80% Unemployed Engineers in India – Where is the Gap?

Engineering, one of the most prized degrees for Indian students, has now lost its value. Thousands of students across the country who pursue this course to train in programming are rendered jobless. A cursory Google search will open your eyes to the sad condition of engineers in India.

If you are looking at taking up an engineering course anytime soon simply for the reason that you will have a secure future, think again.

According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) – in 2019, engineering is the fourth most popular choice of the stream for students. There are around 38.52 lakh students who enroll for it in different institutes across the country.

However, after four years of rigorous training, the employability of these graduates is very low. In a shocking survey result by an employment assessment company, Aspiring Minds, it was found that 80% of our engineers are unemployed!

Appalling as it may sound, it is the truth! It is time to wake up and smell the coffee.

Now you may wonder –

Why are some of the smartest minds in India jobless?

Is there a glaring gap that we haven’t tried to fill?

Let’s decode the reasons behind this unemployment rate for engineers.

WHY ARE INDIAN ENGINEERS NOT EMPLOYABLE?

At the outset, let us clarify that while many thousands of students choose engineering, it is by no means an easy degree. Not everyone can clear the entrance examinations and enroll for a specialization. Being able to crack the code to get through to a college is in itself a big deal.

At the same time, one of the main reasons to enroll is to be able to utilize the information gathered and establish a secure future after graduation. As per the above-mentioned statistics, this doesn’t seem to be happening. There are many reasons for this.

1. DEMAND-SUPPLY MISMATCH

The Indian pedagogy is built on ideologies of regurgitation and rote-learning, rather than an in-depth understanding of concepts. Students are not encouraged to explore topics and implement them in real life. The format of content delivery without an analysis of comprehension creates a void of knowledge, which is detrimental in the workplace.

Employers who hire even the most meritorious students are more often than not disappointed almost immediately. They are looking for critical thinking and a solution-driven approach but what they find is far from that. This mismatch in industry requirements and the educational system is leading to many unemployed engineering graduates.

2. CURRICULUM

The curriculum of the engineering degree is the backbone of the final outcome that institutes produce, and we have a very weak backbone. India is now one of the leading producers of unemployable engineers. If that doesn’t change the way we approach education, what else can?

To put it simply, our curricula are outdated. They follow the methodology that was required in the past. To create engineers for the future, we need to foster deeper industry knowledge, which can be organized in multiple ways.

For example, having experts from different companies deliver guest lectures, conducting workshops with tips and tricks of the trade, collaborating with firms for internships, etc. These methods will allow for hands-on knowledge and equip students to go out confidently to grab the job they want.

3. LACK OF PRACTICALITY

As an engineer with any company, graduates will encounter many challenges that will test their knowledge, skills and approach. THIS is the education they need to be prepared with. While institutes do try to spell out the problems faced in the past, they forget to analyze and predict problems that can come up in the future.

With technology evolving every day, the type of problems is bound to change. Students need to be prepared for this. Forward-thinking and planning will set them apart immediately. The glaring lack of practicality and age-old approach is the root cause of why Indian engineers are not employable.

4. LANGUAGE GAP

This may not seem like a big deal but it is actually one of the most important factors at the time of hiring. Employers are looking for graduates who can communicate fluently with global clients in English. Clear communication with them is critical to understand their problems and provide them with an effective solution.

Many engineers who hail from rural areas lack the ability to communicate in English, one of the biggest reasons they are unable to get the job. In the journey of rote learning, students fail to develop their language and communication skills, at their own peril. What we must understand here is that English is the global language of business and needs to be strengthened as a skill.

With unemployment swelling in the country, engineering graduates are changing professions and applying for jobs much below their qualifications. A grim example of this is 5,00,000 degree holders (MBAs, engineers, and others) applied for 136 positions of watchmen, sanitation workers, and gardeners. Over 4,50,000 applicants even went ahead for the interviews. Shocked?

Don’t be!

The only way is to address these problems and change our methodology as a country. If this doesn’t serve as a wake-up call to our educationists, the future for engineers in India looks bleak.

What do you think should be changed in our education system? Tell us in the comments below.