75% Indian engineering students unemployable: Report

Discussing a report by software industry group Nasscom which says that 75 percent engineering students in India are unemployable, education experts here on Saturday said that the Indian higher education system must give skill building and practical training equal importance as academics to give them an edge.

In their latest report released in the last week of October 2009, National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) said that Indian IT firms reject 90 percent of college graduates and 75 percent of engineers who apply for jobs because they are not good enough to be trained.

We have been talking about unemployability and education. the mismatch between the academic processes and the its true application. Today we are teaching students in subjects that will not be required in future. Today with a gross enrollment ratio of Higher Education being 12. ie .. out of 100 eligible people (18 yrs to 24 yrs) only 12 take up college education, other 88% don't. among this 12% the employability ratio is 10% to 25%. Its sad and is a reflection of the effectiveness of the Indian Education System.

Its not important just keep approving central universities and colleges or just increasing the education infrastructure, its highly important to work on the effectiveness of the outcome of education towards economic and social goals of the country.

I guess we as a nation will never learn. We will keep doing superficial stuff and actions just to show that we are doing something. The quality of education need to improve. Youth need to appreciate the value of education. Majority of the youth do not see value in education. So do not opt for higher education. The condition is even worst when we see the figures relating to female enrollments in higher education.

Then whats the solution. Here is some action points suggested by Dheya to the Government of India:

1. A substantial effort needs to go into revamping the curriculum from Grade VIII onwards to link the curriculum and the occupations and jobs of the future.
2. Help the students to understand themselves and plan their careers for a horizon of 10 years
3. Equip the students with skills that would make them focussed and employable starting from the age of 13.

Hope they listen...

Anand Desai

Founder - Dheya