It’s too frustrating to see the reality. This education system is leading us to nowhere. It’s churning out humans like machine. I’ve visited lot of colleges, big and small, and each time I have ended up being more frustrated, cursing my job for showing me the true picture. I was so conveniently keeping my eyes close. The condition of small colleges is pathetic to say the least. Typically it’s just a fashion statement to mark one room as Placement Room where the fact is in last 5 years, only 2-3 BPO companies or Insurance companies(with low profiles) have come to the campus. In my visit to atleast 8 small colleges, I’ve never seen the Placement room open. These colleges would corner one almirah, throw few old rotting books and conveniently stick a sticker on it that says “Library”. Hell in a college there were 3 almirahs, one library for general category, one for SC’s and third one for ST’s.(I'm not kidding.) Now what were these college people were thinking? Reserving the books too? What will be reserved next? Water taps? And then we can complete the circle?

A closer meet with the principal will clear all your doubts about the state of colleges. When the head of colleges is at not sound enough, how will the college stand? This is a typical conversation with principal of a small college(who claims it’s a big college
->showoff) -

Hello Sir! I would like to do some marketing activity to make students aware of their future options especially MBA

Hmmm…you see we are a really “big” college. I don’t waste my time on people like you. Thousands like you come and go. Should I entertain everyone? Don’t I have work?

I understand sir. But this is important for future of the students. Aren’t we all working for this only?

Hmmm…lemme think. You said MBA..I have big contacts. I get students placed in companies for 7000 per month. What can you do? Can this MBA of yours give them a 10,000 p.m. job?

Sir, the top colleges of India have average salary in lakhs of rupees. Even MBA in regional colleges in Karnataka can comfortably give them a job in range of Rs 12,000-15,000 p.m.

Hmmm..how is the competition like?

Sir for K’taka colleges, some 10k people write the exam out of which 3k are selected.

What? Such a tough competition? Are you mad? Will these children able to survive competition? These are normal students. Not some hi-fi English speaking Infy guy like you. They can’t do these. How will they face such a huge challenge?

Sir, that’s why I’m here for. With your able guidance and our specially designed course, we can help these students to get selected to a good MBA college.

Hmmm..meet me after 2 weeks. Right now I’m busy. Give me the proposal and I’ll think and get back to you.

Thanks for your time sir.

Now this is it. First, the principal has no clue of what MBA is. Second, he has no faith in his students. Third- he does not think that students can survive competition. Fourth- he still thinks showing off that he is busy and high profile guy is important.

This was the administration side of the college.

Now coming to student side. This is how the conversation goes(in a girls college)-

Hello. I’m XYZ and I’m here to brief you about future options in MBA. Ok. How many of you have career plans.(On seeing blank faces and no response for 5 mins). What do you want to do in future.(No response). Ok I’ll give you options-

1)MCA (since it’s a BCA college) – 5 hands
2) MBA – 2 hands
3) job- 10 hands

In a class of 100, only 17 people respond. (Confused)What other option you have? What else you want to do? Am I missing out something?
(Finally after 5 mins one girl stood up) Sir, our parents will get us married soon. We would be married and we won’t like to pursue any future options.

I immediately left the seminar, in between, out of disappointment and sheer frustration. It's like I felt I would need to bring a social revolution of some kind to induce some rationality in their brains. These colleges are churning out hundreds of students. They have approvals, They have faculty. They have infrastructure. They have finances. They have everything. What else they possibly need to atleast provide some decent education?
I think will and outlook. The faculties and principals are like frogs in a well. They don’t realize it’s a big world outside and they tend to make their students same frog in same well. They're doing a crime of some sorts.

This was what goes in small college. In a big college things are even worse. Imagine this-

Sir, I’m glad that you gave me a date for seminar. I need a written letter or mail from you that we’ll have this seminar so that I can forward to my regional manager(who would be conducting this seminar) so that he can apply for official tour.

Sorry I can’t do that.

Sir, but why?

Am I inviting you or are you coming down to my college?

Sir, I’m coming to your college.

So why should I write an invitation for you. I gave you permission. Be thankful for that. I won’t write anything. Manage yourself. It’s you who want a favor and expect me to invite you to do you a favor.

(Taken aback and controlling my emotions) Sorry sir. But we won’t be able to have seminar then. Students would miss a great chance to explore future options by meeting a senior person.

What the heck. I’m there for students. Don’t worry. You’re a businessman. Don’t pretend to be a teacher and worried about students. All you need is money.

Sir, I would like to disagree to your point. Anyways I need not prove my intentions to you. What I can do is I’ll get a letter asking for your permission to have a seminar. Kindly sign the letter. Would that be fine?

Ya. That would be fine. And give the letter to peon. Don’t disturb me. I’m too busy these days.

The biggest problem with big colleges here is ego. Their faculty think they are profs in biggest college, students think they are undisputed kings. Nobody gives a damn. Nobody has a clue about real competition. Nobody has a clue what it takes to reach to the top. When these students go to Bangalore or big cities for their jobs or searching for one, then they realize they’re just a small fish in an ocean and a pretty small one. But then they were never prepared to face this. They had thought life would be easy. Colleges too are happy that their students got university rank. They don’t even think what will happen once the students passout. Not their responsibility right!

Although the same college has produced some eminent personalities like Sudha Murthy, but I would like to believe it was more of an exception than a rule. I don’t think there was a single person who cracked an IIM last year. Heck, I know atleast 10 people of my batch in IIM’s. What’s stopping them? They’re big. They’ve all the facilities. It’s the ego and lack in competition.

People used to say small town kids don’t do well and I disagreed. But I do tend to agree now. It’s not the competency but the lack of exposure. And our colleges and our schools have to be solely blamed for that. We’re flocking students like sheep. Producing more students each year and dumping them in a huge pile. Year after year. Everyone is same. What will they do? I tend to somehow feel lucky and thank to my stars that atleast I got into a good college. Maybe I didn’t learn much. Maybe I learned much. But I would agree that the facilities,faculty,peer group- that was just awesome.

And that’s the time when I miss my college.