Friday, February 1, 2013

ARE INDIAN BUSINESS SCHOOLS EDUCATION BAZAAR?


 “Padhega India.Tabhi  Tau Badhega India”.For today’s generation the mantra is a tad bit different, for them its “MBA Karega Tabhi Tau  Kamayega India”!! Times of India dated 31st Jan’2013 says “Only 10% of B-School Grads get jobs: Study”

The story mentions a study which goes on to explain that except IIMS Grads,90% Grads of other B-Schools end up without Jobs. It further mentions that in the last five years the number of MBA seats annually in India has tripled from 4,500 to as many as 3.6lakh,according to an Assocham study, but campus recruitments have gone down by 40% in the same period.

India struggle to rise economically and bring about a sustainable change in its economy steered the middle class family’s desire to sign up to courses related to Business Education, which in turn resulted in a lucrative opportunity for investors willing to invest money in various educational institutions.
This recent article published by “Times of India” has reaffirmed my statement that I have been making at various forums. Recently I was invited by a hugely reputed business school to teach their final year PR students. The subject given was,” Corporate branding”.

In my opinion I couldn't explain corporate branding unless I introduced students to the concept,” What is the process of building a brand?” My belief has always been that it’s impossible to teach such professional subject without giving students a “hands on experience.” Classroom training with no practical knowledge would be like attending a cookery class and not trying out the recipe!!

In my first session I introduced the class to the basics of sensible behavior within a PR Agency and had decided that from the second session on-wards  I will take them through the concept of Branding, leading to Corporate Branding, which according to me is nothing else but “Corporate Identity Programme”.
Leo Burnett precisely quotes my belief in simple terms. “If you don’t get noticed, you don’t have anything. You just have to be noticed, but the art is in getting noticed naturally, without screaming or without tricks.” One definitely cannot get noticed by just sitting in a classroom, your actions are what would, get you noticed!!

After my first session I was invited for Lunch with the director of the institute .During the conversation, the director asked me what was I teaching ,to which I replied, I will take them( the student) through branding first and later will take them through corporate branding. The Director thundered thinking that they have been taught branding, to which I retorted No,” they know nothing about branding. “The director bawled at the staff and asked them to bring the syllabus. Syllabus was brought but the staff meekly informed him that branding wasn’t taught to them, but the director kept thundering, which I thought was almost like derision towards myself. That moment onwards I lost my enthusiasm to teach at that place, but to be rational to the students I controlled my emotions.

My belief is that for such professional courses the theory should be only 25%  of the teaching where as 75% of the course should be about “Hands on Experience”, helping aspiring professionals build their portfolios, which could help people trying to hire them judge their talent. Ever wondered why in a playschool a child is taught games and is taken through various practical experiences and not taught theory? The idea is simple, so as to build a stronger base for the child and help improve his/her analytical thinking. Similarly anyone seeking a career in the corporate world should be able to showcase his/her talent effectively.

Alas nobody in today’s educational market agrees with me, increasing my concern for the youngistaan generation!!

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