Students should know how to market themselves, Chetan Bhagat

Kolkata, Feb 22: Popular author Chetan Bhagat feels scoring high percentage in board examinations is not enough, students should also know how to market themselves.

The author was speaking at a session on the 'Impact of Digital Co-creation in Business Revolution' organised by an engineering college here yesterday.

"Can the guy who scores good marks but cannot communicate get a job?" the 'Five Point Someone' writer asked.

Advising the students that they should know how to market themselves, he said, "Americans are good at marketing, they are the best at marketing."

Sharing his insights on education, the author of many best-sellers such as 'The 3 Mistakes of My Life' and '2 States' said, there is a need to change the present education system to enable the students to connect their knowledge with real life.

Students must have read in history books that Vasco Da Gama came to India in 1498, Bhagat said.

"Questions came in examinations, we answered and got marks. But then what? It was never taught in schools how Vasco Da Gama established links with the local people in that age of zero network connectivity," he said.

"Nor did we try to know as we were just happy to get those 2 marks for the answer that Vasco Da Gama had arrived in India in 1498," he said.

The author, also a motivational speaker, said he believes that hard work can take people to places.

If the students want success, they should realise that their approach to life should be "Each pain I weather will pave my path (for success)," he said.

Bhagat told the audience, "If you really want to be successful, don't think life is without a struggle."

Bhagat, who has also penned scripts for several Bollywood films, said, "Just think about Salman Khan who does two-hour workout daily to look and stay fit. Considering that he can take it easy after attaining so much success and fame, it is inspiring to see how he struggles and works hard."

The writer of several paperbacks including 'One Night at the Call Centre' called upon the young generation to study, work and then have fun at the spare time. An IIT-Delhi and IIM-Ahmedabad alumnus, Bhagat had a high-profile banking job for 11 years. He quit his investment banking career in 2009, to focus on writing.