From “Engineer Sahab” to Just Engineer. From “Doctor Sahab” to Just Doctor.

How Indian Education is Failing Indian Students

By Team Student Central

There was a time when being called “Engineer Sahab” or “Doctor Sahab” evoked deep respect in Indian society. These titles symbolized excellence, intellect, and leadership. But today, those same titles are thrown around loosely—often attached to degrees that lack depth, credibility, or employability. What went wrong?

Let’s not sugarcoat it: India is witnessing an alarming erosion in the quality of higher education, and it’s not just anecdotal—it’s systemic.

According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), India has over 1,100 universities and 43,000 colleges. While the scale is impressive, the outcomes are not. Despite being one of the largest education ecosystems in the world, India ranks below 130 in the Global Employability University Ranking (THE, 2023). In contrast, countries like Germany, Australia, and Canada—each with fewer universities—consistently dominate the top 50.

The bigger concern? Over 80% of Indian engineers are unemployable in the knowledge economy, as per the Aspiring Minds’ National Employability Report (2019). In commerce and business programs, the situation is no better: only 40% of MBA graduates outside Tier 1 institutions find decent employment. What does this mean? Degrees are being mass-produced, but value is not.

We’re producing lakhs of graduates each year—but not professionals. We’ve confused mass education with quality education. And worse, we’ve mistaken a convocation ceremony for career readiness.

Students are taught to memorize, not to think, to follow, not to innovate. While developed nations equip even their average graduates with problem-solving skills, global exposure, and work-integrated learning, most Indian universities are stuck with syllabus content from a decade ago.

Here’s the hard truth: The education system in a large number of Indian colleges and universities is failing the very students it claims to empower.

And no—students don’t need a Bollywood star or a cricket legend to give them a rousing motivational speech once a year. They need a curriculum that’s relevant, professors who mentor, and a system that makes them employable in the real world, not just eligible for a degree.

🎓 The Degree Obsession: Quantity Over Quality

India produces over 3.8 million graduates every year—yet 80% of them are considered unemployable in the modern workforce, according to the India Skills Report by Wheebox (2022). The system remains largely theoretical, outdated, and disconnected from industry needs. Students spend years memorising content without developing the analytical, technological, or communication skills required in today’s job market.

In developed countries, even mid-ranked universities emphasise:

Experiential learning (via internships, co-ops, research projects)
Project-based assessments, not just exams
Interdisciplinary coursework
Frequent industry collaborations

Indian institutions—barring the top 5–10% like IITS, IIMS, and some private universities—rarely offer such experiences. Students end up with degrees but lack job readiness, creativity, or global perspectives.

🧠 Rote Learning vs. Critical Thinking

While countries like Finland, Germany, and even mid-tier US colleges prioritise problem-solving and critical thinking, Indian education still leans heavily on rote memorisation. A student scoring 95% might not be able to write a persuasive argument or solve a real-world problem.

This rigid pedagogy stifles curiosity and fosters anxiety. As a result, Indian students often find themselves starting from scratch when they reach international classrooms that value voice over volume and questions over conformity.

💼 Industry-Relevant Curriculum: A Missing Piece

According to NASSCOM, only 46% of Indian engineering graduates are employable in core engineering roles. Why? Because the curriculum hasn’t caught up with modern industry demands. Emerging fields like Data Science, AI, Environmental Tech, and Human-Centred Design are either poorly taught or unavailable in most Indian colleges.

In contrast, countries like Canada and Australia tailor their curriculum to match evolving labour markets. Many courses are developed in consultation with employers and reviewed every few years. Students are not just taught skills—they are taught how to apply those skills in real-life environments.

🌍 Exposure and Soft Skills: The Silent Differentiator

Communication, adaptability, teamwork, and leadership—these are not “extra” skills anymore. They are core career competencies. Unfortunately, most Indian colleges do not have programs, mentorship, or platforms to build these. Soft skills are often the very reason Indian students struggle in interviews both in India and abroad.

In contrast, developed countries offer a structured, inclusive environment with multicultural exposure, group work, presentation skills, and community projects embedded in education.

🤯 Challenging the Myth: "A Degree Equals Success"

This is the biggest lie we continue to sell our youth. The Indian societal model glorifies the degree, no matter how irrelevant, outdated, or misaligned with one’s passion. The belief is: get the degree, get the job, build the life.

This belief is not just flawed, it's dangerous.

A poorly chosen or badly delivered degree can cripple your future, not elevate it. It leads to underemployment, dissatisfaction, and often, migration out of desperation rather than ambition.

In some overseas education destinations, vocational education and applied learning are just as respected as traditional degrees. There’s dignity in skill, not just in the certificate.

💡 What India Can Learn—and Must Urgently Implement

Update the curriculum every 3–5 years with industry input
Make internships and apprenticeships mandatory for all professional degrees
Train teachers to become mentors, not just lecturers
Promote multi-disciplinary learning and eliminate rigid academic silos
Introduce soft skill and career-readiness programs from the first year
Build university-industry partnerships to ensure real-world alignment

❗ The Same Mistake Abroad

Let’s also acknowledge: some Indian students repeat the same mistake overseas. They chase the dream of a foreign degree but land in “degree-on-the-wall” colleges that are neither reputed nor career-enhancing. A new country won’t fix an old mindset. Choosing the right program and institution matters just as much abroad as it does at home.

✅ Final Thoughts: Beyond Borders, Beyond Blindness

We at Team Student Central urge students, parents, and policymakers to look beyond the brand name of a degree and focus on what truly matters—learning that prepares you for the real world.

India doesn’t just need more graduates. It needs more thinkers, doers, creators, and innovators. We don't need another degree on the wall—we need skills in the mind, compassion in the heart, and adaptability in the spirit.

Until then, Indian students will continue to look westward, not because the grass is greener, but because our soil is losing nutrients.

Posted 5 days ago