By Gunn Malhotra

🎓 The Indian Engineering Dream — Broken?

For decades, engineering has been seen as the golden ticket to success in Indian households. From proud banners outside coaching centers to packed engineering colleges across the country, millions chase the “engineer” tag every year. Yet, behind the glossy surface lies a harsh truth: India produces over 15 lakh engineering graduates annually, but only a fraction are truly employable.

The reason? Outdated education, lack of practical skills, and a system more focused on marks than innovation.

📉 The Employability Crisis

According to reports by NASSCOM and the India Skills Report, only 20–25% of engineering graduates are employable for the jobs they train for. This alarming statistic points to a disconnect between what colleges teach and what the industry demands.

Companies often complain that fresh graduates:

Lack hands-on coding or core engineering skills
Struggle with communication and problem-solving
Are unfamiliar with modern tools, software, or technologies
Cannot work in teams or adapt quickly to real-world environments

🧠 What’s Going Wrong?

🔹 1. Outdated Curriculum

Most engineering colleges follow syllabi designed years ago, rarely updated to match the pace of innovation. While AI, data science, IoT, and cybersecurity shape the industry today, students are still learning theoretical topics with little real-world relevance.

🔹 2. Poor Industry-Academia Collaboration

There’s minimal exposure to how actual companies work. Industry projects, internships, or mentorships are rare, and students often graduate without ever working on a real problem.

🔹 3. Rote Learning Over Skill Building

The education system often rewards memorization over understanding. Students are trained to pass exams, not build products or solve problems — the very skills needed in the workplace.

🔹 4. Neglect of Soft Skills

Even technically sound students struggle due to poor communication, critical thinking, and teamwork skills, which are essential in professional environments.

🔹 5. Mass Admission, Low Standards

India has thousands of private engineering colleges. Many prioritize profits over quality, leading to mass-produced graduates with low exposure, poor teaching, and no placement support.

⚙️ Engineering ≠ Coding Only

A dangerous misconception is that engineering means just learning coding. While software skills are important, core branches like mechanical, civil, and electrical are equally valuable. The problem is that these streams lack modern lab equipment, practical projects, or industry-aligned internships — leading to disinterest and stagnation.

💡 The Way Forward

To revive the respect and value of engineering in India, we need major reforms:

✅ Revamp Curriculum:

Align subjects with industry trends — cloud computing, machine learning, green energy, robotics, etc.

✅ Emphasize Projects & Internships:

Make hands-on learning mandatory each semester, with real-world projects and internships.

✅ Focus on Practical & Soft Skills:

Teach students to communicate, collaborate, and think critically. These are as vital as technical skills.

✅ Strengthen Industry Partnerships:

Invite professionals to mentor, teach, and recruit directly from campuses.

✅ Encourage Innovation:

Create platforms and labs that allow students to build, fail, learn, and innovate — not just score marks.

✊ Reclaiming the Engineer’s Pride

Engineering is not the problem. The way it is taught and perceived in India is. If given the right environment, exposure, and mentorship, Indian engineers can compete globally and lead innovation.

But until we fix the broken bridge between education and employability, we will continue to produce more degrees and fewer engineers.

📢 Final Thought:

“Engineering in India needs a reboot — from a degree factory to a skills powerhouse.”

The conversation doesn’t end here. As technology continues to evolve, staying informed and involved is more important than ever. What steps will you take to be part of this change? Join the discussion, explore further, and let's shape the future together.

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Connect on linkdein: www.linkedin.com/in/gunn-malhotra

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Why Engineering is Underrated in India: The Crisis of Irrelevant Education and Rising Unemployment

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