Skills First, Degree Next: Rethinking Youth Employment in India ❤️

The “Degree” Mirage: Why Industry Today Demands Skills Over Certificates

#newspaperinlearning

I happened to read an article in today’s The Times of India Chennai Edition, on “How soon do unemployed young men find jobs in India?”

The infographic data based on the State of Working Report 2026, is a shocker of sorts!

There seems to be a stark contrast between finding work and securing quality, stable employment for young men in India.

Yes, the article focusses on young men’s employment! Kinda sexist, but I hope they want to make a point!

So what on earth does this statistics reveal?

While a seemingly positive 50% of unemployed youth find some form of employment within a year, the vast majority of these jobs are likely informal, temporary, or blue-collar.

The concept of job security or secure employment has hence become a mirage of sorts, today!

The data also highlights a severe shortage of high-quality jobs. Only 10.4% of graduates manage to secure permanent, salaried, or white-collar roles within a year.

Interestingly, holding a degree decreases the probability of finding “any employment” quickly! That means, there seems to be a “waiting” period, where graduates have to keep waiting for better roles or are overqualified for the informal jobs which are readily available to 12th-pass individuals.

For higher educational institutions guiding students from the classroom to the workforce, these figures highlight a huge challenge ahead!

If nearly 90% of graduates miss out on secure, permanent roles within their first year, it becomes clear that academic degrees alone are often not enough.

This brings us to the takeaway part from this blogpost –

That a Degree alone is no longer enough to secure the job or guarantee career progression; Rather, it is the skill-set that dictates the trajectory!

Looking beyond a student’s degree, Industry has a simple question – “What can you actually do with what you’ve learned?”

If skills are the modern currency, employers are currently paying a premium for a blend of high-tech fluency and human-centric adaptability.

Industries need minds that can question assumptions, weigh trade-offs, and frame problems before jumping to solutions.

Firstly, Problem-solving Skills - the ability to navigate from a state of confusion or conflict to a state of resolution. It is not just about fixing what is broken; it is the systematic process of identifying an obstacle, and engineering a viable way forward.

Secondly, Cross-Cultural Communication Skills - The capacity to communicate clearly and collaborate across different cultural contexts and international frameworks is a massive skill that industries vie for in candidates!

Thirdly, Emotional Intelligence – While technical skills are essential for doing the work, Emotional Intelligence is essential for working with the people. A brilliant analyst who alienates their team is ultimately a liability, while on the other hand, a competent analyst who elevates the team’s spirits and morale is considered an asset. As routine technical tasks are automated, the work left for humans involves navigating relationships, resolving conflicts, and guiding people; and for this, one needs adaptability and flexibility!

The challenge for modern academia is not to replace the core curriculum with corporate training, but to help students translate academic rigour into practical application. Bridging this gap often happens best outside the traditional lecture hall. Getting students into practical environments - perhaps by tapping and honing their skills and channelising them in the right way, and also by providing volunteering activities, projects, SLPs, internships, etc, gives them the appropriate playfield needed to pressure-test these skills in the real world!

To sum it up, then –

A degree is not the ultimate proxy for competency!

Rather, it’s Skills first! Degree next!!

Sylvan Melodies in the Woods | A Birding Diary 💚

Of Wings, Wattles, and World Sparrow Day

The Brahminy Startling | The did-he-do-it bird | The Chessboard-Collared Dove | The Mysterious Male Koel | The Chatak | World Sparrow Day

#intothewildwithrufus

Today we managed to capture some beautiful shots of the Brahminy Starlings – a bevy of lively, vocal birds!

Then we saw a lovely female Sunbird, with her unique, deeply curved bill used for extracting nectar from tubular flowers. The action shot - capturing a sunbird mid-flutter as it investigates a hanging vine was indeed a monumental feat in itself, trueproving their cute hovering nature.

A wonderful portrait of a Spotted Dove follows next. Perched quite stoically on a weathered brick wall, this shot beautifully showcases the distinctive “chessboard” collar of black and white spots on its hindneck.

Then we had the delight of capturing the House Sparrow, which for years was on the wane in this part of India. 

Interestingly, Bihar and Delhi have made the House Sparrow as their State Birds, to raise awareness about its conservation. And yes, coincidentally, 20th March is World Sparrow Day!

The first shot shows the female sparrow, beautifully camouflaged against the green acacia leaves. Then follows the silhouette-style shot on the wire featuring the male sparrow.

Then comes the prize-catch of the mysterious male Asian Koel, peering out from the dense, green foliage! It feels very nice, capturing the often elusive bird we usually hear long before we see them!

We then spotted the Jacobin Cuckoo or the Pied Cuckoo, quite easily identifiable by its crisp black-and-white plumage and its prominent, rakish crest. It is also called the Chatak in Indian mythology.

Then we chanced to get a crisp shot of a Red-wattled Lapwing striding gracefully through the low vegetation! Known as the loud and vigilant watchmen of open habitats, they are unique for their frantic “did-he-do-it” alarm calls!

From the Beautiful Barbets to the Critically Endangered Vultures: A Day in the Wild 💚

Jewels of the Canopy 💚

#intothewildwithrufus 

There’s nothing quite like unto stepping out into nature, and seeing what the local wildlife nay birdlife has in store for you on your adventurous bird walk deep into the forests.

Today’s birding walk was one such awesome walk by all means! And yes, we also spotted a surprise ICUN’s endangered species – the vulture!

One of our first sightings was - what we call - a true jewel of the canopy - a White-cheeked Barbet! 

The second lovely sighting of the day was actually a beautiful Sambar deer quietly grazing. But if you look closely at the grass right next to it, we were still on theme! 😊 A little Myna was trailing right beside the deer, likely taking advantage of the insects stirred up by the sambhar’s gaze nay graze! Such joy indeed to see this interconnectedness between mammals and birds, peacefully co-inhabiting the same space.

Perched high up on a wire, we then spotted a majestic Black-winged Kite. With its clean white breast, soft grey plumage, and signature black shoulder patches, it looked so beautiful with its fierce, deep-red eyes scanning the ground below for its next meal.

Next up was a Red-naped Ibis striking a pose on a thick, dead branch. Unlike water-loving ibises, these guys are often found foraging in drier agricultural land.

We also managed to capture a beautiful Black-rumped Flameback (also known as the Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker).

Against a perfect, clear sky, we then caught sight of a male Rose-ringed Parakeet. With its bright green plumage, prominent red beak, and the distinct black and rose-colored collar around its neck, it brought a wonderful tropical vibe to the day’s sightings.

Yet another joyous sighting today was the Black-hooded Oriole nestled among the green leaves. The contrast on this bird is absolutely breathtaking!

We also spotted the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo. Its most spectacular feature is its tail: two elongated outer feathers trail down, ending in unique, twisted “rackets” or flared tips.

Then came the cream of our sightings – an imposing vulture perched powerfully on a thick, weathered branch! Its relatively bare, greyish head and strong, sharply hooked beak are classic features of a scavenger. We shot this rare sight against a stark, blown-out white background, and so the image beautifully isolates the bird, even as it surveys its surroundings.

It is the White-rumped Vulture, and it is on the IUCN Red List, classified as Critically Endangered!

This species has experienced a catastrophic population collapse (dropping by over 99% since the early 1990s) across its native range in South and Southeast Asia.

As such, watching this vulture today is a living symbol of ecological resilience and recovery.

More… on the way…

Today's Lovely Birding 💚

An Unforgettable Birding Trail 💚

#intothewildwithrufus