Can you read my mind .......

Agreed.......completing a Post-Grad Program from a premier institute is definitely good for one’s career prospects. In premier institutes, the courses taught, the content, delivery mechanism and rigor does give students an advantage over others. Not all rich kids get into premier institutes. Some middle-class and some not so well off kids do get in as well, basis their scores. Great!!

Lets examine a couple of instances as to why people may not be able to join premier institutes :

1. People have got good scores, but haven’t been able to join premier institutes due to financial constraints. At a time when a student is dependent on parents and their income, it may happen, that despite the best intention of parents, the fee (tuition, stay, travel, pocket money) may simply be out of reach and loans may not be an option as well. 
2. It could also be, that the individual , at that point in time, did not want to step out of the country / city and preferred to join a school in her/his hometown despite the parents being able to pay the feed demanded by a premier institute.
3. Then there are others, who as young 'padawans', are not bright to begin with and have mediocre / low scores, but later through hard work and experience pick up tricks of their trade and are now masters,

So, what happens to such individuals later on in their career (who haven't joined a premier institute when they were younger) ?

Some individuals, mid-career, go on to do executive education courses in order to seek better opportunities. While many do get those opportunities, yet there are quite a few who get a recruiter-response similar to..... “By Premier institute , we meant the basic Full-Time course that you would have done (way back in life). The hiring company is not considering the executive education course you completed ”.

Now, here’s the disconnect. Companies advocate continuous learning and keeping oneself abreast with the times. They advocate course corrections to steer one’s career on the right path, as part of a career-growth plan. Yet, when the candidate says that she/he has course corrected via an executive-ed route, which may be more contemporary than what was taught 10 years ago (even in a premier institute), recruiters often revert by saying ..... “Naaah! We're not interested in what you 'just' did, we want to know what you did 10 years ago as a fresher”. Does this sound strange, or am I missing something ?

Again, I fully understand the value of an FT Program from a premier institute, however what I do not understand is the undue importance given after one has gained sufficient and quality experience. While, there are some who do get lucky and manage to get through the selection process, but it’s purely on the basis of how they crack the shortlist & selection stages.

I am a firm believer of selecting the best-fit candidate, given the culture of the company, irrespective of the institute. As a recruiter, one does check basic education credentials and corroborates that through a discussion. However, simply not shortlisting someone basis what one did a decade or two ago, seems a bit illogical.

I've known excellent professionals who have had a modest education, who now can't progress simply because their "Basic" degree wasn't from a premier institute. This is despite them having a grasp of their domain and being excellent human beings / guides / mentors themselves. I've also been acquainted with individuals who hardly know anything about their domain (or probably, just the bare minimum), but get shortlisted and then selected purely because of alumni network , or on account of being art of a premier institute (besides of course being good communicators, well groomed etc). While there is nothing wrong in helping alumni, sometimes deserving candidates , at all levels, get left out simply because of their choice of B-school at a time when probably circumstances / decisions were not in their hands. Now when they correct it, they are told its irrelevant!!

My take on Exec-ed is ..... do it for your own satisfaction and brand value and networking. It may not help you get a job, but the learning will stay with you and can be implemented whenever one does switch roles / jobs. My request to companies and recruiters is not to totally disregard Exec-ed courses and probe a bit more as to what the candidate has to offer.