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New Delhi: The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sridhar Vembu has urged parents, students and companies to rethink that a college degree is necessary for success. Highlighting a rising trend in the United States where many students are choosing not to attend college, Vembu said that skills, enthusiasm and practical learning matter more than formal education.
He added that this shift could bring a major cultural change, enabling students to avoid heavy debt and start building careers earlier. To support this idea, Zoho has removed all degree requirements from its hiring process.
Vembu explained that forward-thinking employers in the US are already supporting young people who choose alternative paths. As per him, this is creating a new kind of 'youth power,' where teenagers and young adults can stand on their own feet without taking on massive education loans. He believes this approach will shape how the next generation views work, money, society and politics.
The Zoho CEO stressed that the company actively encourages managers to drop degree-based filters. '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,' Vembu said. He emphasised that the company looks for talent, curiosity and commitment.
Vembu urged Indian parents to shift their mindset and support children in building real skills instead of pushing them into degrees they may not need. He said this change would help young people enter the workforce earlier and grow through hands-on experience.
Sharing experience from Tenkasi, Vembu said, 'In Tenkasi, I closely work with a technical team whose median age is 19. Their energy and can-do spirit is infectious. I have to work hard to keep up with them!'
Vembu says that encouraging such early exposure to real work creates confident, independent young professionals who can shape the future with fresh ideas and strong problem-solving abilities.
