The Economic Survey 2025 says technology-specific skills run the risk of becoming obsolete very soon, especially in today’s world where the requirements shift rapidly.
The survey, tabled on January 31, said as developments in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) create tools capable of automating basic knowledge creation and processing, skills such as critical thinking, higher degrees of creativity and the capacity for more specialised knowledge may well be the new normal.
“Thus, India's employment challenge is not just about numbers but also about raising the overall ‘quality’ of the workforce,” the Economic Survey, which comes a day ahead of the Budget, said. Quality, in this case, does not just mean imparting knowledge through a step-by-step guide to leveraging AI, or providing very specific training related to ‘AI-oriented jobs.’
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The survey called for improvement in the quality of the workforce, saying the focus should be on foundational skills, soft skills and core competencies which are valuable across industries and roles.
The silver lining is that due to the research and development (R&D) nature of AI, India has the opportunity to catch up with, if not get ahead of the curve, and prepare its workforce.
On the flip side, the survey also said if the market has large and unmet needs, then labour augmented by machines increases productivity and employment. “This implies that new technology should increase employment if the demand elasticity for the sector is high,” the survey said.
Also read: Economic Survey warns of AI outpacing humans in critical decisions, triggering widespread labour displacement
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