During a session on consumer behaviour in an MBA class, the discussion was on the rise of D2C brands in India and the shifts in how young consumers make choices. Midway, a student asked, “Ma’am, what are the top three points I should write if this comes in the exam?”
I paused; not because it was a ‘wrong’ question but because it was such a narrow one. Here we were, dissecting the complex interplay of aspiration, identity, digital influence, and social currency and the question was reduced to a list. It struck me then how our entire approach to learning had moved from understanding to extracting. From wonder to utility. From “Why is this happening?” to “What should I write?”
We’re living in a world of fast answers. Of Google summaries, bullet points, AI-generated notes, and 60-second explainers. Where knowledge is accessible but curiosity is optional. But here’s the thing: the smartest people in the room are rarely the ones with the fastest answers. They’re the ones asking better questions.
Questions matter
In higher education, curiosity shouldn’t be a luxury. It should be the compass. Whether you’re studying Business, Engineering, Design, or Law, your ability to ask layered, thoughtful, open-ended questions is what takes you from surface-level familiarity to real understanding. A student in a media studies class once asked, “Why do Indian news channels use red tickers and dramatic music? Do viewers prefer that?” That opened up a conversation on psychology, sensationalism, visual communication, and public trust. It wasn’t in the syllabus. But it was education at its best.
Good questions expand the conversation. They don’t just clarify; they open windows. But not all questions are equal. The ones that truly sharpen thinking and signal a keen mind fall into a few key types:
Bridge questions: “How does this connect to something I already know?” For example, in a sociology class, “Is the way we view marriage today shaped more by Bollywood or tradition?”
Lens-Shifting Questions: “Who’s missing from this narrative?” For example, in a course on development economics: “What would this data look like if we asked women in rural India instead of urban youth?”
What-if questions: “What changes if one factor is flipped?” For example, in a history class: “What if the printing press had never been invented? How would power have shifted?”
Uncomfortable questions: “Is this idea as neutral as it seems?” For example, in a branding lecture: “Are luxury brands truly aspirational? Or do they thrive on social inequality?”
Questions like these show independent thinking. They show that the student is not just absorbing information, but playing with it. Part of the problem is systemic. We’ve been conditioned to chase grades, not growth. To optimise for output, not exploration. Even the classroom, at times, rewards memorisation over meaning. But part of it is cultural too. In a hyper-connected, hyper-competitive world, there’s pressure to sound smart, not curious. We are afraid of asking a question that makes us look like we don’t know.
Ask away
But the truth is that every breakthrough, every innovation, every deep insight begins with not knowing. The willingness to ask is a quiet form of courage. So how do you rebuild the curiosity muscle? Here are a few simple practices:
Begin a questions Log: After each lecture, note one question that wasn’t answered. Doesn’t matter how random. Track it over a semester; you’ll be amazed.
Teach It backwards: Imagine you have to explain today’s topic to your younger sibling. What questions would you ask to help them get there?
Slow the scroll: Next time you see a trending topic, don’t just read the summary. Ask yourself: “What’s the larger issue here that no one’s talking about?”
Sit with confusion: Instead of rushing to Google for every doubt, give yourself five minutes to think. Mull. Doodle. Let your brain try first.
Years from now, when you’re working on a business plan, crafting a policy, designing a product, or simply making a big life choice, what will matter is not whether you remembered every framework or formula. It’s whether you knew how to ask: “What’s going on here?” “Who does this impact the most?” “What am I not seeing yet?” Because that’s what smart looks like. Not fast. But curious.
The writer is the founder of Jigsaw Brand Consultants.
Published – June 28, 2025 05:25 pm IST
