Startup Originals Team
Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com and judge on Shark Tank India, has sparked a debate by calling many MBA programs “outdated.” He suggests that instead of spending years in business school, young professionals would gain more by developing real-product skills hands-on. His own early career as a Product Manager, he says, taught him more than any classroom ever could.
What Mittal Actually Said:
- In a LinkedIn post, Mittal expressed that learning to build products is the “best training ground” for anyone wanting to run a company or accelerate their career. He contrasted this with MBA programs, which he feels are often focused on case studies, frameworks, and theory rather than real-world problem solving.
- He described the life of a product builder as being “messy, political, creative, analytical,all at once.” He believes this mix mirrors real-life business challenges far better than academic coursework does.
Why He Thinks Building Is Better Than an MBA:
- Mittal, who holds an MBA himself, says his role as a Product Manager early on shaped his ability to lead, adapt, and make real impact more than the degree did.
- He pointed out that working on product development forces you to:
• Question the status quo,
• Understand what customers really need,
• Balance technical, creative, and business concerns,
• Manage often conflicting stakeholders without relying solely on formal authority.
His Advice for Students & Young Professionals:
- If one must pursue an MBA, Mittal recommends going to a top-tier business school where the curriculum, exposure, and network are strong. Otherwise, he suggests investing time learning product, design, engineering, AI, or other building skills.
- He also encouraged people to spend months working on building real things, especially in current hot areas like AI, rather than relying on degrees to open doorways.
Reception & Broader Debate:
- Mittal’s stance has gathered both support and criticism online. Many agree that hands-on work builds useful skills faster, while others feel MBAs still have a role in providing frameworks, business ethics, strategy, and network access.
- Some point out that in many job markets, MBAs are still used as filters or credentials, even if the actual work requires more hands-on, cross-disciplinary skills.
Conclusion:
Anupam Mittal’s argument is provocative: if your aim is to lead, create, or build impact, product experience might offer more value than many MBA programs. While MBAs have traditionally been viewed as prestigious and career-safe, Mittal suggests that real challenge, real failure, real building, these are what truly shape leaders in today’s world. Whether people agree or not, his viewpoint adds weight to the growing conversation about rethinking education, credentials, and the value of practical skills.
