Only 51% of graduates are deemed employable: Dr Mittal
In conversation with The Tribune, Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal, MP and founder chancellor of Lovely Professional University (LPU), highlighted that as India continues to rise, and regain its place as Vishwa Guru — a global knowledge leader — what must drive our higher education system is not rote, not rigidity, but relevance.
Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal, says, “While India’s ambition to lead the world, intellectually and spiritually, is deeply rooted in its civilisational ethos, the path to realising this potential lies not in lofty slogans, but in rigorous reform. Our roadmap must be paved through vivad and vishwas, building a system that is simultaneously dynamic, democratic and driven by demand.”
Reclaiming global pedestal through multi-disciplinarity
The MP says, “One of the most critical transformations needed in India’s higher education ecosystem is the structural shift towards multidisciplinary learning. As I emphasised in my speech on the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022, if India is to break into top echelons of global university rankings, we must move beyond narrow silos.”
“The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, indeed recognises this imperative, proposing the creation of Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs). However, implementation remains patchy. No strong framework for MERUs and lack of dedicated policies in areas such as technology implementation, AI and data privacy can result in India lagging behind. Most students are still boxed into inflexible degree formats that leave little room for exploration or integration. The result? Students graduate with degrees that are academically valid, but socially and economically irrelevant,”
Dr Mittal says.
“To achieve 100 per cent career orientation across the span of study, institutions must design curricula that blend foundational liberal arts with sector-specific skills. For example, a student of environmental science should be exposed to climate finance, environmental law and digital mapping technologies,” he says.
“Likewise, management students should understand behavioural economics, sustainability and data analytics. This fusion of disciplines is, therefore, not a luxury, it is a necessity,” he says.
Industry connect and sector-specific curricula
“India’s demographic dividend can become a demographic disaster if our universities continue to function in isolation from the world of work. As I underlined in my address during the Tribhuvan Sahkari University Bill, 2025, the single biggest reform we need is an institutionalised and accountable industry-academia partnership,” Dr Mittal says.
“The disconnect is stark. According to the Economic Survey 2023-24, only 51 per cent of Indian graduates are deemed employable. This reflects a widening gap between what employers need and the skills graduates of the day have on offer,” Dr Mittal says.
“We must reimagine curricula through co-creation with industries. Sector-specific courses should be jointly designed with industry partners and periodically updated to reflect evolving skill requirements,” he says.
“The AICTE’s 2024 model curriculum for technical education was a step in this direction, but uptake remains minimal outside elite institutions. Government schemes like the PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana and Skill India have made strides in vocational training, but these need to be aligned with higher education,” Dr Mittal says.
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