Is it must to study in inistitutions like Harvard to be successful in life?

Dear Mr.MAKRAND,
U are quite right ,Name and fame of the institute is only because of its professors,labs and workshop,once the institute proves good in global educational institutes and the students are attracted to take admissions then it become popular,e.g University of Roorkee was very popular from British period,but soon after only one IIT at Kharagpur has become very respected institute due to reasons given by you and above.

Hi ! Well, a lot more is said about success factors and institutions. Honestly, I dont know what exactly make a person successful and I really dont know what exactly mean being successful at all, and whether an "absolute successfulness" exist.However, in general parlance and social terms, success is a relative term and often mean more money,power, positions etc.Because its very relative term, everyone likes to go the organisations/institution which brings this additional benefits (competetive advantage in management jargon). This makes us drift towards institutions which are perceived to have best processes and practices (alongwith very strong support systems-read influential faculties in companies boards/training top managements(and therefore, creating markets for their MBAs) and ofcourse, very strong allumni base). These regorous internal processes and external strong support system probably allows an IIT/IIM/Harvard guys to access things which are not, in general, available to common public. However, given a chance, these ellite guys may have proved themselves and therefore, their demand persists or in fact, grows - in the name of "war for talents".Its not only true for academic institutions but even corporates.The issue has even larger dimention.You will find citibank guys welcomed at JPMC,Merrill Lynch, Lehman, icic bank etc. and vice-versa rather than someone breaking into them from not so known companies. Becoz these "talents" are or made scarce, demand for them are high which translate into quick rise in salary, positions,powers etc. and make one regarded as "successful".

Success is not reserved for the talented. It is not in the high I.Q. Not in the gifted birth. Not in the best equipment. Not even in ability. Success is almost totally dependent upon drive, focus and persistence. The energy required to make an extra effort, or try another approach, is the secret. 

Institutions make MEN out of BOYS!! and LADY's out of GIRLS!! :)

It is eventually upto the student to do what it has to and make the education imparted ring true in their lives. I have not seen or read of any imminent personalities attach any significance to their institutions in their life but they have attached it to the professor of that institution and how the prof helped develop his / her vision to reach where they have. 

But its a fact that institutions like Harvard, MIT, IIT have certain laid down processes that really makes students studying there competitive, better than most others and maybe more focussed. I still would attribute it to the teaching staff because these institutions have a way of attracting the best talent towards them. Its perceptive. Examples of Lee Iacocca, Bill Gates should be sufficient for us to understand that. :))

Instition matters ,such as IIT for technology not only in INIA but in USA also.

GOOD brand always leads to a Good platform, but at INITIAL stage only, after that brand does not work, only your services work.

Like for a film star kid, can get good opportunity as compared to a struggler, but succeed only if he perform well. Immaterial how much you are investing on it, failure and success will follow only his performance. Comparing here Kumar Gaurav and Sharukh Khan.

Brand always support in getting the job. I appreciate here the statement of Mr. Murlidharan that " Engineering study raise your common sense to 100% level".

There are so many examples who had not study in big schools, even they did not study also, but raised to such a high level, where they became a role model for others.

Education from which institute is important to get the benefit in career initial stage not for a full life. But now a days mushroom growth of institutes is deteriorating the education standard, hence person has to very care full while selecting it.In this case getting education from renowned center will be a good approach.They build your attitude and common sense in good shape. Quality always works.

i just want to say that if you have the WILL to do and the ATTITUDE to grow, there will be no barriers, you may face problems in initial phases but eventually one will succed...

While thanking all my friends, elders and gurus, I would like to express my happiness in coming to know about a personality like Sri S.Muralidharan. I know his knowledge, exposure, experience, ability and qualities as those can be perceived through his expressions. I do agree with the view that the Government alone can't solve all the problems and the private inistitutions are not expected to do charity and they will not. But, the point I wanted to make is that, the recruiters or the managers should try to look at identifying the real talent or ability of an applicant rather simply rejecting him by looking at the inistitutions where he has studied. It is happening now. I have seen many meritorious people whose talent is not being used by this society properly and they do try alot for opportunities. Opportunities are being denied by the recruiters and the management people to meritorious people based on certain notions and it needs change. We need a good approach. When it comes education, quality education and education to all, its a bigger issue to dealwith. The enrolment in government schools are getting decreased to a great extent and even the peple below povery line are spending substantial amount of their income on their children's education. The poor and many are forced to make substantial spending on education and it needs change. I am very happy to look at the reference to Nandan Nilkeni and the people like him can influence this society and push forward the needed changes. We do have many good inistitutions, but, they lack branding. We need to change our approach and when it comes to the needed reforms in education sector, its a bigger issue as I feel. I thank you again sir. 

