India's demographic dividend will remain an unrealised promise unless the country shifts from a degree-centric education system to a skills-first ecosystem, policymakers, industry leaders and educators said at the inaugural Skills First India Leadership Dialogue organised by Medhavi Skills University in New Delhi on World Youth Skills Day.
The consensus was clear, as artificial intelligence, automation and changing business models reshape the world of work, employability not merely education must become the defining goal of India's education system.
"Education, industry and government must move together if we are serious about building a skilled workforce for Viksit Bharat 2047," said Pravesh Dudani, founder and chancellor of Medhavi Skills University, setting the tone for the discussions. "A skills-first ecosystem cannot be created by any one stakeholder alone."
The dialogue brought together leaders from government, industry and academia to examine why India continues to face an employability gap despite producing millions of graduates every year.
One of the strongest interventions came from Vivek Sinha, founder and CEO of Emversity, who argued that industry must stop playing the role of a passive adviser and instead become an active partner in talent creation.
"Industry cannot limit itself to advising universities on curriculum design. It must take ownership of talent development, much like India's IT companies did decades ago when they created training pipelines to bridge the gap between classrooms and workplaces," he said.
Sinha also questioned India's continued preference for white-collar careers. "We need to stop convincing every student that success lies only in office jobs. Technical and vocational education deserves the same respect as academic degrees," he said.
The issue of social perception was echoed by Asha Pathania, senior vice-president (FM & Hospitality), PVR INOX, who said skilled trades continue to suffer from an image problem in India despite being highly valued everywhere else.
"In many countries, plumbers and electricians are respected professionals earning good incomes. In India, these careers continue to carry social stigma. Better wages and greater recognition are essential if we want more young people to pursue them," she said.
The discussion also highlighted how technology-led skilling can expand opportunities for women and rural youth. Dr Anjlee Prakash, founder of Learning Links Foundation, said the organisation's Women in AI programme has reached nearly 25,000 undergraduate and postgraduate women and has significantly improved their employability and earning potential. She added that the foundation is partnering with universities to establish solar-powered community hubs offering AI, digital literacy and cyber wellness courses in rural areas.
While several national initiatives—including the National Education Policy, Skill India Mission, National Credit Framework and apprenticeship programmes—have laid the groundwork, implementation remains uneven, speakers noted.
Moderating a session on policy execution, Suchita Dutta, executive director of the Indian Staffing Federation, said India now needs to move "from vision to execution".
Ankush Arora, former CHRO of TBO and Blinkit, argued that the country's skilling ecosystem should be measured by employment outcomes rather than training numbers.
"Funding cannot continue to depend on how many candidates complete a programme. It should be linked to how many young people actually secure meaningful employment and sustainable incomes," he said.
The conversation also widened beyond higher education. Dr Swati Popat Vats, president of Podar Education Network, argued that India's skilling journey begins much earlier than college and called for a dedicated ministry for early childhood education, saying foundational learning is critical to future workforce readiness.
Drawing attention to another often-overlooked challenge, Robin Hibu, IPS, Special Commissioner (HR) and Director General of Police, Delhi Police, said migration from smaller towns to metropolitan cities often exposes young workers to exploitation. Technical training alone, he said, is insufficient unless accompanied by mentoring, cultural orientation and sustained support to help young people adapt to unfamiliar urban environments.
Closing the dialogue, Dudani urged teachers to redefine their role in a rapidly changing economy.
"Teachers must become mentors who expose students to different skills and career pathways early in life instead of encouraging a narrow pursuit of prestigious degrees," he said.
The event concluded with a shared message, India's aspiration to become a developed nation by 2047 will depend as much on how effectively it equips its young population with practical skills as on how many degrees it awards.
