On June 25, 2025, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship released the report “Skills for the Future: Transforming India’s Workforce Landscape”, prepared by the Institute for Competitiveness.

It examines India’s current workforce skills, forecasts future needs amid global changes, and outlines a roadmap for skill development to align with emerging economic and technological demands.

Key Points:

Vast Workforce in Low-Competency Roles: Around 88% of India’s workforce currently occupies low-skill jobs, highlighting a critical need for re-skilling .

Future Job Trends: The World Economic Forum projects that by 2030, 22% of jobs are at risk, while 170 million new roles—centered on AI, big data, cybersecurity, autonomous systems, and IoT—will emerge.

Demand for Emerging Skills: Skills in AI, big data (+87%), cybersecurity (+70%), creative thinking, and resilience (+66%) are expected to surge. Routine tasks decline while roles like software developers, FinTech engineers, EV specialists, and security managers grow rapidly.

India’s Strength & Weakness: Ranked 25th globally overall, India impressively scored 99.1/100 in the "Future of Work" readiness, placing 2nd behind the U.S. However, its ‘Skills Fit’ and ‘Economic Transformation’ indicators lag, revealing mismatches between education and industry and low innovation in sustainability.

Critical Gaps in Higher Education: Employers report a "critical gap" in graduates' preparedness—especially in creativity, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial thinking. Universities are urged to better integrate industry collaboration and adaptive curricula.

Emphasis on Lifelong Learning: With automation poised to displace millions of jobs, continuous upskilling and adaptability are essential. Over 70% of Indian professionals are already seeking skill enhancement, with cognitive and STEM abilities prioritized.

Government Initiatives: India’s strategy includes strengthening technical and vocational training (TVET), launching Green Skill initiatives, Industrial Training Institutes, the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana under the National Skill Development Mission, and feasibility studies with ILO/OECD for skill-gap mapping.