Dipak Jain, stepped down as dean of INSEAD earlier this year due to poor health. Shuttling between the US and France for treatment, he was quite unavailable to media. Yet after a six-month chase, and just a few hours after undergoing some crucial medical tests, Mr Jain spoke to PaGaLGuY.
How is your health?
Almost recovered!
Why you undergoing treatment in the US, not France?
Language. Though I know French, I don’t want to keep saying Pardon my French all the time.
What next?
I worship teaching and jobs which involve being with people. I would love to help grow leaders. I can get back to INSEAD like before so let me see.
But teachers/teaching has changed over the years?
You are what you are. Your performance is your brand. You need to be realistic. Earlier if there were five offers coming by, later there will be only two. Today number of offers cannot measure your achievement.
Research is a sore subject in Indian schools?
Yes, more support is needed for research. If promotions are linked to research, it would be good. Institutes should create professors who can collaborate with international institutions. Sabbaticals are not normal in India and that is where the US scores.
How does the West look at India with regards to academics?
India is seen as a source of talent. The amount of trouble and money that Indian parents invest in a child’s education is not found elsewhere. Indian parents spend their lifetime educating their children.
But the stress is still engineering/medical?
One cannot say that engineers are more marked than non-engineers, same with doctors. Everybody has a different skill set. Students who graduate in English Literature have risen to different challenges. A student needs to be curious, dedicated and willing to learn.
Diversity is a big issue in India?
Diversity is not just the class composition, also in thought. If you have a whole set of different people with similar experiences, it will not work.
Okay for freshers to do an MBA?
Each institute has its own evaluation criteria and will choose one over the other. What is right is very contextual. It is the teaching which is paramount – to be able to teach in class which has students who have many years of work-ex and also freshers.
You do not agree with women given more marks during admission
Women like to be treated equally. Performance has never been based on gender. I see girls topping the 10th and 12th exams. Giving them consolation marks is lowering their dignity and defies the concept of merit.
You don’t favour the case-study method too much.
How do you explain concepts? I never take notes to class. All depends on how best you can take the message across.
MBA studies have taken a beating because of the economy?
Management is a life cycle. The bad times come with a learning, that one cannot relax and you need to change with the times.