I personally agree to your view point, Mr Rao. I personally feel Management study imparts attitude, analysis, decision making and actions then review and further. This is available with others as well except the 'hifi' phrasings to impress upon. Success is dependent upon goal setting, perseverance and methodical actions and this can be done by any educated person, necessarily not from premier institutions. Present business leaders in our country are not Harvard trained but established many business institutions.  

If a person possesses vision, mission and goal ...then success is evident but last but not the least, definition of success is different to different people.

Education, I agree, is a commercial venture.  Obviously, creamy layer of the society can afford to best education in the world.  A country of this magnitude with cultural diversity, how would you expect the government and private institutions to meet the aspirations of the society.  As you have rightly pointed out, our HR screening process and campus interview methodology require a facelight keeping in view the aspirations of a larger mass, of course without compromising on the quality.  The other day, on a television interview, Mr. Nandan Nilekani, mentioned that their spending is over half a billion rupees on training alone.  This gives us a message that the education levels obtained from best of the institutions are insufficient for professionalism.  This no one can object, I suppose!  I would like to share a joke, I have received from some acquaintances recently, with you all - please do not get offended and should be taken in a lighter vain only please. 

""Please do not get offended my MBA friends.  We can say we do not look at problem and we look at oppurtunity. Correct???????"" 

  
This particular joke won an award for the best joke in a competition
organized in Britain..... .

An MBA and a BE student go on a camping trip,

set up their tent, and fell asleep.

Some hours later, the BE wakes up his MBA friend and says:

"Look up at the sky and tell me what you see."

The MBA replies, "I see millions of stars."

The BE asks, "What does that tell you?"
The MBA ponders for a minute..

"Astronomically speaking,

it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially
billions of planets.

Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo.

Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three.

Theologically, it's evident the Lord is all-powerful and we are small
and insignificant.

Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.


What does it tell you?"

The BE is silent for a moment, then speaks.

"Practically. ..Someone has stolen our tent".


"ENGINEERING = 100% COMMON SENSE"

Therefore, it is inevitable to have common sense and a far sighted approach and keep an open mind to seize opportunities around us!

The place of learning should not matter. It is what you learn and put into pratice that counts.

NO

ur right mr. rao now a days study becomes just like business the more you invest more profit u can get, in this type of environment the wealthy but dull students are also want to get chance to study in famous institutions with the help of money power.
 but most important thing is inner ability in a person to achieve goals whether it's a premier institute or average educational institute.

Being indians, we have to believe in SAMSKARAs. Time management and establishing priorities are very very important in any businesses as Mr. Lee says. SAMSKARA is nothing but teaching how to work in tougher environment. if this is done by any institution and students are made to stick to it, that institution would be sought out naturally since students excel. thats why harward, IITs and IIMs.

Not at all!!one's ability to grasp things and move forward even in any adverse conditions is the secret success.there is no need to study in reputed institutions to acquire any skills.sincere efforts and hard work will never go unrewarded.

In today's world, networking plays a very important role.  A class mate is a class mate.  In India, IIT/IIM/REC alumni have their own preferences.  Most of these reach professional heights.  It therefore helps a person to study in reputed institutions.  
The curricula and project preferences also differ from one institution to another.  If the outlook is broader and if the project selection is challenging/practical, the student is bound to gain.
The student also gains from interaction with those who have comparable intellectual strengths as his own.  In the Indian context, entry into IIT/IIM/IISc/REC etc. has to be secured through academic excellence and the average strength therefore quite high.  
There is however, nothing like one's own persuit of knowledge, contacts, practical view of life and business.  If an individual is capable of building himself successfully, he need not depend on launch vehicles like the above.  No student can take excuse under the fact that he did not study in the above institutions and therefore is not successful. 

What if one passes out of a reputed institute still fails to perform in the market ? Will he be able to sustain? Its just hard work and knowledge about the market that matters...

Institution didnt matter,its yours attitude that matters.

REPUTED INSTITUTES do play a major role in building a persons attitude & career. But to build that basically we need to have an goal to enter that Institute. People like Dhirubai ambani, L N Mittal never entered these institues. BUT please note dhirubai ambani made his sons(Mukesh and anil) get a quality education from reputed universities which he couldn t get. Also take the present prime minister and home minister who are from those reputed universities. Take the best example of ADITYA BIRLA GROUP which goes mostly for recruiting students from IITs/IIMs . Also whenever open the weekly recruitment shhet from our daily news paper we notice somewhere atleast one FIRM mentions elgibility as students from reputed universities need to apply. 
Of course this doent mean that they are the best . 
To be successful, i strongly believe that a students PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE should be greater than/equal to THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE as the basic thing when it comes to education irrespective of the institute but atleast with the basic amenities/facilities. 

i have nothing to comment as i feel that people studing in these institutions have very broad way of thinking,very confident,they are multitaskers, i do understand that people like dhirubhai ambani did not learn in these institutions, but it all depends on your far vision to excel in things.