Masters’ Union: Redefining Business Education for the Future

Mr. Devashish Sharma, the Founding Member and CEO of Taggd, hosted Pratham Mittal, the founder of Tetr & Master’s Union in the fourth episode of India Decoding Jobs Talent Council Lighthouse Series in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Let’s dive into the story of Masters’ Union—a unique business school which is transforming the methods of imparting education by following innovative pedagogy while preparing budding generation for the ever-evolving future of work. Pratham Mittal, the founder of Masters’ Union, shares his journey, the school’s philosophy, and insights on the rapidly changing talent landscape in India.

The highlights of the conversation are:
1. The Genesis: Building a Campus for the Future
2. Entrepreneurship as a core philosophy
3. The future landscape of work and talent
4. Bringing Opportunity Home to India’s Real Talent Hubs
5. Mindset Required for A Much-Needed Change

Here’s the link to invigorating podcast:

Pratham Mittal’s inspiration for Masters’ Union came from his own experience at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He talks about his days at one of the finest business schools of the world, what stood out for him were the lectures of Adam Grant, where learning was hands-on, problem-driven, and unique unlike other tutorials. That single class led to a project, which transformed into a product, and eventually into his first company.

When the pandemic hit, he seized the moment. He gathered 60 students online, charged minimal fees, and launched an experiment: a curriculum sans exams, slides, or grades. His students learned business by building real businesses. Today, Masters’ Union boasts nearly a thousand students, with impressive placement rates and top salary packages.

At Masters’ Union, every student is a high-spirited entrepreneur, which is because the best way to learn business is by building a business. Students are immersed in real-world projects, mentored by industry leaders, and exposed to a vibrant corporate ecosystem right in the heart of Gurugram’s business district.

Curriculum Highlights:

• Students build and launch e-commerce stores in their first term.
• They pitch real business ideas to industry veterans.
• Success stories abound from student-run candle brands to crystal startups generating lakhs in revenue within months.

In the conversation, these were some of the best highlights. Our reliance on AI and automation will increase in the coming times. The Masters’ Union’s own tech team saw a 10x productivity boost without hiring new people, but by simply implementing AI and automation at the right places! Mr. Pratham Mittal crafts a vivid future for the listeners, hepredicts companies with a single employee leveraging armies of AI agents, fundamentally changing the employer-employee relationship. By 2030, traditional jobs may become scarce. Colleges, companies, and HR processes should adapt rapidly to stay relevant.

Pratham Mittal, originally from Jalandhar, challenges the conventional idea that India’s brightest talents must migrate to urban centres like Gurugram to find success, highlighting that India’s true entrepreneurial strength lies in its approximately 2 crore small businesses spread across non-tier 1 cities, running chemist shops, gold stores, kiranas, and tapris.

Instead of forcing these enterprising individuals to join corporate India to be considered “employed,” the focus should be on decentralizing opportunity, nurturing family businesses as natural incubators, and recognizing entrepreneurship as India’s largest and most inclusive employer.

The real question should be “How do we move opportunity to talent?”, calling for a shift in mindset that values and empowers the vast, often overlooked talent reservoir thriving across Bharat.

With employers prioritizing critical thinking and analytical ability over rote knowledge, Masters’ Union’s pedagogy focuses on “training the thinking muscle.” While answering to Mr. Devashish Sharma’s question on inculcating critical thinking in the Master’s Union curriculum, Mr. Pratham Mittal elaborated on:

How Masters’ Union Does It:

• No fixed syllabus
• Students are challenged to ideate, experiment, and solve real problems from day one.
• Success is measured by impact and innovation, not grades.
• The campus buzzes with entrepreneurial energy, with students launching products, pitching ideas, and learning directly from industry leaders.

There is an indeed very intriguing and mirroring food for thought for the industry- “CVs are like modern day caste systems.” The resumes cannot be the evidence of how capable a person is. This bold thought discussed in the Taggd lighthouse series is starting conversations in the offices of today’s Bharat.

Masters’ Union is truly a laboratory for the future of work. Institutions like the Master’s Union train the generations to welcome change and not fear it. By blending experiential learning, industry mentorship, and a relentless focus on entrepreneurship, it prepares students not just for jobs, but for a world where they create their own opportunities.