Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu says exams are not a good way to judge talent; quotes Meta’s former most famous employee Yann LeCun

Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu has questioned the value of exams and interviews as reliable measures of exceptional performance, saying they often test narrow skills rather than long-term ability. In a post on X, Vembu said tests mainly measure “test-taking skills” and interviews measure “interviewing skills,” adding that beyond a basic level of competence, these methods do not strongly link to outstanding real-world outcomes. Vembu argued that once basic competence is established, scores and interview performance fail to capture traits needed for exceptional work.


“Tests measure test taking skills. Interviews measure interviewing skills. Beyond a basic competence threshold, tests and interviews don't correlate too well with exceptional performance in the real world,” he wrote in the post.

Sridhar Vembu quotes Yann LeCun

In his post, Sridhar Vembu quoted AI pioneer and Meta’s former chief AI scientist – Yann LeCun, who shared an example from mathematics. LeCun said French mathematician Hugo Duminil-Copin, a 2022 Fields Medalist, did not take part in math competitions and was not good at them.


According to LeCun, innovative research requires creativity, intuition, and sustained focus over years. “Innovative mathematics requires creativity, intuition, intense concentration, and long reflections, sometimes spread over several years,” LeCun wrote on X.


LeCun added that fast problem-solving, often rewarded in competitions like the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), is now something AI can do well. He said a key part of research is not answering questions quickly, but asking the right questions.


“Good performance at a math olympiad merely tests fast problem solving abilities. AI can do that nowadays. One of the big activities of a researcher, in mathematics and elsewhere, is not to answer questions but to ask the right questions,” he added.


The exchange followed a user’s question on why France has many Fields Medalists but weaker IMO results, while some Eastern European countries excel at IMO yet lack Fields winners. The discussion highlights ongoing debate over how talent should be identified and nurtured.




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