Today, India is finding itself finds at a crucial juncture. We’ve got one of the youngest populations on the planet, and every year, millions of fresh graduates step out, ready to make their mark. That’s a huge advantage: On paper, at least. The real test? Getting these grads to be job ready.
Education levels have gone up across the country. More people are finishing school and college. But are they coming out with the skills companies want? Not really. Study after study keeps showing the same thing. The Mercer-Mettl’s India Graduate Skill Index 2025 says only 42.6% of Indian graduates are employable. The India Skills Report 2025 puts that number at 54.81%. So, yes, there’s progress, but there is a gap that needs to be addressed.
Organisations aren’t just looking for degrees. They want candidates who possess critical thinking, communicate well, can learn and adapt on the go. The advent of AI has only made things more intense. Studies show that AI is already handling 37% of entry-level jobs, thereby setting the bar higher for new employees.
But here’s where opportunity comes in. Education companies working in regional, smaller cities can shake things up. For a long time, most education and job-training centred in big cities. That’s changed as you’ll find just as many ambitious students from smaller towns, Tier-2 or Tier-3 places, setting their sights on careers in tech, finance and more. But access to real, quality skill-building? That’s still hit or miss.
{{/usCountry}}But here’s where opportunity comes in. Education companies working in regional, smaller cities can shake things up. For a long time, most education and job-training centred in big cities. That’s changed as you’ll find just as many ambitious students from smaller towns, Tier-2 or Tier-3 places, setting their sights on careers in tech, finance and more. But access to real, quality skill-building? That’s still hit or miss.
{{/usCountry}}Regional education providers are in a unique position here. They’re closer to their students, both physically and culturally. They get what young people in those areas want and what hurdles they face every day, something big, one-size-fits-all platforms often miss.
And you can’t forget about language in which the concepts are taught. English is a clear winner when it comes to the business world, but if you’re introducing someone to brand-new concepts, it must be done so in a language he/she feels most comfortable in.
Honestly, the skills gap in India can be bridged when teaching is done in a way people learn, not just a way that’s easier to deliver. Once that’s done right, our country’s workforce grows from being a statistic to an asset. Confidence soon follows as candidates are not afraid to venture into bigger professional environments.
To add to that, what works in one city or state won’t work everywhere. India’s job market isn’t uniform. Local companies are better at tailoring training as per local needs: whether that’s factories, IT, healthcare, or tourism.
But technical stuff isn’t the only thing that counts. Employers are looking for candidates who can communicate, problem-solve, work in teams, and generally act like they’ve seen the inside of an office before. Study after study points out that missing these skills holds a lot of graduates back, even those with the “right” degrees.
Regional education players can plug this gap by weaving those must-have soft skills into the learning journey from day one. It’s not enough to teach the hard stuff; students also need to master the soft skills. With technology evolving all the time, the presence of hybrid classes, AI-driven lessons, virtual labs are making quality training easier to access, even where infrastructure is weak.
Educational institutions can’t solve the whole job-readiness puzzle by itself. Companies must step up too. They need to help decide what's taught, open up real projects, offer internships and apprenticeships, and make sure training matches what the market’s demanding. Honestly, regional education companies are in a great spot to connect schools and businesses, keeping things on track as jobs keep evolving.
So as India pushes forward, it’s not enough to hand out degrees. We must make sure people are ready to work on day one. Regional education entities can be the spark that makes practical, job-ready training available to millions.
(The views expressed are personal)
This article is authored by Suresh Kalpathi, executive director and chairman, Veranda Learning.