Interview/ Ashok Kumar Mittal, Rajya Sabha member and chancellor of Lovely Professional University, Punjab
Q/ Beyond the National Education Policy, how can private universities and academia equip today’s youth with the skills required for a transformed job market?
The NEP has created an important framework for multidisciplinary, flexible and experiential education. However, policy alone cannot transform employability. The real transformation must take place inside classrooms, laboratories, assessment systems and university-industry partnerships.
Private universities have a particular responsibility because they often have greater institutional flexibility, faster decision-making and stronger capacity to invest in technology and innovation. They should use this advantage not simply to introduce more degree programmes, but to redesign how students learn, practise and demonstrate competence.
Universities must first define what a student should be able to do at the end of every semester, rather than merely what chapters the student should have studied. Every programme should combine four layers: strong disciplinary foundations; digital and AI literacy; communication, problem-solving and ethical judgement; and practical evidence of application.
Many internships today amount to little more than obtaining a certificate. Universities must ensure that every internship has a defined problem or project;
an industry mentor and a faculty mentor; measurable outputs; periodic reviews; a final demonstration or presentation; and feedback from the organisation.
As long as universities reward memorisation, students will continue to memorise. Assessment should progressively move towards unseen case studies, application based questions, open-ended problems, product demonstrations, research and fieldwork, simulations, oral defence and presentations, reflective portfolios, team projects with individual accountability.
Students should be allowed to use AI in appropriate assessments, but they should be required to disclose its use, verify outputs and defend their reasoning. The future workplace will not prohibit tools; it will demand responsible and intelligent use of them.
Q/ What role can the government play in mitigating these challenges and ensuring India’s workforce remains future-ready?
The government has a crucial role in ensuring that India’s workforce remains future-ready in an era of artificial intelligence, automation, climate change, geopolitical uncertainty and rapidly evolving industries. The government can create an integrated ecosystem that connects education, industry, technology, employment and lifelong learning.
First, India needs a strong labour-market intelligence system that continuously tracks emerging jobs, declining occupations and changing skill requirements across sectors. Such a system can help universities revise curricula, guide students towards future opportunities and enable policymakers to suitably design skilling programmes.
Second, the government can encourage universities and training institutions to update their curricula more frequently. Emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, robotics, biotechnology, green energy, electric mobility, digital commerce and advanced manufacturing should be integrated into relevant programmes.
Third, experiential learning must become a central part of higher education. The government can incentivise companies, particularly MSMEs and startups, to offer structured, paid apprenticeships and internships.
The government must also democratise access to emerging technologies. Shared AI laboratories, cybersecurity centres, robotics facilities, simulation studios and advanced manufacturing centres should be made accessible to institutions in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
Another important responsibility is to promote lifelong learning. The government can support modular courses, micro-credentials and affordable reskilling opportunities for working professionals.
Accreditation and funding systems must also be reformed. Institutions should be evaluated not only on infrastructure, examinations and enrolment, but also on graduate employability, entrepreneurship, practical competencies, industry collaboration, research impact and career progression.
Finally, future-readiness must be inclusive. Rural youth, women, persons with disabilities, informal workers and regional-language learners must have access to connectivity, digital tools, training, career guidance and social protection. Technological progress should reduce inequality, not deepen it.
Adapting to AI
* Jobs are not disappearing; roles are changing: use AI to become an augmented worker
* Real economy jobs, both blue and white collar, will be in demand. In US data centres, an electrician is paid 3 times more than an engineer
* Have portfolio careers—don’t depend on just one thing or one skill
* This is the best time to become an entrepreneur. AI will disrupt processes in every industry. Each of these is a new company to be built out of disruption.
Source: AI & Beyond, TalentiFi-X
What employers want
* Learning agility and a growth mindset
* AI literacy and the ability to use emerging technologies responsibly
* Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
* Adaptability in a rapidly changing business environment
* Collaboration across diverse and global teams
* Customer-centric thinking and business understanding
* Ownership, curiosity and continuous improvement
* Human skills (judgment, communication, creativity, empathy, leadership) as vital as technical expertise
Source: Vimal Dangri, Mastek
