India faces job crisis as AI reshapes work roles

Source: The post India faces job crisis as AI reshapes work roles has been created, based on the article “What do we do when machines do everything?” published in “Indian Express” on 21 April 2025. India faces job crisis as AI reshapes work roles.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3- growth, development and employment. And GS3-Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life

Context: India is facing an urgent employment crisis, made worse by technological change. While youth unemployment is visible, a deeper invisible crisis is transforming the very nature of work. The rise of AI and automation is reshaping job roles, requiring new skills and approaches to education.

For detailed information on Impact of AI on jobs and how social forces shape technology development read this article here

Visible and Invisible Employment Crisis

1. Youth Unemployment: Over 80% of India’s unemployed are youth, despite many having secondary or higher education. One in three young people is disconnected from both employment and learning. This reflects a gap between education and the skills needed for work.
2. Job Creation Need: India must generate over 90 million jobs by 2030, many of which do not yet exist. This requires new education and skill-building strategies to prepare the future workforce.
3. Technology Disruption: Artificial intelligence, automation, and data systems are transforming all job sectors. From blue-collar work to creative professions, technology is changing how tasks are done.

4.. Skill Replacement Risk: Jobs that are low-skill but hard to automate may remain secure for now. But roles that are easily replaced by machines, regardless of skill level, are at high risk. The only lasting advantage is the ability to keep learning new skills.

What Skills Are Needed?

1. Technology Literacy: People must understand how machines, digital systems, and automation tools work. This skill helps individuals adapt across industries and engage effectively with intelligent systems.
2. Data Literacy: Workers need to read, analyse, and act on data. In an algorithm-driven world, these skills are vital for decision-making. For example, a political science student might study data visualisation for public policy.
3. Human Skills: Skills like empathy, creativity, cultural understanding, and contextual reasoning remain irreplaceable by machines. These are essential for innovation and leadership.
4. Adaptability and Lifelong Learning: As job roles evolve rapidly, the ability to learn new skills quickly is critical. Micro-credentials, like short, focused certifications, support this need. A historian, for instance, may learn AI-assisted archival research.
5. Interdisciplinary Thinking: Workers must transfer knowledge across fields. This helps them lead in a world where technology impacts every profession—from healthcare to arts.
6. Education System Reform: To prepare youth, tech and data literacy must be taught early. Training educators to focus on skills, not just content, is necessary for a future-ready workforce.

Conclusion

India’s future depends on a workforce that is adaptable, tech-savvy, and human-centric. This isn’t just about creating AI experts—it’s about building innovators, thinkers, and leaders who can shape the future in a changing global economy.

Question for practice:

Discuss how technological change is reshaping employment and skill requirements in India.