The Most Expensive Lesson Other Colleges Never Teach: Why IIT and IIM Alumni Networks Are Worth Millions

 

The Most Expensive Lesson Other Colleges Never Teach: Why IIT and IIM Alumni Networks Are Worth Millions

Rajesh graduated from a prestigious engineering College in 2015. Last month, he bumped into his former roommate at a coffee shop. They exchanged awkward smiles, fumbled for conversation, and parted ways with a vague "let's catch up sometime" that both knew would never happen. The person he once stayed up all night with, preparing for exams and sharing Dreams, had become a stranger.

Across town, Priya—an IIT Alumna from the same Batch—was on a Video call with three of her Batchmates. They meet every month without fail. One was helping another navigate a Job change, while the third was seeking advice on a startup idea. When the call ended, Priya immediately connected two of them with relevant Alumni who could help. This wasn't unusual. This was just Tuesday.

The Network That Never Dies

Here's the uncomfortable truth about most Colleges: your Alumni won't recognize you. Forget Alumni—your own classmates might struggle to remember your name five years down the line. You Collect degrees, not connections. You graduate and drift apart. The WhatsApp groups go silent. The friendships fade. You're on your own.

But IITs and IIMs? They're playing an entirely different game.

When Your Batch Becomes Your Tribe

At most institutes, students coexist. At IITs and IIMs, they become family.

Picture this: It's 2 AM. You're stuck on a problem that's due in six hours. At a regular College, you panic alone. At an IIT, you knock on your senior's door—even if you've never spoken before—and they'll sit with you until you crack it. No questions asked. No favors expected.

At IIM, your study group isn't just preparing for exams together. You're learning each other's strengths, covering each other's weaknesses, and building bonds that will outlast any corporate Job. When one person lands an opportunity, they immediately think: "Who from my Batch would be perfect for this?"

This isn't networking. This is brotherhood. This is sisterhood.

The Comparison That Stings

Walk into any random Alumni meet of a typical College. You'll find people exchanging business cards politely, making small talk about the weather, and leaving early. The connection is transactional. Superficial. Forgettable.

Now attend an IIT or IIM Alumni gathering. The energy is electric. People are genuinely excited to see each other. They're not just talking about old times—they're actively helping each other. "I heard you're looking to switch to product management. Let me introduce you to Sharma from our '08 Batch, he's a VP at Google." "Your startup needs funding? Give me five minutes, I'll connect you with three Alumni VCs."

The difference? At most places, your Alumni might help if you track them down and make a compelling pitch. At IIT and IIM, Alumni are actively looking for ways to help—before you even ask.

The Message That Changes Everything

Here's a real scenario that plays out differently across campuses:

Scenario: You need urgent career advice at 11 PM.

Regular College: You scroll through LinkedIn, wondering if messaging that senior from three years ago would be too awkward. You draft a message, delete it, draft again. You never hit send. You figure it out alone.

IIT/IIM: You shoot a message in the Alumni group: "Need 15 minutes to discuss a career decision. Anyone free?" Within minutes, three people respond. One of them is a CEO. Another is exactly in the role you're considering. They not only answer your questions—they connect you with five more people who can help. By midnight, you have a clarity you couldn't have gotten anywhere else.

The Skill Nobody Talks About

Business schools teach networking as a course. They conduct workshops. They invite speakers. Students dutifully exchange LinkedIn requests and forget about it by next semester.

IITs and IIMs don't teach networking—they breathe it. It's not a skill you learn in a seminar; it's a culture you absorb every single day. You learn that:

• Your Batchmate's success is your success

• Helping someone doesn't diminish you; it amplifies you

• The person struggling in the seat next to you might be the founder who gives you your Dream Job ten years later

• Your network isn't a tool to use—it's a community to nurture

This is why IITians and IIM graduates don't just have connections. They have a Battalion of people genuinely invested in their success.

Twenty Years Later

At most Colleges, twenty-year reunions are awkward affairs where people struggle to remember each other's names, swap stories about the "good old days," and promise to stay in touch (knowing they won't).

At IIT and IIM reunions, people are planning their next startup together. They're discussing how to help Batchmates who are going