India's AI Era: Urgent Realignment Needed in Education and Hiring Systems

A report by AI4India stresses the urgent need for India to realign education and skilling systems to meet AI-driven job transformations. It urges public funding for AI education, hardware infrastructure, and inclusive language strategies, while urging industry and EdTech platforms to adapt hiring practices and curricula for AI proficiency.

A new report from AI4India highlights an urgent need for India to realign its education, skilling, and hiring systems to keep pace with the fast-evolving AI-driven job market. The study lays out several imperatives for policymakers, educational institutions, industries, and EdTech platforms, warning that fragmented or delayed action could leave millions of graduates unprepared for the challenges of the AI era.

The report, titled 'Future of Employability in the Age of AI: India's Playbook for Students, Institutions, and Industry,' is based on over 85 interviews conducted in late 2025 with stakeholders from various sectors. It points to intersecting crises that risk dividing Indian higher education from the global economy, stressing the potential impact on the employability of fresh graduates if changes are not implemented by 2026.

Key recommendations include declaring AI literacy a national priority, funding shared compute infrastructure, and incentivizing assessment reforms. The report suggests universities shift from 'policing' to engaging with AI, redesign assignments for real-world application, and invest in faculty training. Industry leaders are advised to adapt job descriptions to AI-augmented roles, establish AI apprenticeships, and collaborate on curricula development. EdTech platforms are encouraged to offer comprehensive capability-building programs and mobile-first, multilingual user experiences tailored for low-bandwidth environments.

(With inputs from agencies.)