Father calls Indian schooling system 'rotten' after son works on projects past midnight: 'Helpless parent'

The video has since gone viral sparking widespread debate about school pressure and parental helplessness.

An Indian parent’s criticism of the country’s education system has struck a chord online after he shared that his eighth-grade son had been regularly staying up past midnight to complete schoolwork.

Niteen S Dharmawat, an investor and co-founder of Aurum Capital, posted a video showing his son engrossed in what appeared to be an art project around midnight. Sharing the clip on X (formerly Twitter), he expressed his frustration with what he described as an oppressive academic culture.

“Schools are useless. This is 12 midnight. An 8th standard kid is still doing some nonsense project after completing homework. Terror is such that if he doesn't do it, he won't be allowed to participate in his favourite PE period,” he wrote.

Dharmawat went on to say that the workload had been affecting his child’s daily routine. “Every day he is awake till 12–12:30. As a parent, I’m feeling so helpless from this rotten system. Whatever I was against, I have to face it for my kid now,” he added.

Schools are useless. This is 12 midnight. 8th std Kid is still doing some nonsense project after completing homework. Terror is such that if he doesn't do it he won't be allowed to participate in his favorite PE period. Everyday he is awake till 12-1230. As a parent I'm feeling… pic.twitter.com/piLvVYdXQZ

— Niteen S Dharmawat, CFA (@niteen_india) October 15, 2025

The video has since gone viral sparking widespread debate about school pressure and parental helplessness. Hundreds of parents and professionals shared similar experiences, questioning the necessity of time-consuming assignments and projects.

One user wrote, “This is where our kids learn the wrong mindset of 996 and how to be ‘yes men’. Stop holding your teachers and schools on a pedestal for unreasonable demands.”

Another commented, “They are wasting time, energy, and resources of everyone involved with the student. Such a waste of precious human life.”

Echoing similar frustration, a parent shared, “My husband and I just did her projects at 12 at night because she remembered them on the last day. Like months of work on a scrapbook in one night.”

A fourth user remarked on the environmental and emotional toll of such assignments: “Couldn't agree more. Most of these projects are not only a sheer waste of time but also of precious resources like paper! It would be much better if kids were taught some basic life skills at that time instead.”

"Homework should be illegal worldwide," another user noted.