In a recent statement, Sridhar Vembu, the founder and CEO of Zoho, addressed the prevalent issue of competitive exam pressure in India, labeling it as a "rat race to extinction." His remarks came following an advertisement by the prominent educational institution FIITJEE, which criticized a student for achieving low marks in a competitive exam after leaving FIITJEE to join another institute.
Vembu emphasized the necessity for India to break free from the relentless pressure imposed on children and young adults by competitive exams. He warned against the detrimental effects of intense pressure, which often stifles talent and molds individuals into robotic beings. According to him, this pressure perpetuates a rat race leading towards extinction rather than fostering genuine growth and development.
The CEO of the globally renowned software-as-a-service (SaaS) company stressed that while intense competition is suitable for companies operating in a market and for sports, it should not be imposed on children in the realm of education.
The controversial advertisement, initially highlighted by Katyayani Sanjay Bhatia, Deputy Commissioner of IRS, received significant backlash for its approach of shaming a student for underperformance and claiming superiority over other institutes. Bhatia criticized FIITJEE for its unethical advertising tactics, highlighting the detrimental impact such practices have on students' mental well-being.
In a surprising twist, reports emerged that FIITJEE has allegedly withheld salaries of its employees for the past two months, citing the need for harder work. Founder and Managing Director Dinesh Kumar Goel defended this decision in emails, stating that salaries must be earned through fulfilling expected responsibilities rather than being an entitlement. However, this move has drawn further criticism, with many questioning the fairness and ethics of such actions towards employees.
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