Employers don’t find Indian grads fit for jobs

While Indian educational institutions think they are equipping graduates for the job market, employers hardly agree, according to a report by McKinsey and Company released on Monday.

While Indian educational institutions think they are equipping graduates for the job market, employers hardly agree, according to a report by McKinsey and Company released on Monday. The report surveyed stakeholders in nine countries — India, Morocco, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, UK, Germany, Turkey, USA and Mexico — and re-emphasised the education-employment gap.

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While 83% of Indian institutions said they thought students were prepared for entry-level positions in their field of study, only 51% of Indian employers thought so. “The skills the youth bring in do not match what the employers are looking for,” said Ramya Venkataraman, leader of McKinsey and Company’s education practice in India. “Employers find the largest gap when it comes to problem-solving and communication.”

About 82% of employers said they would pay more for the right talent, the second highest after the US (86%). In total, 100 employers, 524 people between 15 and 29 years and 304 institutions were surveyed from India this year.