Social responsibility should start at school level, says HDFC chief

HDFC's Managing Director and Vice-Chairman Keki M Mistry on Thursday called for awareness of social responsibility right from childhood.

Delivering a key-note address at a seminar on Corporate Social Responsibility at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, he said: "Developmental programmes that affect the masses in a huge way will only be possible when we create a culture of social responsibility in our corporate set-up. This will only happen if we can train young minds and help future generation sort out themselves for the greater good. Social responsibility has to be deeply ingrained from childhood."

According to him, in the US, increasingly admissions to elite private and public universities are not only based on academic grades but also on participation in community activities and leadership roles.

"It is not uncommon to find school students in the US volunteering for community work. In fact, students often accumulate points for college grades. Scholarships are awarded to those who show community leadership and academic performance," he said, lamenting that in India, admissions to even some of the best institutions are purely based on a student's performance in the entrance exams.

The Indian academic system hardly recognises this need and neither does the Civil Services entrance exam, which only relies on high grades in academic subjects.

"Thus the focus of students and their parents is solely on examinations and examinations alone. Obviously, the next generation is groomed likewise. To break this cycle, there needs to be a radical change in the incentive structure in the educational system and the admission and hiring process. Consideration must be given not only to grades, but also to leadership roles and societal impact," Mistry held forth.

The Indian corporate sector is doing its bit to address the social issues, but has to do much more to have a significant impact.

"This initiative requires managers and policy makers who understand its need and importance. The creation of such sensitive professional is possible only if the mind is moulded to think so right from the childhood. It is only then that a corporate culture of social responsibility will begin to surface," he put his case forward.