India’s Job Market and Future Skills Readiness

India has been recognized for its preparedness in recruiting for future in-demand skills, especially in areas like artificial intelligence (AI), digital technologies, and green technologies, according to the inaugural QS World Future Skills Index.

Key Findings from the QS World Future Skills Index

• The index evaluates countries based on four major indicators: 
  • Skills Fit: Evaluates how well the education system meets industry and employer needs.
  • Academic Readiness: Assesses the country's ability to deliver future industry skills.
  • Future of Work: Measures job market readiness for future in-demand skills.
  • Economic Transformation: Analyzes the economy's readiness for skills-led industrial growth.
• India ranks 25th overall among over 190 countries.
• India secures the second-highest score (99.1) in the Future of Work indicator, following the US.
• India's strong venture capital attraction indicates a resilient investment ecosystem.

Strengths and Opportunities

• India is poised to integrate AI into its workforce faster than many other nations.
• Despite existing strengths, there are areas for improvement, particularly in: 
  • Higher education systems.
  • Industry collaboration.
  • Employment market alignment.
• Indian universities show potential but need to enhance digital, AI, and green skills training.
• India scored low on the Future-Oriented Innovation and Sustainability metric, indicating a need to align with global trends in: 
  • Green technologies.
  • Sustainable infrastructure.
  • Long-term environmental strategies.

According to QS Executive Director Ashwin Fernandes, India's dynamic startup culture and young population enable the country to lead in the digital, AI, and green sectors, despite global challenges.