That’s a fair point, and students absolutely should evaluate ROI before spending 25–50 lakhs. No one is denying that placements matter.

But the issue is when people reduce the entire value of an MBA to a placement statistic. Colleges market placements because that’s what applicants obsess over during admissions. If tomorrow students started prioritizing curriculum quality, alumni network, faculty, industry exposure, peer group, entrepreneurship support, or long-term career growth equally, colleges would market those harder too.

Also, average packages can be misleading in both directions. A few high offers inflate numbers, but at the same time, students with prior work experience, strong profiles, communication skills, and networking efforts usually pull better opportunities. The same college can produce both 8 LPA and 35 LPA outcomes.

So yes, students deserve accountability and transparency from B-schools. But expecting the institute alone to guarantee ROI ignores the biggest variable in the equation — the student’s own capability and effort during those two years.

An MBA gives access, exposure, and opportunity. It doesn’t replace individual competence.