A novel study into the state of Indian private education – to be released this week – reveals a widening ‘sync gap’ between students, parents, and educators. The Student Sync Index 2026, drafted by Jetri – a consulting and strategic implementation firm focused on education – notes that stakeholders in the educational system often work at cross-purposes, in the areas of technology, motivation, and emotional safety, among others.
AI asymmetry
Shreyasi Singh, the founding managing partner of Jetri, told FE that although artificial intelligence (AI) has taken centre-stage in the lives of schoolchildren – with 65% kids using it for brainstorming, and 60% for breaking down difficult topics – parents are not fully convinced with AI. The report finds that 66% of parents demand ethical instruction before such tools are introduced in the classroom.
Teachers seem to be caught in the middle – many rely on personal exploration rather than structured learning, and 81% report that institutional training is limited or lacking. “This creates a loop where students lack guidance, and nearly half report that teachers either offer limited support or shut down AI use without explanation,” Singh said.
Motivation
While all want to achieve success, they define it differently. For 67% of students, success is defined by college admission, 59% define it by high marks, and only 2% associate success with learning things useful for real life.
For teachers, success is more about internal development such as initiative (63%), goal setting (55%), and consistency (53%). “But this can lead to a disconnect – as students chase external validation, even as their intrinsic purpose may remain unfulfilled,” Singh said.
Emotional safety
Singh added that mental health and stress – on which traditionally the focus has been very limited – represent the most urgent ‘sync’ failure, as 63% of teachers observe student stress daily, but parents appear to underestimate this reality (as 39% believe that their children are immune to social pressure).
In addition, while 57% of students feel stressed once or twice a week, and 19% feel stressed most every day, only 2% feel ‘very comfortable’ approaching teachers for help, and for 41% students, emotional safety is personality-driven (dependent on whom they meet/encounter).
Other areas the report touched upon are ‘extracurriculars & leadership’, ‘school climate & culture’, ‘teaching quality, autonomy & workload’, ‘school image, ranking & board’, as well as ‘teacher collaboration & feedback’.
The way forward
Despite these ‘sync gaps’, the report highlights areas of strength. School culture and safety are viewed as victories, with parents and students generally trusting the academic backbone of their institutions.
Singh said that to bridge the divides, Jetri proposes three key shifts:
Institutionalising wellbeing: Moving from personality-based support to a tiered system of universal social-emotional learning.
Purpose-driven learning: Implementing purpose portfolios to move motivation from grade-chasing to meaningful impact.
Ethical AI: Training teachers and students so that they basic tech knowledge can be turned into responsible learning.
Jetri surveyed over 3,700 stakeholders, including students, teachers, and parents, from schools with annual fees exceeding Rs 2 lakh.