Has the curricula prepared this generation for the job market AI has rewritten?
Engineering students in India, such as Mohit Anand and Pratyaksh Saluja, struggle to align with AI-driven job demands despite self-learning, as traditional curricula fail to integrate generative AI tools like ChatGPT. Major IT firms like TCS and Infosys are reducing fresher hiring amid economic uncertainty, while experts like Deloitte’s Kamlesh Vyas urge an overhaul of outdated engineering programs to prioritize AI-plus-X skill sets.
Indian engineering students face a widening gap between academic preparation and industry demands reshaped by generative AI. Mohit Anand, a final-year student at Netaji Subhas University of Technology, Delhi, launched an AI startup despite limited AI integration in his curriculum, leveraging self-directed learning. His peer Pratyaksh Saluja, from BML Munjal University in Haryana, now presents AI-driven project recordings in interviews—a shift from traditional GitHub portfolios—highlighting the evolving expectations for technical innovation. The IT sector, once a primary employer for engineering graduates, is scaling back hiring due to economic uncertainty. TCS plans to hire 25,000 freshers for FY27, down from 44,000 the prior year, while Infosys maintains flat hiring at 20,000. Firms like TechM and Wipro are adopting cautious strategies, reflecting broader industry hesitation. Industry leaders and educators agree that engineering curricula have not adapted quickly enough to AI’s transformative impact. Deloitte India’s Kamlesh Vyas notes employers now seek an ‘AI-plus-X’ approach, combining domain expertise with AI application—a skill set rarely taught in standard programs. Even top-tier institutions like IIT-Guwahati’s dedicated AI school struggle to keep pace, with students like Raunit Patel relying on external certifications and online resources to bridge gaps. Raunit Patel, a final-year BTech student in data science and AI at IIT-Guwahati, secured placements at companies including Google and JPMorgan Chase, but acknowledges the curriculum’s limitations. He supplements learning through platforms like YouTube to grasp advancements such as agentic AI and multimodal LLMs. The disconnect between academia and industry underscores the urgent need for curriculum reforms to equip students with future-ready skills.
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