Is XLRI's Post Graduate Certification Worth the Investment for Career Growth in HR?

Hi, I'm looking forward to applying for a Post Graduate Certification in HR from XLRI. As far as my knowledge goes, it holds a good standing in the corporate world, as most of the value addition is done by the Brand XLRI itself. I would like to know from the seniors about their opinion on this course, and would it help me advance my career, the way an MBA from a regular institute would do. The fee for this program is 1.95 lakhs INR.

There are thousands of institutes in India for management studies such as XLRI, Symbiosis, MILS, TISS, Jamnalal Bajaj Institute, Welingkar Institute, and many others across India. What difference does it make to your career if you do not perform?

The majority of the graduates from these schools have transitioned their careers into other fields or engaged in family businesses. Very few graduates from such prestigious schools have succeeded in the field of management, either as professors, lecturers, visiting faculty members, or scholars.

A true professional survives the tough Industrial Relations Era and today's modern HR Era, proving their mettle in the corporate world. The numbers of professionals from such institutes or other universities are negligible.

In the last 60 years, none of these so-called Deemed University Business Schools/Institutes, including IIT/IIM kind of institutes, have achieved anything significant to deserve a Nobel Prize for their contributions to the field of management studies, unlike Western universities in the last 50 years.

I am amused by the protective philosophy of Indian youths in branding institutes like commodities. Institutes are not commodities, my friend. Taking shelter in an ideal atmosphere for protectionist approach rather than taking on challenges in your field reveals the true objectives behind branding institutes like commodities. The whole purpose of the existence of such branding is to promote parasitic brains and opportunists by hyping the elitism of these Business Schools without producing potential world-class products.

You are not alone, my friend. Almost all youngsters of your generation have a similar attitude towards this management profession – capitalizing on branding rather than delivering world-class management concepts/practices.

This attitude is a sign of intellectual saturation and lack of confidence in themselves to innovate. Until hardworking professionals, especially in Indian corporates, exist in India, you will not succeed, nor will branded B-Schools work for you.

You have to exert yourself and learn through experience before imparting wisdom to the future generation in the corporate world. Prepare yourself for that by gaining valuable experience, expertise, and the required maturity that is not delivered by these branded B-Schools.

All the best.

With Regards,

Raj

Hi Raj,

Thank you for the valuable guidance. I partially agree with your comments that every individual needs to test and prove themselves in this corporate world. However, I also believe that management education positions an individual to establish themselves in a corporate environment.

My question is: apart from the corporate experience I have and the tough situations I have handled in an organization, would XLRI equip me with more tools and competencies to solve business problems and handle real-life business scenarios effectively than my current BCom degree?

Dear sir,

Thanks for your remarks. I appreciate your acknowledgment of the facts. My point of view is that we grow through our experiences, and our Indian corporate agenda is far from institutional education agenda. Branding of educational institutions is not only intellectual bankruptcy but also moral bankruptcy because intellectuals do not grow in institutes; they emerge from the ordeal of time and circumstances.

Unlike Harvard or other B-Schools, Indian B-Schools are never associated with Industry Associations or Chambers of Commerce from India for research and analysis. Except for the placement of their students, they have everything in common. The only difference is that your purchasing power determines the value for which place in India and institute you can afford education priced by these institutes. To be in business, they have to adopt commercial gimmicks of branding. No brand works in professional work life.

Take the example of HR tools in practice worldwide: Business Process Reengineering, Job Evaluation by point factor, or defining job families, career ladders, compensation analysis, pricing of jobs, and market surveys. All these are grey areas of our Indian Corporate HR world. Except for their peripheral academic debate, nothing practically works in HR from these world-class practices in India. Recently, we evaluated consultants like McKinsey & Co, Boston Consulting, Booz/Allen/Hamilton, and Arthur D Little for a BPR project, and the price of the project was finally fixed at 1.4 million USD. For one Market Compensation Survey, we evaluated Watson Wyatt, Hay Group, Mercer, Ernst & Young, and the project was awarded for 870,000 USD.

Could you believe that an Indian Conglomerate can afford these investments in such important issues? The whole issue of HR in India is proof beyond any doubt that justifies that your knowledge base has any utility in Indian Corporate HR Practices because of price.

Now come to Branded B-Schools Business:

What can TISS, XLRI, IIT, or IIM do in HR and what have they done in the last 50 years? Have they ever undertaken any project to innovate like Harvard School or London School of Economics and other Western B-Schools have done? Do they possess the know-how to undertake such projects voluntarily? Are they capable of executing such research and analysis work in their institutes? What is their credibility aside from awarding certifications for having undergone some sort of education parallel to University Educations? What else do they offer except infrastructure just because of financial autonomy? Nothing literally differs in the quality of education.

This branding recognizes inefficient and non-performing institutions. It is nothing but a business by corrupt morale and bankrupt minds who do not understand what knowledge is all about and from where knowledge or know-how emanates.

I, therefore, sincerely advise that it's always better to invest 100% more to get better education in a Western university to be better informed and truly execute your knowledge at the world stage. If you believe Indian HR is doing something that never existed before, it is a myth, and only myths prevail in institutions, corporates, and the general understanding of employees and people at large.

XLRI has the same knowledge that has been taught in the University for MBA in HR, nothing else. The rest of the modern HR practices like competency mapping or psychometric tests are a fusion in HR by those who have practically failed in their profession and are being asked to train people as HR Managers, becoming HR liabilities. Similarly, psychologists through other means have entered into HR, but truly these professions have nothing to do with core HR or strategic HR. Therefore, HR is a total mess and misleading to most of the new generation HR.

It's the ability of such institutes to what extent they succeed in misleading the Indian Corporates and the New Generations in the name of HR interventions through various forums, seminars, and conferences.

It's always better to know what our fundamental HR functions or core HR business and activities are first to become true professionals, even if true HR professionals do not survive in such adulterated, gloomy scenarios—you will do five times better outside India. Because the world acknowledges basic HR activities and core functions as primary requirements for any business.

My idea is to think of the big picture and on a world scale. What is important and what we can justify in the market and is worth in the market.

Regards,

Raj