to housewives/husbands, working professionals, the elderly, children, and middle-aged people who have also succumbed to this change.

Let's assume one short video lasts 1 minute. If we watch continuously for 2 hours, we will scroll through 120+ videos. When you are reading a newspaper, it is not just reading alone; you are assimilating those ideas, storing them in the brain, and, if needed, partly analyzing them as well. However, during the actual watching process, you are not giving your brain a chance to participate. As a result, we are paralyzing it.

You might ask, “What is the problem?” as we are cooling the brain for some time. It may act as a regenerative state, similar to meditation. If you think so, we are in big soup! A major review in Psychological Bulletin summarized data from ~71 studies and nearly 100,000 people: heavy short-form video use was correlated with weaker attention and impulse control, and higher depression, anxiety, and stress!!(nbcnews.com/health/health-news/brain-rot-research-short-form-video-consumption-rcna245739)

It is not relaxation! It is actually stress!!

Recently, I asked my students how many clicked on my stories (text-based, story-driven, and long paragraphs!) that I send every Saturday. To my surprise, the click rate is 0%!! However, a recent, albeit controversial, topic on a trivial issue on social media has gone viral, centred on reel-based content. Slowly, we are losing the habit of reading paragraphs and enjoying text! What does it mean? The analytical capability is fading away!!

These survey studies show that higher short-video usage intensity and “addiction” predict decreased attention control and reduced self-control!!

Rather, approximately, we are buying this anxiety and stress!! How? Can you guess? Approximately, 1 hour → $10–$200 from Reels Play Bonus ($0.01–$0.15 per 1K views) or affiliates!!

What does it mean? You are generating revenue for somebody while decreasing your cognitive functioning!!

How much time do you spend on Reels?

Ravi Saripalle

Should We File an MTR Along with Our ITR?

Dear Friends,

How many pairs of shoes/chappals, including both used and unused, are you holding right now? When I asked this question, I immediately checked myself. Two pairs of shoes and one pair of chappals! The additional pair of shoes is kept as a backup. Perhaps after one or two years, I’ll discard it without using it much as it naturally wears out.

According to Statista, approximately 23 billion pairs of shoes are produced worldwide each year. An estimated 22 billion pairs end up in landfills. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Americans throw away at least 300 million pairs of shoes each year. These shoes end up in landfills, where they can take 30 to 40 years to decompose.

Similarly, globally, approximately 23 billion toothbrushes are discarded every year. If we prepare a list, it continues like this—diapers, toys, baby care products, crayons, sketch pens, craft materials, fast-fashion clothing, school bags, disposable razors, smartphones, cosmetics, artificial jewellery—and the list goes on.

Approximately 60–70% of the human body mass is water, composed of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. By mass, the main elements are oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen, which together make up roughly 96% of the body. The rest are minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, which also come from soil and food chains.

The idea that the human body originates from the environment and returns to it is broadly correct, both scientifically and in traditional philosophies such as the Pancha Mahabhuta concept. When a person dies, the body’s elements gradually break down and re-enter soil, water, and air, effectively closing a natural material cycle. In a nutshell, the body is a temporary organization of earth, water, air, and other elements that, after death, remix with the environment—completing a continuous natural cycle rather than a one-time event.

Having said this, when the human body is designed this way, and all life on the planet completes the cycle—including the items they use—why are the items used by human beings not completing the cycle?

The simple rule applies: during our lifetime, the items we use should be recycled, upcycled, or repurposed. If this equation is solved, the world’s sustainability and circular economy issues will also be resolved. Every year, we file an ITR for income tax. The time has arrived to file an MTR—Materials Responsibility Report. ITR for money, MTR for matter. Every individual mobile-linked purchased item should be automatically reported in the MTR!!

We file ITR for what we earn; MTR for what we return. What came from Earth must not end in a dump.

Can MTR solve recycling and sustainability issues as a matter of self-declaration (inspiration) and tax (motivation)?

Ravi Saripalle

Are we drowning from Aspiration to Desperation? The psychological cost of being "left out" now exceeds the financial cost of the EMI.

Dear Friends

Recently, I read an interesting article by Varun Aggarwal. Let's assume a massive auditorium with 362 million Indians. In this auditorium, the billionaire showcases his Rolls-Royce, the college student displays her new iPhone, the maid shares a photo of her daughter's wedding, the startup founder announces his "unicorn" status, and the retired uncle shares photos of his vacation in Goa. So nice, right? We all come to know each other regardless of our social status.

