‘Don't get an MBA’: Indian founder reveals how he wasted ‘two years of opportunity’ for a ‘piece of paper’

In a job market that is narrowing down like the underground passage beneath the Whomping Willow, people are looking for anything that could get them the next job or pay hike. From moving cities and industries to finally getting that MBA, any idea is a good idea as long as it gets things moving.

However, an Indian founder’s post has made some stop and reevaluate their decisions. Nayrhit Bhattacharya, co-founder and CEO of Gushwork AI recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to share that if he could call his 18-year-old self today, he would tell himself one thing: ‘Don’t get an MBA’

“I grew up worshipping the golden ladder: Engineering → MBB → VC → top MBA → PE by 30. I got into Booth while I was at a VC and felt like I'd won,” he wrote sharing his journey.

However, when he sat across from 2,500 ambitious entrepreneurs over the 2 years, solving problems and grinding hard, he realised that none of them had MBAs.

Bhattacharya then deferred his MBA to become a founding PM at a fast-growing AI startup. “Very steep learning curve. And that's when the math stopped making sense. Two years of time in my prime = Two years of opportunity cost in a world where AI was about to compress a decade of learning into 18 months,” he wrote.

He added that one does all this hard work for a piece of paper that signals “I’m smart to firms I no longer wanted to work at.” He then deferred Booth, took a job at an AI startup, eventually finished his MBA, but worked part-time on the side during the second year.

It was then that he started Gushwork in his final quarter. “The MBA isn't a career. It's a permission slip for a career someone else designed for you. The most interesting people I've met never asked for permission. They just started,” wrote the founder while adding that he was still paying off the loan with foreign exchange and US interest rates not helping his situation.

Netizens share their bit

The founder’s post received mixed reactions online. While some were shocked to know that he was still paying off his MBA loans, others appreciated his insight.

“This is a great way of explaining why an MBA is a bad idea with a real example. Thanks, Nayrhit,” wrote one user.

“Still paying off the loan for your MBA? jesus” added another.

“The golden ladder only looks gilded when they’ve already brainwashed you,” one pointed out.

At one point in time, an MBA was one of the most esteemed degrees in the world. From high-paying tech jobs to base-level engineers, all wanted and needed one. However, with the rise of AI in the past few years, the value of an MBA degree has decreased exponentially. Now, companies demand an AI-related degree or experience in the field in order to get ahead in a realm that humans are still exploring while creating.