Shivika Goenka flags India’s skills gap; 109 million skilled workers needed by 2030, but many graduates remain unemployable

India’s ambition to become a global economic powerhouse will require a massive expansion in skilled talent over the next decade. But the country’s education system may not yet be fully aligned with that goal.

India will need 109 million skilled workers by 2030 to sustain its economic growth, according to estimates from the Ministry of Education and NASSCOM. Yet nearly 47% of Indian graduates are considered unemployable, largely due to gaps in critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital literacy.

Highlighting this challenge, Shivika Goenka, director – luxury and education, RPSG Group; co-chair, CII Schools' Forum, said the problem lies less with talent availability and more with how India trains its workforce.

In a recent LinkedIn post, Goenka wrote: “The bottleneck isn’t talent. It’s how we educate.”

Skills for the next decade

The nature of work is changing rapidly as automation, artificial intelligence, and data-driven systems reshape industries. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, the most critical skills for 2030 will include analytical thinking, creative thinking, AI and big data literacy, resilience, and flexibility.

Conspicuously absent from that list are traditional academic markers such as memorisation, exam performance, and the ability to follow structured instructions.

For decades, India’s higher education system has largely focused on theoretical knowledge and standardised testing. However, as Goenka noted in her post, the future workforce will need to collaborate with intelligent systems rather than compete with them.

Rethinking management education

Some institutions have already begun adjusting their curricula to reflect these shifts.

At International Management Institute (IMI) Delhi, IMI Kolkata, and IMI Bhubaneswar, artificial intelligence collaboration and data analytics are being integrated into the curriculum from the start of their PGDM programmes. The aim is to ensure that graduates are equipped to interpret data, work with AI-driven tools, and solve complex real-world problems.

This isn’t about adding a new elective or running a weekend workshop,” Goenka wrote on LinkedIn. “It’s about fundamentally rethinking how we prepare professionals for an economy that’s already here.”

Experiential learning gaining traction

Globally, education systems are moving toward experiential and technology-enabled learning models that prioritise real-world application over rote learning.

According to UNESCO, countries investing in such approaches report 34% higher workforce adaptability scores, suggesting that graduates are better prepared to navigate rapidly changing job markets.

India, however, continues to face structural challenges. Public spending on education as a percentage of GDP remains below the global average, and many institutions continue to prioritise placement metrics over long-term skill development.

Preparing for jobs that don’t yet exist

The urgency of reform is underscored by the pace of technological change. Goenka pointed out that by 2030, 65% of today’s students are expected to work in jobs that do not yet exist, making adaptability and interdisciplinary learning critical.

This, she argued, means institutions must move beyond traditional pedagogy and invest in adaptive learning models, data-driven teaching methods, and skill-based training.

“The institutions that recognise this early… will shape the workforce India needs,” Goenka wrote.

For India, the stakes are high. With a young population and ambitions to lead in sectors such as digital services, manufacturing, and emerging technologies, the country’s growth trajectory will depend heavily on whether its education system can bridge the widening skills gap.