The government-mandated pay may be a drag, when it comes to attracting top talent from abroad. But this explanation works only for places like IITs and IIMs. Private institutions are certainly free to hire the best -- cost no bar! But, is there any evidence to show that our private management institutions are led by people with superior skills and accomplishments? Heck, is there any evidence that the faculty in these institutions are paid better (and are objectively better) than their (unfortunate) counterparts in public institutions?
Abi is right, nothing prevents private institutions from getting the best talent- except these institutions' short-term focus on the bottom line! However, I am not sure that the IITs and IIMs are entirely constrained by the government pay structure. Here's why:
- Many PSUs have found ways of getting round government scales through a whole slew of allowances. I am sure the IITs and IIMs could do likewise especially the ones that can afford these.
- Faculty at the top schools, including the director, are allowed to do consulting. In scouting for talent, it is the total expected compensation (fixed plus variable) that these schools must focus on, not the fixed component alone. The top schools could emulate investment banks' practice of throwing in a 'guaranteed' variable income for the first year or two.
- There are many distinguished academics among the NRI community, mostly alumni of India's top schools. At least a few may be at a point in their careers where they would like to return home and make a contribution. Pecuniary considerations may be secondary to them.
The challenge is to make the leadership position itself attractive in professional terms, it must be seen as a credible opportunity to make a big difference. The Chairman of the US Fed tops off at around $200,000, which is what a HBS graduate would start off on at an investment bank. That does not make the chairmanship of the Fed any less attractive! There are positions in the realm of government whose principal attraction is not the pay packet.
Will India's top schools can succeed in getting high quality talent from the international market if they put their best foot forward? I don't know. But the effort is worth making. It sends out a signal that they are receptive to the best talent. Even if they fail to zero in on somebody from abroad, the search committee will have a sense of what it would take to bring in high quality talent. It could be that some of the best people abroad don't apply and lesser ones do, but pitting insiders at the top schools against outsiders raises the level of competition.
In other words, the search for talent itself adds value regardless of whether it has a successful outcome. If Pakistan can do it, why can't we?
3 comments:
There IS something fundamentally right with seeking the best talent - from anywhere. I agree that Higher Education in general will benefit IF there is an earnest attempt at trying to get the best candidates and for India, there is now the opportunity to search for NRI's. Yes, while money may be one factor, my feeling is that a few/many that may seek such opportunties will be excited at the potential for making a difference and money will be secondary (but not irrelevant for sure).
India (more than ANY other country in the world) has the potential to accelerate it's capital (human and other) and be the true world leader in many fields, including Higher Education, if it wants to. Seeking the best people for the job - whereever they may be is necessary. Perhaps, inspite of years of military rule/dictatorships, perhaps Pakistan has identified one way to get out of their morass.
Krishnan, I'm glad to hear from you (an NRI academic) that there is indeed a possibility of NRIs being attracted to positions of responsibility in Indian education.
I would be happy to hear what your peers think.
-TTR
I have enjoyed reading your posts/articles ...
That India is an AMAZING country is not a surprise to most, but still some ... I tell my friends that I am glad that the US has "finally" woken up to the fact that India has been a democracy for a long time and that people speak "English" there ... AND news about the education system is filtering down ... slowly, but surely ... (The US have never really understood India except in the sense of the old Soviet Union/Pakistan/SE Asia combination and geopolitical arguments)
I have no doubt that schools in India (if they choose to) CAN find people in the US who are willing to return and take leadership positions since they understand the capital they will be working with (I am trying to understand the issues about JEE/CAT you referenced elsewhere ...)
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