Top Private College Graduates Lack Basic Skills, Says Startup Founder: Concerns Over MBA, Hotel Management, and Tech Degree Holders in India
New Delhi, 11th July 2025: A leading Indian startup founder has sparked debate over the employability of graduates from top private colleges, claiming that even those hired on lucrative packages of Rs 40–50 lakh per annum lack basic job skills. Sanket S., founder of Scandalous Foods, shared his concerns in a widely discussed LinkedIn post, highlighting the gap between academic qualifications and real-world competencies among MBA, hotel management, and technology graduates.
According to Sanket S., his company recruited three students with impressive degrees from renowned private institutions, offering them high salaries for specialized roles. However, he discovered that these new hires were proficient mainly in making PowerPoint presentations (PPTs), while lacking essential knowledge required for their respective fields. For instance, the MBA graduate was reportedly unfamiliar with fundamental concepts such as profit, loss, and cash flow management. Similarly, the hotel management graduate did not understand basic fermentation ratios, a key skill in the food industry.
Sanket S. lamented that while these graduates excelled in presentation skills, actual technical and operational expertise was missing. He further noted that with the advent of advanced tools like Gemini and ChatGPT, even the task of creating professional presentations can now be automated or done for free, raising questions about the real value these graduates bring to the workplace.
The incident has reignited discussions about the quality of higher education in India, especially in private colleges known for charging high fees and promising strong placement records. Industry experts and education analysts have repeatedly warned of a widening gap between what is taught in classrooms and the practical skills demanded by employers. According to a 2024 India Skills Report, more than 45% of Indian graduates are considered unemployable due to lack of industry-relevant expertise and soft skills.
The post by Sanket S. has gone viral on social media, with many entrepreneurs and HR professionals echoing similar experiences. Critics argue that colleges must revamp their curricula to focus more on hands-on training, internships, and real-world problem-solving rather than just theory and presentation skills. The issue also underscores the growing importance of continuous upskilling and the need for students to proactively seek practical exposure during their academic years.
As India’s startup ecosystem continues to expand, the demand for job-ready graduates with both technical know-how and critical thinking abilities is only expected to rise. The recent revelations serve as a wake-up call for educational institutions, students, and employers alike to bridge the skills gap and ensure that high salaries are matched by high performance and competence in the workplace.
