Every year, India produces students who top board exams and crack competitive tests with extraordinary scores. Yet, when these same students walk into interview rooms—whether for university admissions, internships, or jobs—the story often changes. The India Skills Report (2024) notes that confidence and articulation remain among the top five deficits in Indian graduates. Schools prepare them to excel in written tests; parents measure progress in percentages; coaching centres thrive on drilling exam strategies. (The author is Chief Learner & Director, DPS Nashik, DPS Lava Nagpur, DPS Varanasi, and DPS Hinjawadi Pune)