Student's corner

Dear Students,

LAST WEEK WE ASKED:

Do you think lessons in corruption should be part of syllabus at B-schools? Why?

BEST RESPONSE

Lessons in corruption should be included in B-school curriculum, as the current students are tomorrow’s leaders of the nation. Polarising them ethically will be a proactive step in fighting corruption in future. India's image has taken a beating with various scams unfolding almost every day. Companies visiting B-schools for recruitment have their reservations about students' value system. Imparting corruption lessons, along with the corporate governance and business ethics, will make B-school courses more contemporary and relevant, and prove that India Inc. is seriously working on the dent in its image.

- Divya Gonnabathula, Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi.

OTHER RESPONSES

Corruption should be the part of syllabus in the B-schools as there is the direct correlation between development and corruption and it can affect MBA grads too. Ethics is a major issue in corporate world and so is corruption. If ethics is part of lessons taught in B-schools then corruption should also be part of it. If we need to change the psyche of the people then it should reach to them at such an early stage itself.

- Prakash Vora, Amrut Mody School of Business Management, Ahmedabad.

I don't think values or principles can be imbibed, Honesty cannot be taught. It is just a part of us. If evil fosters secretly in the heart, it will strike at the opportune time. A class on corruption cannot prevent it. However, all evils have roots, Too understand them, it's important to find out their cause and more significantly their effects. Today's student is tomorrow's entrepreneur/executive/activist. But, the pattern's learned by studying cases on corruption might help those who choose to buck the trend and plug in the gaps in the system.

- Misaal Shah, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Ahmedabad.

Lessons on corruption should not be in a B-school's syllabus since it is a value system which cannot be taught through books or interactive session in academic institutions. These are the values which should be instilled in a character right in the early stages of childhood. None other than the family can do it better.

- Ravinder Khatri, ITM Business School, Navi Mumbai.

Students entering B-schools are quite well experienced about situation prevailing around the world. They are not kids to be taught each and every thing about life. Hence, it is useless of adding lessons in corruption as part of their syllabus. Students are mature enough to analyse the pros and cons of corruption. It is not the lessons on corruption that will make them honest. Instead, it is the values we inculcate in them as students right from birth till their graduation that make them true future Indians.

- Shivam Chhabra, Integral University, Lucknow.

Lessons in corruption shouldn't be part of syllabus at B-schools. There is no need of improvement among students from outside. Rather, students should build and improve upon their value system from inside. Hence, B-schools should introduce lessons on 'ethics' instead and take up case studies on issues like 'Value System of Infosys'.

- Vidip Shah, LJ Institute of Management Studies, Ahmedabad.

The problem in our country is that corruption has entered in the system and to tackle this situation managerial art is required. For this purpose a student should be aware about the ground reality. A person can effectively mould the situation with his skills and apply checks and balances for the effective implications of the same. Today big corporates approach the B-schools for the solution of their problems. Corruption is the biggest problem in our country and practically it requires managerial skills to solve it or rather mould it in a favourable way for the whole nation.

- Keyur Khattar, Amrut Mody School of Business Management, Ahmedabad.

The issue of corruption has been doing rounds everywhere these days and B-school students are no different. In fact, students analyse the recent anti-corruption wave just like any other case study. With B-schools emphasising on case based pedagogy, corruption based cases won't be too hard to produce. Debacles like CWG 2010, 2G, IHF and BCCI ( IPL) can be easily taught as case studies. Also works of organisations like 5th pillar, IAC and Jaago-Re campaign can be highlighted upon so as to promote an anti-corruption feeling in the education system. Thus, lessons on corruption should be included in B-school syllabus.

- Ankush Garg, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak.

It is no secret that corruption breeds inefficiency and waste. So if we have to curb it then lessons in combating corruption must be a part of formal education. It is needed if future generations are to develop a natural distaste and intolerance towards it. Formal education influences us in more ways than we think and if lessons in combating corruption are a part of it then we can hope to achieve positive changes. However this is not a panacea for the evils of corruption. But at least it will be a good starting point. By sensitising young minds we can make a beginning towards reducing and eliminating corruption.

- Divya Gangadharan, Pillai's Institute of Management Studies and Research, Navi Mumbai.

I don't think bringing a certain subject on corruption would be helpful. B-schools have already overburdened their students with a lot of tedious subjects and something above this will surely be unwanted. Lessons on corruption can be best taught and learnt among family members and from the society around us. It is something which comes from a person's within. The best thing B-schools can do is to motivate and inspire fresh breeds of managers to work with ethics and against corruption.

- Indranil Barat, DMS ISM, Dhanbad, Jharkhand.

If a person at 18 knows whom to vote for or at 25 knows whether to drink or not then while graduating he also knows the intricacies of moral values. It is very necessary to curb the illicit desires in the very beginning of character building, as once an adolescent age transcends the maze of moral competitiveness then no teachings on this menace can bring out changes. Hence, corruption cannot be taught in B-schools.

-Nandish Agarwal, Galgotias College of Engineering and Technology, Greater Noida.

Corruption leads to inequality, wasted resources and the inefficient use of public money. Hence, lessons on corruption should be introduced at B-schools to highlight its corrosive impact on economy. In fact, the lessons should give a brief overview of various countries who are mostly corrupted,what is the source of corruption, why they do so and what can be the solutions to tackle & reduce the corruption.

- Manav Badhwar, Amity Business School, Noida.

Scams in the corporate world such as Enron, Satyam, or Siemens (2008) have tarnished the image of corporate industry as a whole and has brought corruption into sharp focus. It has, therefore, become imperative to add ethics, morals, values in B school curriculum. Besides, management is ubiquitous in every activity which govern, regulate, and transact man-nature-animal relationship. So for sustained life and building harmonious human relationships, values need to be consciously aroused to negate conflict, envy, and greed.

