In the wave of digitalization and Artificial Intelligence (AI), cultivating talent skills has become a priority for governments worldwide. However, analysts predict that India's tech industry will face a shortage of one million high-level professionals in the next 2-3 years.
Bloomberg reports that Sangeeta Gupta, Senior Vice President of NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies), states that Indian university graduates can only fill about 25% of the digital talent gap. To meet the demands in AI, big data analysis, and cybersecurity fields, more than half of India's workforce needs retraining.
Gupta acknowledges the challenges, noting that the digital industry is rapidly evolving, requiring constant skill updates. It's difficult to achieve adequate training through one-time vocational programs. India's tech industry employs millions, with the tech services sector accounting for 7.5% of the GDP, and playing a crucial role in the local economy.
However, some Indian companies report a significant gap between their employees' current skills and actual needs. Accenture, a consulting firm, warns that this phenomenon could threaten the global competitiveness of India's IT industry.
Tata Consultancy Services reveals that due to skill gaps, they have 80,000 unfilled positions. They also report that the number of employees receiving AI skill training has doubled. Another major Indian conglomerate, Larsen & Toubro, stated that as of June 2024, their IT and related departments were short of 20,000 engineers.
Gupta believes the root of the problem lies in India's education system. Poor conditions in primary and secondary schools, coupled with universities failing to provide practical skills that meet workplace demands contribute to the issue. Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan has warned that with half of India's 1.4 billion population under 30, unresolved educational issues could severely hinder India's development.
This refined version improves clarity and flow while maintaining the essence of the original article. The title "India's Tech Talent Crunch: A Million-Strong Gap Looms in AI Era" captures the main points of the article in a concise and informative manner, highlighting the scale of the problem and its relevance to the current technological landscape.
