Prologue

Prologue: The Reunion Café
Five years. That's how long it had been since we last sat together. Not on plastic hostel chairs or classroom benches, but on cushioned sofas in a café that served overpriced cappuccinos.
It was raining outside, the kind of rain that makes you feel nostalgic. Inside we were five friends trying to stitch together the broken pieces of our college memories. Each carried their own story of promises made and reality delivered.
Rahul: IT Associate Consultant, "Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V Specialist"
Sandeep: Gold medallist, still job-hunting despite perfect grades
Sameer: Dubai returnee with Instagram success, instant noodle reality
Megha: Married fast, career took back seat
Kavya: Juggling jobs, gigs, half-baked entrepreneurial ideas
"What if on Day 1, during induction, someone had just looked us in the eye and said, You will not get a job... unless you build one."
Silence. Heads nodded. Because that was the truth. That single blunt line could have changed our choices, our paths, our five years.
The Illusion Begins
1
Orientation Day
Brochures promised 100% placement, international tie-ups, Fortune 500 exposure. Reality? 100% confusion, international rejection emails, exposure only to unpaid internships.
2
The Banner
Parents queued for selfies like darshan at a temple. Gold letters promising more than they could deliver. Click. Another future cemented in pixels.
3
The Dean's Speech
"You are the future leaders of this great nation. We will nurture your talents, sharpen your skills, and place you in the top companies of the world."
4
The Top Package
"₹95 lakh per annum!" Someone dropped a water bottle. It rolled under four seats like a slow clap. We clapped with everyone else, because that's what you do when you're 18 and haven't learned how to read fine print.
The Truth We Learned Too Late
Degrees are passports, not visas
A degree opens the gate. It does not carry you inside.
Placements are marketing events
"100% placement" is a statistic, not a promise. "Top package" is an exception, not your future.
The market only buys proof
The market doesn't care how excited you were on Day One—it only pays for what you can do on Day 1,000.
If you're reading this on your Day One: Hold your excitement in one hand, and your scepticism in the other. Then use both hands to build skills.
Orientation is a marketing campaign, not a map.
The market doesn't care about your potential—it only pays for results.
About the Book
The Truth Behind the Brochure
Every year, millions of students enter colleges with big dreams, sold promises of high-paying jobs and corporate success. Yet they are seldom told about the real bridge required to reach that destination. The myth of the "₹50-lakh package" is highlighted, while the reality faced by the majority remains hidden.
This book courageously exposes that uncomfortable reality. Dr. Akansha Jain brings to light the silent crisis faced by crores of students—the disconnect between classroom education and real-world demands.
Published by
Truth and Social Publication
First Edition
ISBN: 978-93-47391-40-8
Price: ₹399