News Pick
Do extracurricular activities actually build future success?
Why the time spent outside the classroom might matter just as much as what’s learned inside
School is often seen as a place for academics first – textbooks, tests, and timetables. But peek beyond the classroom, and you’ll find something just as powerful shaping young minds: extracurricular activities.
Be it debating, sports, music, theatre, quizzing, or student clubs – these seemingly “extra” spaces often become the breeding ground for real-world skills. The kind that can’t always be graded, but certainly go a long way in shaping confident, capable individuals.
The invisible curriculum
Extracurricular activities help students develop soft skills that academic subjects don’t always teach directly – leadership, time management, collaboration, problem-solving, and emotional resilience. When a student organises a house event, anchors a morning assembly, or coordinates a school play, they are managing people, planning logistics, thinking creatively, and performing under pressure.
These are the same skills that hiring managers look for. And life demands.
From the choir to the corporate
Achin Narula, an alumnus of Apeejay School, Pitampura (Batch of 2004), spent 14 years at his school – not just studying, but actively participating in quizzes, sports, debates, and even the school choir. “I didn’t realise then how much those activities were shaping me,” he says. “Whether it was holding my nerves during a quiz or performing in front of an audience, they made me who I am today.”
Years later, Achin would win Rs 7 crore on Kaun Banega Crorepati, crediting his school-time exposure to the stage and spotlight for helping him perform under pressure.
His story is not an exception – it’s an example. The skills students develop in extracurricular spaces often show up later, in interviews, meetings, or when handling life’s unexpected curveballs.
A call for balance
Academic excellence is important – but it shouldn’t come at the cost of holistic development. Schools that actively encourage extracurricular participation help students discover strengths they didn’t know they had.
So, the next time a student steps into a debate hall, football field, or music room – remember, they’re not just filling time. They’re building a toolkit for life.
