The Hindu Business Line : <I>Poor quality of MBAs </I>

The appalling standards of management education in hundreds of business schools throughout the country have been hotly debated, and a number of corrective measures have been suggested.

Poor infrastructure, faculty members with limited industry experience, and heads of B-schools who pay a pittance to the faculty, de-motivated students — the list of woes is endless.

It is imperative that action be taken. One solution is to make industry experience compulsory for faculty members, even if he/she is a doctorate degree holder. Organisations can also take the initiative and offer them opportunities to gain industry experience. This cannot and should not be brought about through legislation, but through MoUs between B-schools and organisations.

Second, B-schools should compulsorily follow the case-study method of teaching. It is the only methodology that has stood the test of time. Also, the fact remains that products of the IIMs and the other top 20 B-schools have been taught this way.

Third, there should be emphasis on communication, presentation and inter-personal skills and emotional intelligence should be compulsorily developed so that the quality of MBAs meets market demands. Fourth, in today's global environment, knowledge of at least one foreign language is essential. B-schools should provide opportunities to MBAs to acquire this skill.

If management graduates do not become street-smart they will not be able to get good jobs. After all, that is the litmus test. In the market-driven economy, one need not be surprised if one finds mergers and acquisitions happening among B-schools too.

(The author is a freelance writer.)

B. Sivakumar

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