Sridhar Vembu says Zoho will hire you without a degree, calls on Indian parents to rethink college pressure
Zoho’s Sridhar Vembu has publicly stated that a college degree is not required for employment at his company. In a recent exchange on social media, Vembu called on Indian parents and companies to focus on changing attitudes towards higher education, citing trends in the US and Zoho’s own recruiting practices.
It is common for students to pursue higher education at prestigious institutions in the hopes of joining big companies. We all know how every year lakhs of students try to crack JEE to get admission in IITs. Although some make it to the top colleges in the country or go abroad, many are not able to do so and face immense pressure from their families. Now, Zoho chief Sridhar Vembu has made it clear that he doesn’t care about your college degree, and has urged parents to stop putting pressure on their kids.
Why does a college degree matter less?
The conversation started when a post detailing a new hiring approach by US-based firm Palantir invited high school graduates to work directly on critical technology and national security projects, bypassing the traditional college track. According to the Post, of five hundred teenagers applied, twenty-two were selected, and some even declined Ivy League admission or full-ride scholarships.
Vembu responded by highlighting a cultural shift, especially among youth seeking work without degrees. “Smart American students are now leaving college, and forward-thinking employers are enabling them,” he said. The Zoho chief stressed that this will allow young men and women to “get a degree and get back on their feet, without huge debt to pay their way.” Many families take loans worth lakhs of rupees for their child’s college education.
Sridhar Vembu urges parents to stop pressurizing children for college
He specifically addressed Indian parents and companies, urging them to pay attention to these developments: “I would urge educated Indian parents and high schoolers, as well as leading companies, to pay attention.”
No degree required for Zoho, says Sridhar Vembu
Vembu also explained about Zoho’s hiring policy: “At Zoho, no jobs require a college degree and if a manager posts a job that requires a degree, they get a polite message from HR to remove the degree requirement!”
He described his day-to-day work at Tenkasi, where he collaborates with a team whose average age is 19 years. “His energy and can-do spirit are contagious. I’ll have to work hard to keep up with him.”
Sridhar Vembu’s comments reflect a trend among some employers to focus on skills and ability rather than academic credentials. By removing degree requirements, companies like Zoho aim to expand opportunities for young talent who might otherwise be excluded simply because they lack a diploma.