Answer

Despite reforms like the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, India’s higher education system struggles to improve graduate employability, which stands at 42.6% in 2025 (India Graduate Skills Report), reflecting a persistent mismatch between education outcomes and labour market demands despite growing state interventions.

Government Initiatives to Improve Employability

• Skill India Mission: Aims to train youth in industry-relevant skills across sectors.
  Example: According to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (2023), over 1.60 crore candidates have been trained under PMKVY since its launch.
• National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS): Promotes work-based learning by subsidizing apprentice stipends.
  Example: As per the Apprenticeship India Portal (2024), over 9 lakh apprentices have been enrolled since the scheme’s launch.
• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM): Encourages creativity and hands-on learning through tinkering labs.
  Example: NITI Aayog (2024) reports that 10,000+ Atal Tinkering Labs have been established across Indian schools.
• SWAYAM Platform: Offers free online courses to bridge skill and knowledge gaps.
• AICTE’s Employability Enhancement Training Programme (EETP): Partners with tech firms for practical training.
  

Multidimensional Challenges in Aligning Education with Employment

• Curriculum-Industry Mismatch: Outdated course content fails to reflect industry needs.
  Example: India Skills Report (2024) shows that only 11.72% of graduates are in knowledge-intensive employment.
• Quality Dilution under NEP: Multiple exit options have reduced academic depth and job relevance.
• Low Research-Industry Integration: Academia lacks applied innovation impact.
  Example: Despite investments, India’s GII rank is 39 (WIPO Global Innovation Index 2024), behind Malaysia (33) and Turkey (37).
• Outdated UGC Framework: Centralized UGC control stifles modern, contextual reforms.
• Limited Internship Access: Few students receive real workplace exposure
  

Comprehensive Reforms – The Way Forward

• Decentralise Curriculum Design: Universities should be empowered to tailor courses to local and sectoral needs.
  Example: Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (2024) offers hybrid industry-academic programs in logistics and fintech.
• Replace UGC with Outcome-Based Regulator: Create independent bodies focused on employability metrics.
  Example: The proposed National Higher Education Regulatory Council under NEP remains unimplemented.
• Mainstream Apprenticeship within Degrees: Mandate embedded vocational learning models.
  Example: Germany’s Dual System, ensures student apprentices split time between classroom and industry.
• Incentivise Indigenous Tech-Based Start-ups: Promote science-based entrepreneurship within academia.
• Conduct Institutional Employability Audits: Regular public evaluations of graduate outcomes.
  Example: Tamil Nadu Government’s Ranking Framework (2024) ranks colleges based on actual placement and internship records.

India’s employability gap stems from deep-rooted structural flaws—rigid curricula, regulatory inertia, and weak practical exposure. Transforming education into a driver of innovation and employment demands urgent decentralisation, audit-based accountability, and industry-linked learning ecosystems for long-term national growth. 

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