Why Management & Engineering Education in India Stinks – Part II – Archie D’Souza

I had on Saturday, October 14, 2012 posted an article entitled “Why Management & Engineering Education in India Stinks” and suggested my list of remedies.  This was before the publication of this report.  Now that the National Employability Report for 2012 is out, it only corroborates my views.  Here are some of the highlights of the report:

·         Only a minuscule percentage of this year’s MBAs across India are employable.  Here is an interesting break-up:

o    2.5% are employable in business consulting

o    7.9% as analysts

o    6.9% in marketing related jobs

·         Surprisingly, for me at least,   it is higher for HR positions, the figure being 9,6%

·         For the banking and finance sector the figure is 7.6%

·         An organization called Aspiring Minds (see www.myamcat.com ) conducted a voluntary test called Aspiring Minds Computer Adaptive Test between April and September this year at tier-I and tier-II business schools.  The employability test comprised of a combination of the following:

o    English

o    Quantitative skills

o    Analytical abilities and

o    Domain-specific knowledge

32,000 students from the MBA class of 2011 in more than 22 business schools across the country took the test which is voluntary.

This is what Varun Aggarwal, chief operating officer and chief technology officer, Aspiring Minds, quoted in the Economic Times has to say: "The low employability figures show that management students and colleges need personalised employability feedback and guidance to take the right corrective steps.  This shall not only lead to more students getting jobs, but also addressing the large talent needs of our growing industry.”   Why do people enroll in an MBA?  From my experience it is to specialize in a particular domain.  However, how many people even know that domain?  This indeed is a cause for concern. 

What came as a surprise to me is that, according to the report, the employability of male and female candidates who took the test was approximately the same.  My personal experience both in the corporate as well as academic fields has been the opposite.  I’ve always found women much more competent and knowledgeable than their male counterparts with the same qualifications.  According to the report though, women did considerably better in HR – only 11.3% of the women surveyed and 8.3% of the men surveyed were found to be employable in HR roles.

I have suggested in my earlier article that MBA aspirants go through a mandatory 3-year industrial experience.  The fact is that while a student may be packed with a great deal of theory in the classroom, there just isn’t enough practical experience for them.  This is the situation even in the top business schools.  Students who’ve experienced a bit of corporate life will certainly make better managers.  It is my belief that management can never be learnt in the classroom.  The only way is baptism-by-fire.

I have also suggested that the level of instruction be raised.  For this one needs to attract the best to the field.  The best faculty member is one who has spent a good deal of time in industry.  I feel, minimum qualification requirements should be waived for corporate people, both current and retired, who wish to take up teaching assignments.  In fact, companies should encourage their managers to lecture in local management colleges.

For the rest of my recommendations please read my earlier article.

Click below to read:

http://sunriseacademyonline.blogspot.in/2012/10/why-management-engineering-education-in.html

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