Published Paper Details:

Post-Independence India remains segregated based on sociocultural differences, which over time have only been exacerbated by the surge of technological advancements and globalisation. Despite this rapid development rate, individuals within the borders defined by differences in income, education, healthcare, and employment opportunities share different realities. These realities could be as basic as the inability to afford stationery for school or as complex as facing social isolation due to their perceived social status, like caste. These realities, alongside background, economic status, opportunities, and social class, all influence people's outlook of themselves, often resulting in the Confidence Gap . Confidence is powerful as it governs the way individuals perceive themselves and their potential, how they interpret problems and seize opportunities. Thus, playing a major role in facilitating career advancements. It also impacts the way individuals interact with one another and their willingness to engage in conversation with less-known individuals. Therefore, it also impacts social (both professional and personal) relationships. The 'confidence gap' or the difference between individuals' abilities and the confidence within their abilities, emphasises how people from low-income areas and women tend to believe in themselves less . This concept is mainly moulded by the rhetoric of the West, and primarily applied in the context of gender, which covers the influence of gender and social stereotypes on one's self-conviction. The patriarchal setup of society results in women having lower self-confidence due to societal pressures which set an expectation for them to remain "perfect", while men are provided with more room to make mistakes. This results in women often avoiding new opportunities due to the fear of failure. This difference in confidence is also prevalent among students (as well as teachers) from rural and urban areas within India. The influence of their backgrounds, ability to speak English, and socioeconomic status can all sway their confidence, which often results in their perceiving themselves as inferior compared to individuals from urban areas. This can lead to limited exposure to socio-economic opportunities and development, which in turn only further exacerbates the divide between urban and rural individuals. The education system, being one of the primary systems through which students are first exposed to the concept of confidence, plays a major role in shaping the self-belief of students . As confidence stems from the environment, with a more stable and reassuring schooling environment, as well as a home environment wherein education is prioritised, students often tend to have better confidence. Additionally, teachers play a major role as students tend to take after them. Thus, showcasing a direct correlation between the education system and the confidence of students.