Let’s talk about a system built for the 20th century that still governs the future of millions in the 21st. India produces over a million engineering graduates every year. But here’s the uncomfortable truth—a majority of them are not job-ready. Why? Because we’re still preparing them for a world that no longer exists. Static textbooks, outdated syllabi and a heavy focus on theory still dominate classrooms. Meanwhile, the industry has moved on fast.
We need to stop teaching from the rearview mirror
Take software development. Once a domain of massive teams and multi-year timelines, it has been revolutionised by Generative AI. Today, tools can write code, debug and even design interfaces. What once took years, now takes weeks. Companies no longer want just coders—they want creators. Professionals who can build software that builds software.
How do you prepare students for that kind of future? Not with theory-heavy lectures. Not with memory-based exams. You do it with a live, evolving curriculum—one that updates every semester, just like the technologies students are expected to master.
Skills over scores
It’s high time we stopped measuring how much a student can remember. Let’s start measuring what they can do. Replace exam scores with skill profiles. Ask: Can this student solve a real-world problem? Can they build a product? Collaborate in a team? These are the metrics that matter. Employers don’t hire marksheets—they hire ability. And why wait until the end of a semester to measure progress? In a world that thrives on rapid iteration, feedback must be frequent. Shorter assessment cycles, quicker feedback loops and continuous improvement—that’s how workplaces operate. Our classrooms must reflect that.
Theory is not the destination
Learning should be active. If a concept is taught in the morning, students should apply it by the afternoon. This is how true learning happens—not in silence, not in isolation, but through action. By building. By experimenting. By failing and trying again.
And let’s acknowledge something else. No curriculum can fully capture the pace at which industries evolve. That’s why regular interaction with industry experts is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Students must hear from the people who are building the future, not just those teaching the past.
Real-world projects, not just assignments
Ask any successful founder where they got their start—it often began with a side project. An idea in college. A problem they tried to solve. Imagine if our engineering colleges encouraged this spirit. Imagine if final-year projects weren’t just evaluation tools but launchpads for real-world products and startups. Imagine the innovation we’d unlock.
Bring the industry to the campus
We often speak of preparing students for the industry. But what if we brought the industry to them? Created environments where students work in teams, solve real-world challenges and operate in settings that mimic tech companies and design studios. That’s how you make transitions seamless. That’s how you build professionals, not just graduates.
Think global, learn local
Indian students today are more connected than ever. Remote internships with global startups, online hackathons, and international speaker sessions—these are not futuristic ideas. They are happening now, and they must become mainstream. Global exposure prepares students to compete with the best and learn from the best.
Technology can teach technology
AI-powered platforms and adaptive feedback tools can create personalised, immersive learning environments at scale. The same tech that’s disrupting jobs can help prepare students for new ones.
If India is serious about becoming a global tech powerhouse, we must stop settling for average. Our students deserve an education that is alive, responsive, and rooted in reality. An education that empowers them not just to get jobs, but to create them.
(The author, Rahul Attuluri, is the co-founder and CEO of NxtWave and NIAT.)
