IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) alumni meet in a metro in India two years back debating about newer IITs – Suddenly the number of IITians has multiplied … It dilutes the IIT brand … Should we form another alumni group restricted to older or the more elite IITs to which we belong … We should petition the government against an ever-expanding number of IITs. Who qualifies for annual meets like PAN IIT?
Another set-up, this time an IIM (Indian Institute of Management) get-together being planned. Debates on an ever-expanding number of courses from IIMs – 2 Years PGDM to 3 Years PGDBM to 1 Year PGP to 1 Year certificate program to few months focused program to MDP. Who should be in and who should be out – claiming to be alumni of IIM. Everyone displays the IIM logo on their LinkedIn profile, our differentiation seems to be under threat.
I see the advertisements of many ranked and non-ranked courses of multiple Ivy League institutes – it often includes ‘acquiring alumni status and access to the network’ as part of the package on completion of the course. It adds to the charm.
I already belong to the club … Filter the entry now … it needs to remain the elite club
Context changes, same class :
When you were trying to get into these institutions … would you have preferred the institutions to have more seats or less for student intake … would you have preferred more such institutions in existence or less … your children may go through a similar motion – would you prefer more courses, more colleges, more seats so that chance of his/her studying in these institutions is better or otherwise. The answer often would be the option of bettering my dear ones’ or my chance … More … More … What if someone closed the gate as you were approaching it … Do you really care for brand dilution or prefer more access?
Students of these institutions contribute rightfully to the country’s economy. They compete with students of institutions of higher education across the globe. Number matters when it comes to building our nation. These institutions are built and run by taxes paid by anybody and everyone. They belong to all. Everyone has a right to quality education. We have begun with a few of them building our centers of excellence. It would do wonders if we replicate the standards of institutions as these institutions or better across the country. Does it matter if we replicate the same name across all/many institutions as long as the quality is ensured?
If one graduate to the world of start-up, you would come across several institutions like TiE, Indian Angel Network, The Entrepreneurship School, etc. set up and run by early entrants and success icons of the entrepreneurship world, working to develop an eco-system that would help new entrants. What if they formed a coterie and created an entry barrier for struggling aspirants of entrepreneurship. What if they adopted the theme … I am in … Close the door
I would cherish to see institutions of quality education come up all over the country providing better access for all. Do we close the door or stand up to welcome the newbie …
By Mr. Purnendra Kishore
