Why MBAs Are Just a Waste of Time, Money

The biggest success stories today are being written by engineers, product designers, and domain experts. So, learn real skills, join a startup, and build something that matters

- Vivek Wadhwa

Last year, my company Vionix Biosciences hired a bright intern from a college in Delhi. For her, this was a rare opportunity—she was learning advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) research and applying cutting-edge technologies in ways that could have had a profound impact on the world. She would have worked with some of the top tech leaders in the United States (US) and engineers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, contributing to groundbreaking innovations. Her future was bright. She was on track to become a hotshot developer, earning far more than any MBA graduate—both in salary and stock options. More importantly, she had the potential to do real, meaningful work.

Yet, at the end of her internship, she turned down a full-time job offer. She wanted to study management. She needed months to prepare for entrance exams. We wished her well. But she didn't get into the business school of her choice. Now, she will waste two years of her life and her family's savings, only to earn less than the starting salary we had offered her.

This is the tragedy of the MBA dream. Students believe that an expensive degree will catapult them into corporate success. But in today's world of accelerating technological change, an MBA is little more than an overpriced badge that adds little real value. The tens of lakhs of rupees students pour into tuition, living expenses, and lost income will never be recovered. And even those who manage to secure coveted spots at the prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are struggling to justify their investment.