- Nilaya Mitsah Shanker, Shri Ram Swaroop Memorial College Of Engineering And Management, (SRMCEM), Lucknow

Business is not only about achieving high profit margins by providing services and products but also includes giving back to the society. The malady of corruption has made its stark presence felt in the society toppling all the underlying ethos of the society including the business ethics. The rampant exposure of corruption in this sector will take away the shin from the business ethical values. Hence it is very necessary to introduce lessons in corruption in B-schools so as to make would-be-managers aware of malicious practices.

- Dipika Sahoo, College of Engineering and Technology, Bhubaneswar.

Lessons in corruption shall equip B-school students with theoretical know how and practical do how about business ethics, corporate governance and corporate social responsibility. Study of management is about managing resources. Hence, here is an opportunity to understand wide definition of corruption, its roots and history, impact on democracy and economy.

- Rajesh Kiran Vaidya, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Pune.

Today after decades of time the nation is speaking in one voice for anti-corruption. With the inclusion of strong Lokpal, an awakened society, eminent representatives and leaders will substantially reduce corruption and the process will undergo a sea-change. In such times, lessons on corruption are unnecessary in B-schools.

- Mukesh Kiran Vaidya, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Pune.

Lessons on corruption should be part of syllabus at B-schools covering its nature, ways, level, consequences and how to overcome corruption. It is very essential for future managers to stay away from the bad elements provoking corruption and to guide their employees or colleagues away from it. The economy largely depends upon such future managers and the level of corruption prevailing in the country.

- Ayush Hingle, Amity Business School, Noida.

B-School curriculum should consist of integration of analysis of fundamental values and conceptions relating to the phenomenon of corruption, paying special attention to the aspects which did not receive much attention before. Yet when dealing with anti corruption education, there is always a threat that mere provision of information can turn into a methodological material of training young people about the possibilities of corrupt conduct or contribute to tearing up the fabric of society we live in and its institutions. Therefore, provision of information should be done in a moderate and tasteful manner.

- A Bhuvana Bhimaiah, Alagappa University, Bangalore.

Government prices are more expensive than the regular retail prices at stores. In a sense, corruption has crept in in every section of one's life. Hence, there are lot of lessons that we can learn from corruption and the same should be introduced in the syllabus for B-schools as it shows the affect of corruption in the emerging markets.

- Shipra Gosain, Amity Business School, Noida.

We can fight against corruption only if we have knowledge/awareness about corruption and related practices which give rise to corruption. Also youth have new ideas and mindset to fight against corruption. They give bribes in government offices knowingly or unknowingly for getting their work done which they are legally bound to do. But inculcating knowledge about and against corruption will train them otherwise.

- Jay Bulchandani, Tolani Institute of Management Studies, Gandhidham (Kutch).

Corruption arises because of mismanagement, whether in planning or execution. In last few years we have seen so many high profile cases related to corruption that have.directly or indirectly affected not only our economy but also our society. Being in India it becomes more important for the B-schools to give education related to corruption whether it is political or economical. By imparting lessons in corruption we can give the students at both sided view of the matter because only a corruption free economy can satisfy the growing demands of the society.

- Amit Kumar, Amity Business School, Noida.

Every B-school has a law paper and they are exposed to lot of corruption cases. We should have more such case discussions to find out reasons behind roots of corruption and should help students to come up with a solution.

- Suvadro Chakraborty, Amrita School of Business, Coimbatore.

Corruption is a major problem mostly in the developing countries. The Bribery Payers Index (BPI) provides evidence that a number of companies from major exporting countries still use bribery to win business abroad, despite awareness of its damaging impact on corporate reputation and ordinary communities. Also, subjects like business ethics and corruption will help us to draw a line between the right and the wrong things which will help the next generation managers and stop corruption in the future.

- Ajay Hemnani, Amrut Mody School of Management, Ahmedabad.

Lessons will create awareness and help students reflect how in their day to day life they opt for the corrupt paths. Corruption implies making a choice to be corrupt. Lessons from case studies on lives of Harshad Mehta and Ramalinga Raju will show how great and intelligent people choose the wrong way and what are the consequences faced. Group discussions will help in finding alternative solution.

- Merwin D'souza, Loyola College, Chennai.

With the unearthing of various scams like Common Wealth Games, 2G Spectrum Scam and India topping the list of countries with most black money in Swiss banks; making lessons in corruption a part of syllabus at B-schools seems to be the need of the hour. The series of scams has degraded the integrity and dignity that the country has carried at the international front so far. Our future managers should be ethical and have strong values and principles if we want to see India as a developed country with inclusive growth.

- Sanjana Chauhan, Amity Business School, Noida.

In the current scenario, it is imperative to introduce lectures on 'corruption' in all B-schools. The B-schools and other educational institutions should play a major role in encouraging the youth to act against corruption. The government, the country and its people can be corrupt free only when the youth of today come to the forefront and raise a serious voice against corruption.

- Ayesha Khan, Amity Business School, Noida.

No political party supports anti-corruption bill. Instead, leaders are thinking foreign investors will invest India so that politicians and unethical industrialists can pocket those money. A limited few ethical industrialists of India are questioned by politicians about their activities. In such a scenario, only students who are the citizens of tomorrow can change the scene and educating them about a corruption free India is the need of the hour.

- BR Ramya, Christ University, Bangalore.

Your responses should reach us at edu@businessstandard.com by Monday evening every week. Please ensure that your responses do not exceed 100 words. Avoid attachments and email your full name, institute's name, batch and complete mailing address. The student who gives the 'Best Response' will be awarded Rs 500.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: 

Do you think it is a good move to grant grace marks to girl students who wish to join IIMs?