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'If you’re 25 and doing an MBA, you’re an idiot': Nikhil Kamath’s comment sparks discussion
Nikhil Kamath's remarks triggered a discussion online, with several users calling it dismissive and out of touch.
Zeroha co-founder Nikhil Kamath has sparked a heated discussion online for saying that “if you’re a 25-year-old going for an MBA, you must be some kind of idiot”. Kamath made the statement during Zerodha’s ‘Ask Me Anything’ session, where he appeared alongside his brother and co-founder, Nithin Kamath, and other senior officials of the company.
While responding to a question about the future of content and education in India, Nikhil Kamath said, “In my personal opinion, colleges are dead. If you are 25 and going to an MBA college today, you must be some kind of an idiot. If you ask me. I think five years from now, this trend will be exaggerated, expedited and a lot more people will not be opting for entrepreneurship, but they’ll have to choose it as there would be lesser jobs in the traditional sense.”
(Also Read: Mumbai founder claims he saw Nikhil Kamath at cafe, passed him a note. How billionaire reacted)
Kamath's statement sparks discussion
Kamath’s statement soon triggered a discussion online, with several users calling it dismissive and out of touch. Some users also pointed out that it is easy to make such remarks while coming from a position of privilege himself.
“Easy to say this when one grows up with a well to do family in tier 1 city with good network& connections already. If you don’t have that - MBA is valuable for the tag of the institute you go to. And the alumni. The people you meet there. It’s not about the course itself,” one user wrote.
“I know many who didnt do their MBA and then later regretted. Not everyone can be an entrepreneur. many misses out on promotions and growth in corporates because of not having MBA. MBA from the top tier institutes also bring the networking much essential in later life,” commented another.
“It’s easy to look down on education when you already have wealth, access, and influence. For middle-class people, education is the only bridge that opens doors. An MBA gives network, credibility, and trust — things billionaires already have by default,” wrote a third user.
(Also Read: Nikhil Kamath interviews Sam Altman, fans react: ‘Elon Musk when?’)
However, some users agreed with the 39-year-old billionaire, saying that the traditional purpose of an MBA is changing.
“Totally agree: with AI, an MBA will be the most undervalued degree ever. It's already happening in the US; India will catch up soon. HR, Finance, and Marketing will become agents,” one user wrote.
“He is right. Why would you waste your time, money, and energy pursuing something that won't give the kind of returns that you can get at a fraction of the cost using AI? It's better to channel your energy into creative pursuits, such as starting a startup,” commented another.
