CS Shetty says Academics are just entry pass, No one asked my qualifications in 35 years

Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, or CS Setty, the newly appointed chairman of the State Bank of India (SBI), draws confidence from his academic background. “The education you acquire in academics is a lifelong asset. It’s like swimming; once you learn it, you never forget it. No matter how much you might hate formal education, it will always be useful and build confidence,” Setty told IIT-Bombay students last year.
Setty emphasized the importance of education as a foundational step. “Academics are your entry pass. After that, nobody cares,” he said. Beginning his career with SBI in 1988 as a Probationary Officer, Setty will succeed current chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara, who is set to retire on August 28.
Setty holds a BSc in Agriculture and reflected on his career, stating, “In the three and a half decades, nobody has ever asked me what I studied or what my rank was. But my academic grades have always given me confidence.” He has overseen the bank’s retail and digital banking verticals and credits SBI’s job rotation policy for his comprehensive experience across various business areas.
Setty’s career includes a stint in New York as VP & Head (Syndications) and extensive experience in credit and retail banking. The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) selected Setty from among other Managing Directors, Ashwini Kumar Tewari, Alok Kumar Choudhary, and Vinay M Tonse, with Choudhary retiring on June 30th.
Established by the Central Government in 2022, FSIB recommends candidates for whole-time directors and non-executive chairpersons on the boards of financial services institutions and advises on personnel management issues.
Setty joined the SBI board as a Managing Director in January 2020. His term was extended by two years in January 2023, making him eligible for the chairman position.
“If you really have a vision for what you want to do and how to handle volatility in your life, you need to have a vision. Understanding is the right way to handle uncertainty,” Setty advised students.
Before becoming Managing Director, Setty led the stressed asset resolution group as Deputy Managing Director, handling stressed assets in sectors like power, infrastructure, automotive, and telecom. Throughout his career, Setty has held significant roles, including Chief General Manager and General Manager in the Corporate Accounts Group, Deputy General Manager in the Commercial Branch in Indore, and VP & Head (Syndications) at SBI’s New York Branch.
Respected sir
it is implied and explicit degree of a man who touches the sky is the limit.