Degrees vs Skills Debate: ROI, Jobs, IITs & Real Career Outcomes | Arpit Agrawal | FO496 Raj Shamani

Summary

About this episode

Guest Suggestion Form: https://forms.gle/bnaeY3FpoFU9ZjA47 -------------- Design Your Own Podcast Episode: https://forms.gle/sx8iyUF9vnqhgvru7 -------------- Trying to grow your Social Media? Talk to us - https://forms.gle/sJfksjy4K3rpNnvF9 -------------- Disclaimer: This video is intended solely for educational purposes and opinions shared by the guest are his personal views. We do not intent to defame or harm any person/ brand/ product/ country/ profession mentioned in the video. Our goal is to provide information to help audience make informed choices. The media used in this video are solely for informational purposes and belongs to their respective owners. -------------- Follow Our WhatsApp Channel: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaokF5x0bIdi3Qn9ef2J -------------- Subscribe To Our Other YouTube Channels:- https://www.youtube.com/@rajshamaniclips https://www.youtube.com/@RajShamani.Shorts --------------- Timestamps - 00:00 - Intro 03:00 - How much does a degree at JECRC cost? 05:21 - How long does it take for a person to get their degree’s worth? 11:27 - The role of a college 16:21 - Your ability to accept failure starts in college 19:56 - What are some things you can learn only in college? 26:52 - How much does a butler in a luxury hotel earn? 35:21 - Making you feel productive is the most dangerous thing a college can do 39:50 - Why shouldn’t people glorify words like “dropout”? 45:02 - Why do entrepreneurs advise people to work instead of getting a degree? 59:27 - Difference in salary between an IIT graduate and a JECRC graduate 1:04:29 - Are there big companies that don’t give you a job if you don’t have a degree? 1:14:52 - Can someone get work outside India without a degree? 1:17:00 - Is an alumni network important? 1:23:15 - How many JECRC graduates get a job? 1:24:06 - What’s the biggest problem with the Indian education system? 1:28:52 - BTS 1:29:37 - Outro --------------- My gear for shooting this video: Canon EOS 200D II 24.1MP DSLR Camera: https://amzn.to/3GuiPFK Canon EF50MM F/1.8 STM Lens: https://amzn.to/3WZOSoi Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6: https://amzn.to/3ZpKBMy Yunteng Aluminium Tripod (Vct-690, Black): https://amzn.to/3ItEzV0 Zoom H6 All Black (2020 Version): https://amzn.to/3irUCIf Shure SM7B Cardioid Vocal Dynamic Microphone: https://amzn.to/3GPimiM Shure MV7 USB Podcast Microphone: https://amzn.to/3Xjy63d GODOX SL150II 150W LED Video Light: https://amzn.to/3XeN0aL --------------- In today’s episode, we sit down with Arpit Agrawal, Vice Chairperson at JECRC, to talk about skills vs degree, college ROI, and how career decisions are actually made today. We discuss whether a ₹10 lakh degree is really worth it, how salaries vary from ₹3 lakh to ₹50 lakh, and why the ROI of education is not as simple as it seems. Arpit explains why skills alone don’t guarantee jobs, how college builds confidence and exposure, and why some careers still require formal education. The conversation also covers IITs, average salaries, industry expectations, and why companies still prefer degrees in many roles. He shares insights on networking, working abroad, and why the gap between institutions is slowly reducing. Subscribe for more such conversations. Follow Arpit Agrawal here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arpitjecrc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arpitjecrc/ --------------- About Raj Shamani Raj Shamani is an Entrepreneur at heart that explains his expertise in Business Content Creation & Public Speaking. He has delivered 200+ speeches in 26+ countries. Besides that, Raj is also an Angel Investor interested in crazy minds who are creating a sensation in the Fintech, FMCG, & passion economy space. To Know More, Follow Raj Shamani On ⤵︎ Instagram @RajShamani https://www.instagram.com/rajshamani/ Twitter @RajShamani https://twitter.com/rajshamani Facebook @ShamaniRaj https://www.facebook.com/shamaniraj LinkedIn - Raj Shamani https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajshamani/ • • • #Podcast #FiguringOut #RajShamani #college #skills #degree #mba #education #career About Figuring Out Figuring Out Podcast is a Candid Conversations University where Raj Shamani brings raw conversations with the Top 1% in India.

Key Insights

• Agarwal argues that 50% of engineering graduates get packages of ₹5 lakhs and 25% get packages of 10-15 lakhs, while total education costs are around ₹15 lakhs over 4 years
• The host claims that skilled editors with no college background can earn ₹50,000-60,000 per month and eventually reach ₹2 lakhs per month within 1-2 years
• Agarwal states that colleges are controlled laboratories where students can experiment and fail safely, providing confidence that stays with them for life
• The host argues that 18-22 years represents the highest energy and most premium time of life, questioning whether spending it in college is worth the opportunity cost
• Agarwal warns against glorifying dropouts, stating that when successful entrepreneurs say college degrees are nonsense, it influences youth who lack verification mechanisms for such information
• The host reveals his personal bias against degree requirements, stating he would never hire based on degrees alone because his own success came without traditional educational credentials
• Agarwal shares the success story of Kanika Mittal from Sawai Madhopur who got placed at Microsoft for ₹51 lakhs, inspiring over 100 girls from small towns to pursue engineering
• The discussion reveals that 24% of campus placements at JECRC come through LinkedIn and alumni networks, demonstrating the power of institutional connections
• Agarwal argues that the difference between IITs and other institutions is reducing because access to information is now available at free will, unlike earlier privileged access
• The host acknowledges that certain fields like medicine, law, and civil engineering have strong industry gatekeeping where entry is impossible without proper degrees
• Agarwal claims that 79% of higher education in India is with private investors, forcing the government to change its biased approach toward private institutions
• The host concludes that both paths are proven with data, and the choice depends on individual clarity about goals, conviction, skills, and available backup options

Topics

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