Networking

The most abused term in B-schools. It may had some positive connotation in the ancient past but nowadays it's an euphemistic word for "boot-licking". Networking is done mostly with seniors, not to gain some real insights into the industry or profession, but for getting hold of the ppts of those case studies which have been done in previous batches, getting sample questions for end term exams, getting insights into electives which don't add much learning value but are great for getting good grades, etc. In my humble opinion, none of these activities add anything of value rather than a couple of extra marks/grades here and there, which comes at a cost of unoriginal thinking and constant dependence on others. On a different note, it's funny how people crave for marks in a post-graduate programme in management. I will try to write a separate article on this topic.

Another thing that is lacking ohh-so-much in B-schools is individuality. People don't take a single step inside the campus without consulting seniors and batchmates; the latter again consult with the seniors, who give advice based on their consultations with their super seniors, etc etc. Hope you get the drift. Be it the case of choosing electives or choosing the industry, the final result is blindly following other's advices without heeding a call of one's own heart. Not many have the confidence of treading their own path even before walking into the campus. And the remaining few lose it midway due to extreme peer pressure. I myself almost fell into this trap during the summers process. Thankfully better senses prevailed in the end.

The mystery of confidentiality in B-schools

Almost 90% of the things in B-schools are "confidential". Starting from placement reports to as innocuous things like hostel room allocation, the entire processes are shrouded in mystery. A few at the helm of power control all the things that go on in the campus. And people who have networks with these high and almighty usually get all the advantages in the world.

Networking-- that's one word I am starting to hate after 10 months in B-schools. People don't form friendships here, they network. Network with the placecom guys, and they will push your CV during the summers process. Network with the acadcom guys and they will save your butt during hostel rooms allocation, in spite of you missing the required criteria. And some poor souls, who still haven't understood the importance of such "exchange relationships" will bear the brunt. In fact, the level of politics that goes on in B-schools is mind-boggling. It's more than office politics.

Every B-school tries to incorporate ethics among their students and most of them have full-credit courses on them. But what's the point? Sorry to say, but some of the most unethical guys and girls end up in these hallowed campuses and they start their game of politics from the first day on campus. Random fudging of achievements to make those CVs look better, logging in with others' ids in the acads portal to gain advantage at the cost of others are so common that people don't care about these things. Now this is more alarming than the "crimes" themselves. Most of the students have an attitude of "as long as it doesn't hurt me, I don't care". And all hail the peer pressure. Normal people can go crazy and lose the ethics and moral values that they have learnt in the last 20-25 years of their lives and commit something crazy which they wouldn't have dared to think of before joining the campus.

Just hope that I pass out of this place with my integrity intact.