'Annual placements at B-schools like cattle fair'

The annual placements at B-schools like Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) and others are like a 'cattle fair' held in Pushkar, Rajasthan, every year, said Tata Sons' Chief Group HR Satish Pradhan.

Speaking at the 13th Annual Confluence at the IIM-A, Pradhan said, "the placements held annually (at B-schools) are like the annual cattle fair held in Pushkar, Rajasthan, where every cattle which is to be sold, is paraded before its potential buyer."

Pradhan said that first everybody competes hard to get into August institutes like the IIM-A and then after getting in, compete harder to get ahead.

"By and large for me, the pinnacle of getting ahead is the cattle auction. When the highest price tag symbolises the highest accomplishment of two years," he said.

Pradhan apologised for being very negatively biased but said that he was teasing at this point as he wanted to answer the question how does one compete.

"Is it a zero sum game (where one gains at the cost of other) in our mind that we will compete and will continue to compete as we become leaders of industry, institutions, organisation, multilateral agencies, government," he said.

"Will we compete with the sense of zero sum game or is there something that we will bring to the perspective of pursuing excellence and to make things different," he added.

The 3-day confluence is an annual B-School meet with participants coming not only India, but from business schools abroad as well.