In “7 Skills Every Student Needs Beyond the Classroom,” India Today highlights that school alone doesn’t equip students for life. Beyond acing exams, today’s real world demands personal growth, critical thinking, and flexibility. These seven essential life skills help students thrive socially, emotionally, financially, and in a fast-changing world.

Here’s the full list:

1. Communication Skills — Expressing ideas and thoughts well, both speaking and writing, builds confidence, teamwork, and better relationships.
2. Critical Thinking — Questioning, analysing, making independent decisions helps with solving complex, real-world problems.
3. Emotional Intelligence — Understanding and managing one’s own emotions; empathy; coping under pressure.
4. inancial Literacy — Basics of budgeting, saving, investing so students avoid debt traps and make informed money decisions. 
5. Digital Literacy — Using technology wisely, staying safe online; knowing how to learn with and adapt to tech tools.
6. Adaptability — Learning how to learn, adjusting to change, being flexible in new or uncertain situations.

Why these matter:

• These skills bridge the gap between what one learns in school and what the world demands—jobs, relationships, unexpected challenges.
• Students who master emotional intelligence and adaptability tend to cope better with failure and change.
• Financial literacy prevents lifelong mistakes. Digital literacy and communication skills prepare students not only for future work but for growing up in a tech-heavy society.