How An Identity Crisis Is Corroding The Soul Of Teaching Profession
A battle for recognition is poisoning schools, turning passionate educators into passive performers and classrooms into arenas of ego
Dr Arshid Ahmad Khanday
BLURB: Identity should never be built on comparison or dominance; it should rise from purpose, contribution, and character. When individuals rediscover their true worth beyond competition, ego dissolves, collaboration flourishes, and optimism replaces pessimism.
In the contemporary world, identity crisis has emerged as a deeply rooted psychological and social challenge. It transcends social classes, affecting individuals ranging from daily-wage labourers to the world’s most influential presidents. The widespread sense of confusion about one’s purpose, role, value, and recognition has silently nurtured a pessimistic approach to life. As competition intensifies globally, rivalry and ego-driven behaviours have become common, revealing that identity crisis is no longer confined to youth or specific professions—it is now a universal social ailment.
An identity crisis is a state where individuals remain uncertain about who they are and what they stand for. When this uncertainty collides with the desire for validation or superiority, it gives rise to ego, a destructive emotion that stains personal and professional relationships. From corporate offices to government sectors, from hospitals to classrooms, this crisis manifests in people who are constantly trying to prove themselves, even at the cost of stability and ethical values.
In the professional realm, no sector is immune. Doctors, engineers, administrators, businessmen, and even teachers experience this inner turmoil. Everyone wants recognition; everyone seeks appreciation. But when the desire to be seen becomes stronger than the desire to work sincerely, an identity crisis begins to dominate one’s behaviour. It damages professional integrity, fosters jealousy, and fuels unhealthy competition. Instead of collaborative progress, individuals begin to chase personal limelight.
Among all professions, the teaching community is perhaps the most affected—and the consequences are far more damaging. Teachers are not merely knowledge providers; they are value-givers who shape the moral foundation of upcoming generations. Their role demands sincerity, humility, and a strong ethical compass. Yet the modern educational system is witnessing the rise of teachers whose priorities revolve around personal recognition rather than student welfare.
These educators want to remain in the spotlight, take more credit than they deserve, interfere in others’ responsibilities, and indulge in toxic professional politics. When they fail to assert dominance openly, they create lobbies—small power circles rooted in favouritism and manipulation. Such groups exist today in almost every school, from primary to senior secondary levels, and even in higher institutions like colleges and universities. These lobbies sabotage healthy academic environments and compromise the sanctity of educational institutions.
The rise of “babu culture” has further deepened the crisis. Influential individuals posted for years in their preferred locations gradually develop an inflated sense of authority. Strong contacts and prolonged shelter at convenient stations make them feel like the unofficial owners of institutions. Offices begin to treat them as knowledgeable “insiders,” granting them excessive influence. Headmasters, HOIs, ZEOs, principals, and even CEOs unknowingly become part of this unhealthy ecosystem.
In such an environment, when a young teacher enters with zeal, hope, and innovative vision, he sees a very different reality from what he imagined. After years of burning the midnight oil, earning qualifications like PG, BEd, MEd, PhD, NET, and SLET, he dreams of contributing meaningfully to society. He expects professional support, encouragement, and freedom to apply modern pedagogical approaches. But his dreams begin to crumble as he encounters entrenched lobbyism, egoistic seniors, biased work distribution, and discouraging institutional culture.
Within just a few years, his passion fades. He begins to feel that sincerity holds no value where favouritism rules. Instead of being empowered, he is sidelined. Instead of being mentored, he is monitored. Instead of being motivated, he is manipulated. Eventually, many such teachers withdraw, becoming passive performers rather than active contributors. And this loss is not just personal—it is a loss for society, for the state, and for the future of students.
The identity crisis that fuels ego and pessimism does not remain limited to individuals; it affects entire institutions and generations. When negativity dominates workplaces—especially schools—students absorb it indirectly. They witness teachers divided into groups, see politics overshadowing purpose, and learn behaviours that contradict the values taught in textbooks. Thus, ego-led identity crisis becomes an axe that cuts through the ethical existence of the teaching profession.
To address this crisis, educational systems and society must promote emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and professional humility. Teachers should receive training not only in academics but in ethics, collaboration, leadership, and stress management. Transparent transfer policies, fair work environments, and decentralisation of power are essential to dismantle the babu culture. Most importantly, institutions must encourage a culture where merit is recognised, innovation is supported, and integrity is respected.
Identity should never be built on comparison or dominance; it should rise from purpose, contribution, and character. When individuals rediscover their true worth beyond competition, ego dissolves, collaboration flourishes, and optimism replaces pessimism. Only then can institutions—especially schools—become nurturing grounds for productive, socially responsible, and emotionally stable human beings.
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