Sridhar Vembu says Zoho will hire you without degree, calls on Indian parents to rethink college pressure
Zoho's Sridhar Vembu has publicly stated that a college degree is not needed for employment at his company. In a recent exchange on social media, Vembu called on Indian parents and companies to pay attention to shifting attitudes toward higher education, referencing trends in the U.S. and Zoho's own hiring practices.
It is the norm for students to pursue higher education at prestigious institutions in hopes of joining big companies. We all know how lakhs of students try to crack JEE every year to get into an IIT. While some do make it to the top colleges of the country or go abroad, many don’t, and face immense pressure from their families. Now, Zoho chief Sridhar Vembu has made it clear that he does not care about your college degree, and urged parents to stop putting pressure on their children.
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Why a college degree may matter less
The conversation began when a post detailed a new hiring approach by US-based firm Palantir, which invited high school graduates to work directly on significant technology and national security projects, bypassing the traditional college track. According to the post, five hundred teens applied, twenty-two were selected, and some even turned down Ivy League admissions or full-ride scholarships.
Vembu responded by highlighting a cultural shift, especially among young people seeking work without a degree. He stated, "Smart American students now skip going to college and forward-thinking employers are enabling them.” The Zoho chief insisted that this would allow young men and women to “stand on their own feet, without having to incur heavy debt to get a degree and paying their own way.” Many families take loans worth lakhs of rupees for the child’s college education.
Sridhar Vembu urges parents to stop putting college pressure on children
He specifically addressed Indian parents and companies, urging them to notice these developments: "I would urge educated Indian parents and high schoolers, as well as leading companies to pay attention."
Zoho has no degree requirements, says Sridhar Vembu
Vembu also explained Zoho's hiring policy: "At Zoho, no job requires a college degree and if some manager posts a job that requires a degree, they get a polite message from HR to remove the degree requirement!"
He described his day-to-day work in Tenkasi, where he collaborates with a team whose median age is 19. “Their energy and can-do spirit is infectious. I have to work hard to keep up with them.”
Sridhar Vembu’s comments reflect a trend among some employers to focus on skills and potential rather than academic credentials. By removing degree requirements, companies like Zoho aim to expand opportunities for young talent who might otherwise be excluded simply due to the lack of a diploma.
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