In India, a college name can sometimes become a shortcut for judging a person’s worth. IIT, IIM or top corporate brand can open doors before a candidate has even demonstrated what they can do. But what happens to those who never get the coveted label?Entrepreneur Ankur Warikoo has stirred that uncomfortable question by sharing the story of an Indore-based designer who failed to clear the JEE twice, taught himself product design, and eventually built a successful freelance career. His post has since opened a larger debate over whether India recognises talent for what it is or only when it comes wrapped in the right credentials.
‘India does not have a talent problem, it has a label problem’
Warikoo argued that Indian society has become accustomed to recognising talent through familiar markers of success, prestigious colleges, degrees and well-known companies.“We’ve been trained to recognize talent only when it comes stamped with the right college, degree, or company,” he wrote, arguing that this mindset can leave some highly capable people overlooked.His argument was built around the experience of an Indore-based designer who failed to crack the JEE twice. Instead of allowing those setbacks to define his career, the designer reportedly began learning product design independently through YouTube, often studying at night.That self-directed learning eventually translated into a strong professional portfolio and a successful freelance career.Warikoo claimed that the designer now earns around ₹2 lakh a month through freelancing.The figure, however, is only one part of the story. The bigger question raised by the entrepreneur is whether an examination result or college degree should be allowed to determine how much potential society sees in an individual.
A JEE failure does not necessarily mean a failure of ability
For generations of Indian students, the Joint Entrance Examination has been treated as one of the most important academic milestones. Clearing it can lead to admission to some of the country’s most sought-after engineering institutions.But the same system can also create an unintended hierarchy of talent.A student who does not clear the examination may begin to believe that they have fallen behind their peers. Parents, relatives, and society can reinforce that perception by treating the result as a measure of intelligence or future prospects.The designer’s journey, as described by Warikoo, presents a different possibility. The individual did not succeed through the conventional route. Instead, he moved into a field where skills, creativity, and the quality of work could become more important than the institution on a degree certificate.That does not make the JEE irrelevant. It simply shows that academic performance and professional potential are not always the same thing.
Credentials can open doors, but they cannot predict the entire journey
Warikoo made another important point in his post: credentials can establish where a person has been, but they cannot determine how far that person can go.There is truth in that argument.A degree can demonstrate academic training. A prestigious college can provide access to strong networks and opportunities. A well-known company can strengthen a résumé. But none of these factors can fully capture creativity, determination, adaptability, practical skills, or the ability to learn independently.At the same time, it would be simplistic to conclude that qualifications no longer matter. For several professions, formal education is indispensable. Even in industries where portfolios carry considerable weight, prestigious institutions can provide mentorship, peer networks, internships, and access to employers that may be difficult to obtain independently.The debate, therefore, is not about declaring degrees useless. It is about questioning whether degrees should become the sole shorthand for talent.
Why the IIT comparison drew criticism
Warikoo’s post did not receive unanimous support.Some users argued that the designer’s story should be viewed as an exceptional case rather than presented as evidence of a broader pattern. Earning ₹2 lakh a month through freelancing at a relatively young age is not the typical outcome for everyone who studies independently or graduates from a non-elite institution.One commenter also questioned the comparison with IIT graduates. Clearing the JEE, the user argued, demonstrates considerable problem-solving ability and academic discipline. The commenter further asked why IIT graduates continue to feature prominently among India’s startup founders if elite education is being portrayed as little more than a label.That criticism highlights an important point.There is a difference between saying that elite credentials do not guarantee success and saying that elite credentials have no value.The first statement is difficult to dispute. The second is far more complicated.
The uncomfortable truth about India’s education hierarchy
India’s education system has long operated around a visible hierarchy.A prestigious institution can influence how a candidate is perceived before their work is even examined. Students are encouraged to compete for a limited number of seats at a handful of institutions, while those who miss out can sometimes feel that their career prospects have been permanently diminished.But professional life rarely follows such a neat hierarchy.People build careers through different combinations of education, experience, networks, persistence and specialised skills. Some follow conventional academic routes. Others discover their strengths much later. Some become successful entrepreneurs. Others thrive as freelancers or independent professionals.The problem arises when society assumes that only one route represents excellence.
One success story cannot become a universal formula
There is also a caution that must accompany stories like this. Not every student who fails the JEE will become a successful designer. Not everyone can teach themselves a high-demand skill through online videos. And earning ₹2 lakh a month should not itself be treated as the ultimate definition of talent.The value of the story lies elsewhere. It demonstrates that a disappointing examination result does not necessarily reveal the full extent of a person’s abilities. Someone may perform poorly in one highly competitive examination while possessing extraordinary strengths in another field.That possibility deserves greater recognition.
India needs to look beyond the college tag
The debate sparked by Warikoo ultimately goes beyond the JEE or IITs. India needs premier institutions because they provide rigorous academic training and produce skilled professionals. But the country also needs to recognise talent that develops outside traditional educational pathways.A portfolio should sometimes be allowed to speak for itself. A practical skill should be tested as a skill. Creativity should not automatically be ranked below academic credentials simply because it cannot be measured through an entrance examination.The answer is not to dismiss degrees or glorify unconventional success stories. It is to develop a more mature understanding of talent.A college name can tell an employer where someone studied. A degree can establish what someone formally learned. But neither can completely answer the more important question: What can this person actually do?
