Bring Nachiketa & Mundaka Upnishada lessons in MBA: German expert advises

Ahmedabad

Dr. Charles M. Savage, President, Knowledge Era Enterprising International from Germany advised Gujarat Technological University (GTU) to bring lessons of Nachiketa and Mundaka Upnishada in MBA program. He said that students should be made free from greed and self-interest. Although corruption is a huge challenge world over, but we are facing urgency (30 year window) on the front of Low Carbon Global Economy. Focus on this topic is need of the hour.

He was speaking at International seminar on ‘Designing a New MBA Program for GTU’ at Chandkheda campus of GTU on 14th March, 2016. He said that Automation Technology i 4.0 is changing scenario of industries. Internet of Things can change business dynamics. We must think over how we can reconstruct our life, bring Digitization, Sustainability and Wisdom into active dialogue, turn MBA education into an Eco-preneurial Business. Learning community must be actively engaged in co-creating Low Carbon economy.

Instead of ‘Make in India’ implement ‘WISDOM in India’. He advised to make MBA program SMARTWIZATION i.e. SMART, WISE and DIGITIZATION. The world is moving in the direction of STEM i.e. Science, Technology, Engineering & Management.

Earlier GTU had 130 MBA institutes, but within last 5 years the numbers has been decreased to 81 because of non-availability of students.

The Seminar was organised by GTU for discussing how to create balance between demand and supply of MBA students in industry, said Dr. Rajesh Khajuria, Director, SMJV’s CKSV Institute of Management & Chairman, Global MBA Program, GTU. He recommended that finishing School must train students on: 1. Business Etiquette, 2. Spreadsheets (MS Excel), 3. Foreign Languages, 4. English Communication, 5. Quantitative Techniques. Dean, Faculty of Management, GTU recommended to add new topics like retailing, online marketing and e-commerce in MBA curriculum.

Dr. Akshai Aggarwal, Vice Chancellor of GTU said that we are trying to teach too much than require. There must be linkage in the small businesses and small industries with academia. We have to make efforts in that direction. There should be an active and continuous engagement on the way of industry linkage. A learning management system must be generated in every college. We have to develop syllabus which takes care of all the issues concerning industries. We must ask to students to write small reports and sit with them to correct their errors. An MBA is supposed to be a change Agent.

Dr. Arvind Khode from IIMA Alumni Association said that MBA is an applied education. So strong social skills attitude are required besides sound academic background. Simply knowledge-based MBA person is not acceptable in industries. Knowledge must shift from theoretical to experiential. There should be update in knowledge of recent developments in him. MBA person must be modern, research based and technically sound. He must be job-ready with soft skills in business, verbal and written communications. He must be a team builder, motivator, inspiring having skills of leadership and interpersonal relationship. He must have persuasive presentation skills, professionally active on Social sites. MBAs are looked upon as Extra ordinary, Proactive, Out of box thinker, Idea generator, Strategist, Analytical, Problem solver, Decision maker, Innovative & Leader. Prashant and Doctor Jyot from the same association also expressed their opinions. Now MBA is not like in Gujarati sentence “Mane Badhu Avde chhe” [I know everything]. Industry also expects skills of modern tools in him.

Dr. Mitesh Dadania, Deputy Director GTU said that in the year 200809 AICTE sanctioned intake of all technical courses was 17 lakh, while registered industry intake was 261 lakh. In the year 2012-13 the sanctioned intake reached 34.5 lakh, while registered intake was 483 lakh. So there is no issue of placement. We have to change mindset of our students and make them industry-ready.

– DeshGujarat