Insights from Mercer’s Report on India’s Graduatе Skill Indеx 2023. This data is obtained after examining 440,000+ learners from 2500+ campuses. The major goal of the study was to compare the readiness of recent graduates across the nation with the top competencies that businesses are looking for.
45% of the Indian Graduates are Employable for Top Jobs and Skills – Mercer I Mettl’s Report on India’s Graduatе Skill Indеx 2023
Introduction
A study on India’s Graduate Skill Index 2023 was shared by Mercer I Mettl, a leader in talent assessment. The dynamics of demand and supply of talent are changing worldwide due to the integration of AI and changing technologies. India is also affected by this change, as there is a hiring slump, longer hiring processes, declining quality, and a growing skill gap. The job market is always changing, and emphasis is now being placed on dynamic roles rather than traditional ones. This report provides insights on employability skills and how academic institutes and organisations can collectively help bridge the skill gap. This data is examined from 2500+ campuses and 440,000+ learners. The major goal of the study was to compare the readiness of recent graduates across the nation with the top competencies that businesses are looking for.
About Mercer | Mettl
To survive in this constantly changing, dynamic environment, companies need to hire, develop and engage the best talent and allow them the flexibility to improve their skills. Mercer I Mettl, a leader in talent assessment, helps academic institutions and organisations bridge the skill gap for young talent. This is an excellent chance for academic institutions to give students modern skills that will match the demands of the workplace.
They not only provide research-based, customised assessments but also in-depth analytics to help organisations. These assessments cater to the complete lifecycle of the employee, like pre-hiring screening, training and development programmes for both employees and students, and contests.
Insights from the Report on India’s Graduatе Skill Indеx 2023
1. In the coming years, skills such as Java, Structured Query Language (SQL), etc. are expected to decline. Cognitive skills are gaining importance in the workplace, particularly in areas of problem-solving and creative thinking.
2. Employability = Number of test-takers scoring above the required benchmark in the skill / Number of test-takers attempting the skill
45% of Indian graduates are employable for top in-demand jobs and skills. Among the various functions, graduates demonstrate proficiency in areas such as human resources, data science, and roles requiring expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), among others.
3. 53% of Indian graduates are employable for top non-technical jobs. Non-technical skills are more in demand, with relatively higher employability. Graduates are most employable in MS Office (61%) and numerical ability (57%). Graduates are least employable in project management skills (23%).
4. 44% of Indian graduates are employable for top technical jobs. Technical skills in demand are diverse, but individual skill demand is low. Limited talent pool for applied mathematics skills despite high employability (72%). Big data (36%) and machine learning (33%)
skills have low employability and are low in demand.
5. 48% of Indian graduates exhibit the highest employability in AI and machine learning roles. Software testing roles closely follow with an employability rate of 42%, while front-end developer roles have an employability rate of 40%.
6. The employability figures for learners from different college tiers indicate 46% employability for Tier 1 colleges, with a marginal drop to 44% for Tier 2 and 43% for Tier 3 colleges. Employability for learners in non-technical roles and skills is higher across all college tiers in comparison to that for technical roles.
7. 53% of Indian graduates are employable for non-technical roles from Tier 1 colleges, as compared to 45% for technical roles. 51% of Indian graduates are employable for non-technical roles from Tier 2 colleges, as compared to 43% for Technical Roles. 57% of Indian graduates are employable for non-technical roles from Tier 3 colleges, as compared to 42% for Technical Roles.
8. The employability of graduates in emerging job roles such as back-end developer, data scientist, data analyst, and QA automation shows a similar range across tiers of colleges. 46% of learners in Tier 3 colleges are employable in AI/ML roles, which is at par with Tier 2 (49%) and Tier 1 (48%) colleges.
9. It is important to note that Tier 1 colleges still exhibit higher employability in traditional tech roles. This is due to the emphasis on curriculum, infrastructure, industry collaborations, and experienced faculty.
10. Overall, the data indicates a consistent trend of similar employability across all tiers for most skill groups, which is good news for graduates from all types of colleges.
11. Python, as an emerging skill, exhibits similar employability across Tier 1 and Tier 2 colleges. Tier 2 colleges show higher employability in areas such as data structures and programming languages like C and Python. The employability for SDLC and agile methodology is lower in Tier 1 colleges. The employability for cloud computing is the highest in Tier 3 colleges.
12. Tier 1 colleges display the highest employability numbers across all traditional non-technical roles. 57% of learners in Tier 3 colleges are employable in critical thinking skills. On-the-job skills, such as statistics and MS Office proficiency, show similar employability rates across all tiers of colleges.
Siddhartha Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, Mercer | Mettl, said, “The evolving job market has transformed traditional roles into more dynamic ones, integrating finite, gig, and automated tasks, along with AI applications. Organisations are now prioritising performance abilities over mere credentials or prior experience, recognising the value of diverse talent. Moreover, the global focus on sustainability is creating new job opportunities in environmentally conscious practises and technologies.”
These insights should help employers make wise hiring decisions and enable graduates to match their skill sets to market needs.
