In a recent podcast, Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia criticized India’s engineering education and work culture, highlighting a lack of hands-on experience, critical thinking, and genuine innovation. He remarked that “99% of Indian engineering graduates move into management roles and start giving ‘gyaan’ to everyone,” questioning the prevailing work ethic and the scarcity of individuals building real products themselves.
Bhatia expressed concern over the glorification of business figures who focus on outsourcing rather than original software development, stating, “We celebrate people who promote body shopping, not original software. Somehow, they become India’s software gurus—despite not writing any code themselves.” He emphasized the need for India to reassess how it values technical skills, advocating for a shift in work ethic and greater respect for those who write software and engage in critical problem-solving.
Drawing a comparison with China, Bhatia noted that inclusive and subsidized education there has made a significant difference, whereas in India, education has become a luxury for the rich. He also highlighted the gap between academia and real-world learning, sharing that while Stanford teaches what’s relevant now, much of the IIT academia is stuck in the past. Reflecting on his own journey, he mentioned that innovation doesn’t come from textbooks but from practical experience.
Bhatia’s comments align with recent concerns raised by India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, who has also called for a major revamp of engineering curriculums, especially in top institutions like the IITs
