Why India’s “Trend-Chasing” Colleges Are Killing Real Innovation (And How to Fix It)

Ever notice how every Indian college suddenly labels professors “ERP experts” when Western companies adopt ERP systems? Or how “analytics gurus” pop up overnight after a single workshop? It’s not a coincidence—it’s a system. Societies thrive on copycats, and in India, this game is played harder than anywhere else. Here’s the truth: If colleges stopped chasing Western trends, half the “expert” faculty would vanish. Seriously. Think about it—how many professors are actually experts in AI, data science, or analytics, versus how many just attended a weekend seminar and slapped a label on their door?

The System’s Dirty Trick: Sell You a Title, Not Skills

India’s education economy (a fancy word for “how colleges make money”) depends on you believing that a fancy title equals expertise. Companies and colleges know you’ll pay lakhs for an “AI certification” even if the professor learned ChatGPT last week. They know you’ll trust a “data science expert” who’s never analyzed real data. The goal? Keep you chasing approval (and fees) so they keep profiting.

The Twist: What Happens When You Stop Caring About Labels?

Imagine this: You’re a professor who admits, “I don’t know AI—let’s learn together.” Or a student who says, “I’d rather master basics than chase buzzwords.” Guess what? You just broke the system.

You’ll stop wasting time on hollow certifications.

You’ll stop stressing about “what will people think?”

You’ll realize real expertise takes years, not a 3-day workshop.

Suddenly, you’re not a perfect little cog in the machine of endless title-chasing. And the system? It hates that.

Why “Being the Oddball” Makes You a Revolutionary in India

Here’s the secret: The system wants you to be predictable. It wants colleges to rebrand “computer science” as “AI” to attract students. It wants professors to copy-paste Western syllabi without understanding them. But when you choose to stand out—when a college says, “We’ll teach fundamentals, not trends”—you’re doing something radical:

You’re taking back control of education.

You’re showing students it’s okay to question authority.

You’re saving money for real labs, not just fancy signs.

How to Start Breaking Free (Even If It’s Scary)

Pause before rebranding. Ask: “Do we actually have expertise in this, or are we just copying the West?”

Spend time alone (as an institution). Stop chasing every trend. Focus on what your students need, not what’s trending on LinkedIn.

Dare to be weird. Hire professors who admit gaps in their knowledge. Teach old-school rigor alongside new tools. Own your quirks—they’re what make you you.

Final Thought: The System’s Not Your Friend (But You Are)

Indian society will always try to sell you a version of “normal”—where “normal” means copying Western labels to look “modern.” But normal is boring. Normal is a college rebranding “statistics” as “data science” to charge more. You? You’re smarter than that. You’re the student who asks, “But does this professor actually know AI?” You’re the professor who says, “Let’s build something real, not just a resume bullet.”

So next time a college flashes a “Global AI Expert” banner, roll your eyes. You’re not the problem. They are—they’re just too scared to admit that real expertise can’t be bought, copied, or rebranded overnight.

Be the oddball. The world needs more of you. 

(P.S. This isn’t anti-West—it’s pro-authenticity. Let’s learn from the world, but stop pretending we’re experts just because we copied a label.)