Only about a quarter of institutions show any meaningful alignment between academic curricula and industry requirements.
Fewer than 20 per cent of higher education institutions in India manage to place more than 75 per cent of their students within six months of graduation, despite employability emerging as a key focus under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, according to a report released by TeamLease Edtech.
The report, titled From Degree Factories to Employability Hubs, highlights persistent gaps between academic outcomes and labour market expectations, even as universities and colleges increasingly prioritise job readiness.
Key Points
- Less than 20 per cent of Indian higher education institutions achieve over 75 per cent placements within six months of graduation.
- Nearly 29 per cent of institutions report placement rates below 25 per cent, highlighting deep disparities in job outcomes.
- Only about a quarter of institutions show any meaningful alignment between academic curricula and industry requirements.
- Internship integration remains limited, with less than 10 per cent institutions offering it across all academic programmes.
- Experts stress urgent shift from degree-centric education to employability-driven models with stronger industry collaboration and practical training.
Employability Gap Widens
Strong placement outcomes remain limited.
Only 16.7 per cent of institutions reported placement rates of 76-100 per cent within six months of graduation, while 31.6 per cent placed between 51 and 75 per cent of students.
At the other end, nearly 29 per cent reported placement rates below 25 per cent, underscoring wide disparities in employment outcomes across institutions.
Placement Rates Remain Uneven
India's higher education system has expanded rapidly over the past two decades, with thousands of institutions enrolling millions of students each year.
Yet, the report notes that the shift from degree-focused education to employability-driven learning remains uneven.
Shift To Job-Ready Learning
"There is growing consensus that employability must be embedded within academic design rather than addressed at the margins," said Shantanu Rooj, founder and CEO, TeamLease EdTech.
"At the same time, the pace and depth of adoption vary widely. Some institutions are beginning to build integrated employability systems, while others continue to rely on fragmented initiatives that struggle to scale," Rooj added.
Industry Alignment Still Limited
The report said higher education institutions must move beyond traditional classroom-based models and integrate practical exposure, internships and industry-linked training into academic programmes.
Only 8.6 per cent of institutions said their curricula are fully aligned with industry requirements across all programmes, while 16.9 per cent reported such alignment in select courses, according to the report.
Taken together, roughly a quarter of institutions show some degree of industry alignment, suggesting that efforts to connect academic programmes with labour market needs remain limited and uneven, said the report.
Internships Yet To Scale
Industry collaboration is expected to play a critical role in improving employability outcomes.
Institutions with strong employer partnerships are better placed to adapt their curricula to market needs and offer students hands-on exposure.
Internships are gradually becoming part of academic programmes, with 9.4 per cent of institutions offering them across all courses and 17.4 per cent providing them in select programmes, according to the report.
The report suggests that institutions may increasingly be judged not just on enrolment and academic performance, but also on placement outcomes and the long-term career progression of graduates.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff
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