Cybersecurity breaches have emerged as the top risk shaping organisational performance, with 61 per cent of respondents identifying it as the primary risk, said a Ficci and EY report.
Concerns have emerged about the impact of AI adoption on young workers, particularly those seeking their first job in high-skilled occupations.
The National Medical Commission is emphasising the importance of preparing doctors and healthcare systems for the responsible and effective use of artificial intelligence, highlighting the need for ethical and equitable AI adoption in healthcare.
'While salary increments are moderating compared to last year, not all functions are moving at the same pace.'
Here are ten human-forward skills that will quietly but decisively shape professional growth in 2026.
Aequs Group, in collaboration with IIT-Dharwad, has established an advanced research and development facility for materials science and manufacturing innovation at the IIT-Dharwad campus.
OpenAI reports India is a leading AI market with strengths in coding, data analysis, and reasoning, but adoption is heavily concentrated in top cities, highlighting a significant regional disparity.
Despite the dominance of AI, creativity and innovation are the most in-demand skills, reveal LinkedIn's Skills On The Rise 2025 report.
The new approach emphasises practical understanding and contemporary skills, encouraging students to think critically and apply concepts in real-world contexts, says Srividya Sridhar, principal of Lotus Petal Senior Secondary School.
'When I look at India's relative valuations, these are by far the lowest I have seen in my 35-year career.' 'The relative 12-month trailing performance is among the weakest I have seen, and foreign investor positioning is at a 16-17 year low.'
rediffGURU Chocko Valliappa, founder and CEO of Vee Technologies, tells young aspirants how they can make an informed career choice.
India has established a high-level inter-ministerial body, the AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), to steer the country's national AI governance strategy. The AIGEG will coordinate policy across ministries and oversee cross-sectoral governance issues, supported by a Technology and Policy Expert Committee (TPEC).
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has invited Dutch hockey legend Floris Jan Bovelander to help strengthen hockey in the state, particularly ahead of the Asian Champions Trophy. Mann emphasised the government's commitment to restoring the sport's glory and highlighted Punjab's rich hockey legacy.
Learners in India prefer to pursue newer courses, such as Gen AI by building apps and code using the technology, along with learning about it.
Andhra Pradesh has launched India's first quantum reference facility, aiming to build a sovereign hardware ecosystem and boost indigenous manufacturing of advanced computing systems.
Industry experts and the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) advocate for a unified framework to address the significant supply gap in domestic cell manufacturing, crucial for enhancing India's energy storage capabilities and reducing reliance on imports.
This was perhaps a missed opportunity for India to spotlight a core domestic challenge: The scale of workforce preparation required for a young, populous, rapidly growing country seeking to reach net zero, points out Radha Roy Biswas.
While praising the internship scheme announced in the Budget, India Inc wants clarity on how it will be implemented. The scheme is expected to help companies address the skill gap in employment. Dheeraj Hinduja, chairman, auto major Ashok Leyland, said: "We had started an internship programme at our plant in Pantnagar, which we established in 2010 with colleges there.
'If we don't become part of this, if we don't embrace this particular technology, millionaire brands might go down, which we cannot allow.'
India's $280-billion IT industry heads into 2026, balancing visa-related headwinds and global trade uncertainty against its biggest-ever push into artificial intelligence and the rapid expansion of global capability centres (GCCs). Heightened scrutiny of the US H-1B visa programme - including a proposed $100,000 fee for new visas and concerns over a potential 25 per cent outsourcing tax - has complicated cross-border delivery for Indian firms, even as companies accelerate efforts to reduce reliance on onsite staffing.
Migration from Kerala has become a significant issue in the upcoming Assembly elections, with political parties promising to create more opportunities within the state to discourage emigration for studies and jobs. Experts suggest focusing on 'brain gain' strategies to attract talent back to Kerala after gaining experience abroad.
Betting big on India's AI potential, Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Wednesday announced new subsea cable routes to boost AI connectivity between India and the US, alongside major skilling initiatives, including training 20 million public servants and supporting 11 million students
Top female executives are calling for corporate India to redesign workplace systems to support women's advancement into leadership roles in the technology sector, particularly in emerging fields like artificial intelligence.
'Many of the children I work with had never attended school before and had never been given the right environment or opportunity to learn.'
'When education became accessible -- through flexible learning spaces, creative methods and community-based classrooms -- these same children began to thrive.'
'Over time, many who had never stepped into a formal classroom not only entered the education system but continued their studies further, with some going on to university.'
'We are anticipating that the hiring trend will continue to see double-digit growth at least for the current financial year.'
'We frequently discuss AI, but we're waiting for other countries to develop solutions rather than creating intellectual property ourselves.' 'We haven't yet produced comprehensive AI solutions developed in India for global markets.'
'Every parent should rethink their decisions to send their children to the US.'
Investors and startup executives are calling for extending the period for an entity to be recognised as a startup from 10 to 15 years for deep-tech companies.
'India has a skill shortage of 56%.' 'This is a very interesting paradox -- the unemployment rate is 6% to 7%, and at the same time 20% of those qualified are unemployed.'
The Budget emerges as a measured, credible and forward-looking policy document that reinforces India's commitment to remaining a stable, reform-oriented economy amid an increasingly fragmented global landscape, says A Balasubramanian.
'Don't look at Russia only as a place to earn quickly and then leave.' 'Try to build experience in serious companies, skills and certifications that will serve you anywhere in the world.'
The Union Budget backs skilling across animation, gaming and comics. But creators and studios confront a hard question: who owns what comes next?
Adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India's 64 million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) alone could unlock over $500 billion in economic value, but the country must pivot from an "adopt-first" to an "invent-first" mindset to realise this potential, according to a new report.
Never let self-doubt get in your way and the fear of rejection stop you from growing.
Farm workers and drivers will figure among the fastest growing jobs over the next five years, while roles of cashiers and ticket clerks will see the largest decline, a new study showed on Wednesday. In its Future of Jobs Report 2025, the World Economic Forum (WEF) also said that 170 million new jobs will be created by 2030, while 92 million are projected to be displaced, resulting in 78 million net new jobs.
Nikhil Anand, senior vice president, operations, at NLB Services explains why professionals who are adept at data, cloud computing and cybersecurity will earn well in 2024.
The services sector employs 188 million people but remains highly informal, trapping most workers in low-wage jobs without social protection.
Every engineer must possess effective communication skills along with technical knowledge.
Digital literacy is emerging as the professional language of 2024. It is the ability to process complex data sets, deploy critical communication technologies appropriately and validate your importance at your workplace, explains Jagdeep Kochar, managing director, Baker & Taylor India.
'There'll be extended periods where things aren't working in your favour. But if you believe in the cause profoundly, then you simply persevere.'
