Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu, NSE Chief Ashish Chauhan Join UGC
On 10 April, the Ministry of Education announced the appointment of four new members to the University Grants Commission (UGC) for a term of three years or until further notice. Among the new members are Sridhar Vembu, CEO and Founder of Zoho Corporation, and Ashish Kumar Chauhan, CEO of the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
The other two appointees are Prof. (Retd.) Sachidananda Mohanty, Former Vice Chancellor of the Central University of Odisha and Prof. Shashikala Gulabrao Wanjari, Vice Chancellor of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in New Delhi.
Vembu and Chauhan's appointments are significant due to their extensive experience in the private sector leadership, especially in a time when the government is focusing on enhancing financial inclusion and youth upskilling.
Chauhan, an IIT Bombay mechanical engineering graduate and an alumnus of IIM Calcutta, previously served as MD and CEO of NSE for five years, appointed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in July 2022. Vembu, on the other hand, is the co-founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation, a Chennai-based SaaS unicorn that surpassed USD 1 billion in sales in FY23.
In a conversation with CNBC-TV18 in 2021, Vembu highlighted a significant issue he perceives in the Indian education system. He emphasised the importance of self reliance in technology, stating that corporate India needs to understand the significance of being self-sufficient in technology know-how. Vembu advocated for a shift in focus from grades to practical knowledge at the school level, suggesting that excessive emphasis on grades wastes human talent and hours. He also stressed the role of the private sector in reshaping education practices, particularly in hiring processes.