But, they are not just watching them. Psychologically, they are comparing each other. The post states that in real life, you typically compare yourself to people in your circle, usually including cousins, neighbours, and close friends, with a maximum of 50 to 100 people.

However, on Instagram, your comparison group became 1000 times larger, possibly 10 00,000 people. The 25,000 per month salaried individual watches the millionaire's Maldives trip, a Friend's new car, a Colleague's promotion, and an Influencer's brand deal. It doesn't put you in a positive mindset to work hard. It puts you into a competitive zone and tames you, drags you unknowingly into crooked competition. The middle class feels poor (compared to the rich), the Rich feel inadequate (compared to the richer), the Poor feel invisible (nobody's watching their stage performance)!!

As a Result, in 2024, India's personal loan market hit 710 lakh crores,

Credit card debt is at an all-time high. Loan apps are growing indefinitely!! Yes, many families are collapsing. Many young couples are opting for divorce after watching couples’ reels, assuming that the reel makers' lives are always fun, happy, and filled with togetherness. But in reality, there will not be a perfect couple and a perfect life. It is always a mirage! But reels portray perfectness and completeness!!

Many house tours showcase the best parts of their apartments, including the finest interiors and gadgets. They will not disclose whether they purchased through a loan or post-savings. It agitates and prompts us to make a purchase!

I don't get inspired by many of these Insta Reels, but sometimes when my classmates call me and share their 6- or 7-figure salaries, I get tempted. End of the day, I am a human being! It takes me back to my old memories!! Had I continued in my IT job, I would have been drawing the same. Or had I settled in the US in the late 1990s when I was deputed with L1 Visa, financially it would have given me a different comfort zone! However, I comfort myself that I could fulfil my father’s last wish to stay in his house for some time at least, and live with my single mother as far as possible. I have avoided unwanted corporate competition and sales travel, which has helped me stay in a Tier 3 city environment. This list provides some comfort in the wake of a huge financial opportunity loss.

Whether you agree or not, we must all be internally growing through these struggles. Nobody is an exception unless we are spiritually inclined and cultivate detachment. That is not an easy task. It is like a Bhagiratha Prayatnam.

Did you experience this desperation?

Ravi Saripalle

We Don’t Hear, We Listen: Lessons from Social Entrepreneurship and Science

Dear Friends,

This week, I discussed social entrepreneurship with our MBA students. As part of this, I was presenting about Mirakle Couriers, a National Award-winning courier agency that employs low-income deaf adults. I really liked their slogan, “We don’t hear, we listen.” The concept was amazing and forward-looking.

The WHO estimates that in India, there are approximately 63 million people suffering from significant auditory impairment. India is believed to be the country with the largest number of Deaf individuals. Approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide experience hearing loss.

For the first time, I learned that Deaf and deaf are different. ‘deaf’ with a lowercase ‘d’ refers to the medical condition of significant hearing loss. ‘Deaf’ with a capital ‘D’ extends beyond the medical definition to signify a distinct cultural and social identity.

I was also presenting in my class about Helen Keller, who was a remarkable American educator, disability activist, and author. She is the most famous Deaf-Blind person in history. Vint Cerf, known as one of the fathers of the Internet, a mathematician and inventor who co-invented the TCP/IP protocol, had hearing loss. Thomas Edison spent much of his life with little to no hearing. Having said that, sometimes it also provides an excellent opportunity—Edison was better able to concentrate on his work due to his hearing loss.

Louis Laurent Marie Clerc was a key figure in the development of American Sign Language and deaf education. He is considered the first deaf teacher of the deaf in the United States and is sometimes known as “The Apostle of the Deaf in America.”

Why am I driving this conversation?

Sheffield researchers are developing novel cell therapies that could repair the damaged inner ear, potentially reversing deafness for many. Currently, there is no cure or therapy for sensorineural hearing loss; the only treatments available to manage the condition are hearing aids and cochlear implants.

This research brings significant value to the community. It also has implications beyond hearing. The same regenerative principles could potentially be applied to vision loss, spinal cord injuries, and other neurological conditions where nerve damage is the primary problem.

Having said that, questions around stem cells—such as ethical issues, feasibility, and cost—still remain unanswered.

While we appreciate this research, in the mid-course, the only help we can render is to support individuals in all possible ways and not discourage them.

We never know what disability may come to us in our lifetime.

Ravi Saripalle