India, April 5 -- A candid exchange between Nikhil Kamath and a student at Columbia Business School has caught attention online, reviving the debate around the value of an MBA.

Kamath, who was speaking at the India Business Conference hosted by the institution, was questioned by a student, identified as Anaheez Patel, over his earlier remarks criticising MBA degrees. "A few months ago, you said if you are 25 and getting your MBA, you must be some kind of idiot," the student said, adding that many in the audience were business students and were curious about his presence at a business school event despite such views.

Before she could finish, Kamath interjected, asking, "Were you the one who posted online?" When she confirmed, he replied,...