“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!!
