“If you're 25 and going to a MBA college today, you must be some kind of idiot,” says Zerodha Co-founder Nikhil Kamath

Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath has caused a storm online after saying that “colleges are dead” and that people aged 25 who go for MBAs “must be some kind of idiot.” 

The comment, made on a podcast and later shared on X (formerly Twitter), has divided opinions across the internet. Many praised his bold view, while others called it harsh and out of touch.

Nikhil Kamath Says Colleges Are Losing Value in Today’s World

In the podcast clip, Kamath said,“In my personal opinion, colleges are dead. If you’re 25 and going to an MBA college today, you must be some kind of idiot if you ask me.” 

He explained that traditional education no longer keeps up with how fast the world is changing, especially with AI and new forms of work coming in.

Kamath added, “Five years from now, this trend will be exaggerated, expedited and a lot more people will not be opting into entrepreneurship because there would be lesser jobs in the traditional sense.”

He believes that young people should focus more on learning through real-world work instead of spending huge sums on degrees that may not add much value. According to him, experience and skills now matter more than formal education.

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Netizens React: Mixed Opinions on Kamath’s Bold Remark

After the clip spread online, reactions poured in from all sides. Many users said Kamath had a point — that experience and skills often count more than a degree. One user wrote that Kamath was “right about practical experience sometimes trumping degrees,” but also felt that it’s unfair to dismiss formal education entirely.

Another user said that just because Kamath succeeded without an MBA doesn’t mean it’s the wrong path for others, noting that “many successful entrepreneurs also hold MBAs.” 

Some pointed out the irony in his comment, saying that “Zerodha hires plenty of MBAs but praises dropping out,” calling the statement hypocritical.

On the other hand, some users supported his stand. One person argued that “entrepreneurship and real-world skills can’t be taught in classrooms,” adding that Kamath’s success encourages people to think beyond traditional routes. 

Others took a balanced approach, saying Kamath’s story is inspiring but “not everyone has the same comfort or risk appetite to skip formal education.

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