Now, thinking aloud………………How does higher education help one ?

Chickpet, Bangalore is known as the business hub of Bangalore City with more than 1000 shops in the locality.

This place is always crowed as people throng to buy clothes, furniture, toys etc. at a wholesale price.

Yesterday, I had been there as part of my educational research to talk to a few shop keepers to understand how they do business and what education has to do to them, with regards to their business.

During my interaction with many shop keepers in Chickpet, I found that, most of them were from Rajasthan.

One more interesting thing that I found was that, most of them were in their teenage.

Out of all, meeting a young 10th dropout who runs a clothes shop, was very interesting.

His name is Bramhadev, from Rajasthan. I thought I should share a few our discussions here.

I went into the crowded shop as a customer, he greeted me with a great smile saying, “Anna banni, en bekithu”. (Meaning : Brother, what do you want) (The conversation was in Kannada. I have translated it below)

Me : I wanted to check for some nice shirt and pant piece.

Bramhadev : Tell me Sir, what is the range you are looking for ?

Me : You first show me all the clothes, let me choose out of those.

Bramhadev : Sure sir and started showing me all his collections. (Meanwhile during the selection time, I thought I should ask him a few questions, which was my only intention)

Me : How did you learn Kannada ?

Bramhadev : Sir, obviously by talking to people.

Me : But, your Kannada is very fluent !

Bramhadev : Sir, initially I found it difficult, but, when I continued to speak to customers, I learnt it on the fly. Now, I speak better than Bangalore Kanndigas.

Me : Superb. When did you start this business ?

Bramhadev : It’s almost 10 years now. I started it when I failed in my 10th. My uncle got me into this business.

Me : How many languages can you speak ?

Brahmadev : I can speak, Hindi, English, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu & Malayalam.

Me : Oh my God ! How did you learn so many ?

Brahmadev : I told you Sir, Customers taught me.

Me : Sorry to ask you, but still out of curiosity, I just wanted to know what would be your monthly turnover ?

Brahmadev : Ummmm, it depends on the festival season. Normally, the turnover would be around 8 – 9 lakhs per month, and during festivals it will shoot up to 15 lakhs. Profit upto Rs. 4 lakh per month.

Me : What ? Oh my God ! That’s a super number ! Great, man !

Brahmadev : What great Sir ? In Chickpet, this is very less. Others make double than what I do.

Me : Didn’t you feel like completing your education, by studying further ?

Brahmadev : Sir, to be honest, none of our family members have completed their education. To complete my education it might take another 5 – 6 years which I feel is a big waste of time and money. I invested both of these, in my business. Today, I can challenge that not even n one of the educated persons with a work experience of 10 years experience will earn as much as I do. What do you say Sir ?

Me : Hmmm….Yes. True. But still, education would have helped you grow more than what you are earning today.

Brahmadev : Seriously No Sir. Education would give us fear and make us feel that, one has to work under someone to earn their livelihood. Education does not teach us to live independently. I also have many friends who studied along with me and completed graduation. None are into business. Almost all of them are working in some private firm.

Me : Hmmmm….So you don’t regret to have not completed Ur education ?

Bramhadev : Definitely No Sir. I am very happy. (In between our conversation, another customer had purchased around 20 pairs of shirts and pants and few sarees. Without using a calculator Bramhadev calculated the total cost of the purchase and told the customer the total cost including 10% discount in just 15 – 20 seconds).

Me : Boss, you don’t even use a calculator ?

Bramhadev : Sir, educated people need the calculator and mobile phones, to calculate. Not me !

Me : Started smiling and put my head down (because I was using a calculator to calculate the cost of my purchase).

Bramhadev : I continuously practiced calculating. I am doing this since 10 years and I have become perfect. I am sure, I will never err in my calculation.

After this, I made a purchase and the whole of the next whole day, I was thinking about our conversation over and over. I would like to infer what I learnt….

After thought or moral of the story :

1. Without higher education, Bramhadev is not jobless. Whereas our today’s graduates with distinction, are still in search of a job.
2. Without higher education, Bramhadev has good communication skills. But, today’s corporate world complains about our graduates for having no communication skills.
3. Without higher education, Bramhadev earns in lakhs, where as our current generation graduates complains of not having enough salary to pay their EMIs.
4. Without higher education, Bramhadev’s mathematical mind works faster than today’s graduates who has cleared different levels of mathematics papers with high scores. Today’s graduates need Mobile Phones to perform simple calculations.
5. Without higher education, Bramhadev has no fear of losing his job, but today’s graduate employees are always in the fear of getting fired from the company they are working in.

Now, thinking aloud………………How does higher education help one ?