Is the higher education system, whose objective is to prepare students academically and professionally for life after college, succeeding in fulfilling its responsibility? Are colleges equipping the youth with the skills and know-how to navigate real-world challenges? Are lectures, assignments, late-night exam preparations and social events helping students develop practical skills? It’s tough to reach a clear verdict, given the diversity of courses and curriculums that exist. However, there’s a need to bring focus to the current education-employability and academia-industry gap in the country. ADVERTISEMENT Analysing data from 2500 colleges and 440,000 students, India’s Graduate Skill Index 2023 report by the talent assessment company Mercer Mettl found that only 45 per cent of graduates in India are employable.
The Global Skills Gaps Measurement and Monitoring Report 2023 by International Labour Organisation states that 46.6 per cent of Indian workers are underqualified for their jobs. These statistics present a worrisome picture, necessitating discourse around colleges’ capability to prepare the youth for what comes next.
Besides job-oriented competencies, the youth also need to be equipped with other necessary skills to navigate day-to-day challenges. On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day, mid-day.com hears about this conundrum from the horse’s mouth.
We speak to the youngsters of the country – the Gen Z – to get answers to the questions posed above. Did.
