Netizens slam Nikhil Kamath for MBA ‘stupid’ for 25-year-old comment: ‘Easy to look down when you have wealth’

Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath's has invoked a host of criticism online after claiming in a podcast that "if you're a 25-year-old going for an MBA, you must be some kind of idiot".

Kamath made the statement during one of Zerodha's Ask Me Anything sessions on YouTube.

Netizens have slammed the 39-year-old billionaire for his comment, with some pointing out that he is not an expert on education but is only the founder of a stock-broking platform. This is the podcast where Kamath made the statement:

One LinkedIn user said, "He is a founder of a stock broking platform. Let’s start from there. What is his credibility in judging education scenario?", further adding, "Tomorrow he can say “AI is hype” Maybe a day after that, “Researchers are stupid” But never forget, he is founder of a stock broking platform."

Another accused Kamath of making these remarks while coming from a position of privilege himself.

She said, "It’s easy to look down on education when you already have wealth, access, and influence," adding, "But when you come from a middle-class or humble background, you don’t have those shortcuts. Education is often the only bridge that lets you cross over."

"Sure, not every MBA makes you rich. But neither does every startup," the user also said, adding, in an apparent nudge to Kamath's profession, "Not every stock doubles every year, but people still invest."

A number of users below her post agreed that for people who come from a lower-income background, especially from a tier-3 city, see MBA as a tool for upward mobility.

Reddit has also been lit up in bashing Kamath for his views. In a discussion under the subreddit r/CATpreparation, one user said, "Don't listen to them, when times come most companies hiring for upper management will want a top tier b school grad, it guarantees polish, aptitude, perseverance. He might not want an mba grad, but thousand other do want them."

Another said, "Being at a top Bschool is a signal of intellect and willpower. Obviously there are people with the same qualities outside of MBA. But it requires a lot of effort to find them. Top Bschools happen to bring in such individuals at a single place, so recruiters don't have to spend a lot outside for the same."

However, there have also been those who have supported Kamath's view. One X user said, “He is right. Why would you waste your time, money, and energy pursuing something that won't give the kind of returns that you can get at a fraction of the cost using AI? It's better to channel your energy into creative pursuits, such as starting a startup.”

Nikhil Kamath's controversies

Kamath has not been a stranger to controversies, with him earlier being slammed on social media for buying a house after preaching renting as the better option.

He also infamously used fraudulent means in an online charity chess match against five-time World Chess Champion Vishwanathan Anand on the portal Chess.com, which led to his account on the platform being banned for 24 hours. Kamath later apologised for his action.