After reaching what many in India would consider the peak of academic and professional success — IIT Delhi, IIM Bangalore and eventually the Indian Administrative Service — IAS officer Divya Mittal found herself reflecting not on what education had given her, but on what it had left behind.

In a deeply personal post shared on X, Mittal wrote that the country’s best institutions taught her how to crack difficult examinations and shoulder responsibilities, but they never taught her how to quiet her own mind or deal with loneliness.

Her reflections did not emerge from failure. They came after achieving milestones that millions aspire to reach. That is perhaps what made her observations stand out. The questions were not coming from someone who missed success; they were coming from someone who achieved it and still felt some important lessons had remained outside the classroom.

“We memorized the periodic table, but no one explained the chemistry of a broken heart,” she wrote.

The line was not merely about heartbreak. It reflected a larger reality — students spend years mastering equations and theories, but many step into adulthood without understanding how to deal with rejection, emotional pain or personal setbacks.

“While there is a strong emphasis on communication, we are not taught the vocabulary of adult life.”

Her observation touched another reality. Schools teach essays, grammar and presentations, but adulthood often demands something entirely different — expressing vulnerability, setting boundaries, saying “no” and dealing with uncomfortable conversations.

“In school, the person with the most answers won. In life, the person with the most questions survives.”

Through this, Mittal raised questions around critical thinking. Academic systems often reward certainty, while life frequently presents uncertainty.

“Money isn’t just about math; it’s about the dignity of choice.”

Her words highlighted the absence of financial literacy. Students may spend years solving mathematics problems but often enter adulthood without practical understanding of savings, debt and financial freedom.

“Adulthood is a world of total silence. We feel stuck because we were never taught how to push ourselves without a teacher watching.”

The observation reflected another transition many experience after leaving school — moving from structured systems to a life where discipline and motivation become personal responsibilities.

Perhaps her most emotional observation came when she wrote: “We are left inadequate because we studied every subject except our own souls.”

The line shifted the focus toward self-awareness — the idea that people spend years becoming successful students but sometimes struggle to understand who they are beyond achievements and titles

Following her post, social media users began reacting strongly, with many saying they related to her experiences. Several users wrote that while education prepared them for careers and professional success, many of life’s emotional and practical realities had to be learned much later.

The discussion that followed her post appears to have opened a larger question: whether education should only create successful professionals or also prepare people to understand themselves and navigate life beyond classrooms.

Divya Mittal Career Profile

Divya Mittal is a 2013-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre. An academically accomplished officer, she holds a B.Tech degree from IIT Delhi and a PGDM from IIM Bangalore before joining the civil services.

Over the course of her administrative career, she has held several important assignments across Uttar Pradesh. After serving as Joint Magistrate in Meerut, she worked as Chief Development Officer in Gonda and later served as Joint Managing Director of UPSIDC in Kanpur Nagar. She subsequently held the post of Vice-Chairman of Bareilly Development Authority.

Mittal has also served as District Magistrate and Collector in Sant Kabir Nagar, Mirzapur and Deoria, handling key administrative responsibilities at the district level. She additionally worked as CEO of UPRRDA in Lucknow.

She is currently serving as Special Secretary to the Government of Uttar Pradesh in the Revenue Department, Lucknow. Prior to her current assignment, she was posted as DM & Collector, Deoria.