The QS World Future Skills Index gives a peak into how prepared countries are to tackle the shifting demands of the global workforce, especially in the context of digital transformation, AI, sustainability, and the broader economic changes impacting the job market.

The QS World Future Skills Index is based on 4 indicators which comprise Skill Fit, Future of Work, Academic Readiness and Economic Transformation.

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What the analysis says:

The report summarises that India’s strong focus on future skills and emerging job trends positions the country as a forward-thinking nation with significant potential, as evidenced by its performance in Future of Work and Academic Readiness indicators. However, the challenges in the country’s current economic and academic systems could slow progress – while India has a strong economy, there is low investment in research and development and the country is not close to reaching its own environmental policy targets.

India scored 99.1 under the Future of Work category, 89.9 under the Academic Readiness category, 59.1 under the Skill Fit category and 58.3 under the Economic Transformation category. An overall score of 76.6/100 was scored by the country.

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Regarding the Skill Fit of the country, employers across India are highlighting a critical gap in the workforce’s ability to meet the demands of a rapidly changing economic landscape. The Skills Fit indicator measures how well countries are equipping graduates with the skills that employers desire.

Adaptive lifelong skills, Human-centered leadership, entrepreneurial & innovative mindset, sustainable and ethical workforce are the sub-categories under this indicator.

As per the QS analysis, there is a pronounced gap in Entrepreneurial & Innovative Mindset skills. This shortfall emphasises a broader challenge for the country’s higher education system.

Way Forward:

Greater collaboration between government, industry, and academic institutions will be critical to overcoming these barriers. By working together to strengthen education and create aligned opportunities, India can ensure its workforce is equipped to thrive in the global economy and fully realise the benefits of its future-oriented initiatives, mentioned the report.

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