Keep off the grass- Introspection of Indian Management institutions

Off late had a wonderful meeting with Prof. Dr. Alam of Amity University Dubai. Had a great sharing of thoughts, policy making and improvisation of knowledge based learning, being a writer and an academician I shared my views of how management courses and pedagogy is overrated and how they fail badly to prepare entrepreneurs than mere a job seeking management graduate. The situation becomes worst when we analyze in Indian context. I have penned down certain points for making it more clear to the aspirants that choosing a career in management in not like applying for any other graduation courses or choosing a course that can ensure them a job. Let’s begin with understanding the basis understanding of public temperament of looking for a managerial course.

a)      Management is not a course or degree that one should look for irrespective of undermining their capabilities for the sake of getting a job only. Undoubtedly, lot more parents and even aspirants don’t think the same way, most of the parents have believe that their ward should choose a course that can ensure/guarantee a job at least.

b)      Management courses are over rated and glorified in such a way that they portrait only glamorous side of it, many thanks to film industries for hiding the dark secrets of it. People believe that once they will through with the course, they will be sitting in a posh office with lots of amenities and perks of life as if they are the new god of marketing and came to save the management.

c)      Despite being a management professional and educationist I often feel the conflict of interest amid both, however I often say this spade a spade that healthcare and education sectors are amongst those sector that never faced a recession. And not in near future they will have to, unlikely in both the cases your future lies in their hands. Graduates from Top management colleges and universities are now more inclined to start their own ventures, writing books, pursuing another hobbies and interest of their own which they realized once they understood well the importance of their learning and knowledge.

d)      Many Indian parents invest huge money in their children’s graduation only, which is no where going to offer them job once they through with it. And doing masters (P.G.) becomes so much important that not only they burn their hard earned money but their children’s dream and almost half of crucial time (age) to look for a good degree alone. I personally suggest them than instead of looking for a good graduation certificate invest in your children’s master degree, for example despite doing MBBS one can be merely a underrated doctor until he/she goes for MD or MS for that matter. Similarly, investing huge money of earning a graduate degree is sheer waste of time, money and effort.

e)      Is it really worth spending hell lot of money over education is good? My answer is certainly not, forbid about TOP colleges/Indian universities (I would prefer not to name them) where one gets admission after years of rigorous hardship and solitude of confining oneself engrossed in their books and notes. He/ she becomes a geek or nerd (forgive me for using slang) that can be only good enough for research only. Practical knowledge can not be obtained from books only. At least not the managerial trait. Now comes the second phase of life when someone qualifies any of these great universities/colleges for that matter. Most of the parents who see this as a victory of their children sooner become a pray of another fallacy that is fund crisis. No wonder if banks are ready to pay the fee of your ward, they are actually money vulture who seeks this opportunity to maximize their profit margin.

f)       Does Indian monetary policy support our education system? Yes, but only one way. An old adage goes “Money begets money” and the same concept applies here as well. Financial institutions have least interest and believe in educational qualifications but their own profit. Taking a loan for a wagon is much easier and cheaper than taking the same amount of loan for education. Another thing, financial system never checks the credentials and other requisite background check of colleges and universities but the applicants. That becomes an applicant’s responsibility to choose carefully and wisely. It just likes periling oneself for an education. Many more private colleges and universities shut down over night and students future endangered. Had it been different case altogether if government machinery would have taken some strict action on these colleges and universities, accreditation agencies would have checked the performance and pedagogy of these institutions.

g)      How good is to earn a foreign degree than Indian one? Indeed a good idea to go for but one should cross check with the bureau and other competent ministries for authentication of these institution, off late some cases of fraudulent universities have been exposed. Now a day visa consultancies are mushrooming, out of which many of these are fake. They are ensuring great career in foreign countries and selling courses like engineering from Germany etc. Many of their promoters have never been there at least once to these places and their agreements are on paper only. Despite having such a notion earning a foreign degree pays off well if chosen correctly. Supposedly one has loaned for an Indian degree one has to start repaying it off once he completes his course and gets a job. However in any case the initial package would hardly suffice to pay the loan and meet the requirement of own provide one should get a get good package. Getting a good package indeed a dream come true, especially in Indian context. But one can earn while studying in foreign universities, some foreign nations have this facility. Moreover, in any case borrowing from an Indian bank will attract lower interest rate (dollar effect) while working in another country with lots of amenities and life style as a perk.

h)      How good is Indian Management universities/colleges? They are still far behind and beating the bush truly speaking. College libraries are filled with old stocks of authors and writes that are seldom of any good. Similarly, the same John McCarthy, Drcker and our beloved Kotler have no relevance in Indian context. Kotler always speaks about Brands and its creation, where as in Indian context survival has become more important than becoming a buzz word. Advertisement is sheer waste of resources; India has no managerial author to write about Indian market, strategies with a comparison to global trend for that matter.

i)        Untrained and unskilled professionals are imparting education as a result the students gather only what is texted in the books. Teaching has become a profession where faculty and lecturers come to justify their presence only. No importance of research work and any other reference based teaching are being done there. Then how come they are thriving? Because of ignorance and un-awareness of Indian people. I remember a case when I presented a case study to a management collage and they liked it much. Undoubtedly they appreciated it but they were seldom in the position of pay me off, they allowed me to use their resources for my research work in lieu of.

We had more discussion of policy making, understanding global competitiveness, creating a brand and how advertisement is sheer waste of resources. I will write upon these once time permits. Hope you liked it and many thanks to Prof. Dr. Alam for being such a wonderful teacher, listener and adviser.

Have a great learning.