In January 2025, London(the United Kingdom, UK-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released its first ‘World Future Skills Index 2025’. India secured 25th position globally earning a score of 76.6, which classifies it as a “future skills contender.”
- India secured the 2nd position globally, behind the United States of America (USA) in the ‘Future of Work’ category indicating its strong readiness for technology-driven roles and industries of the future, especially in digital skills, artificial intelligence (AI), and green technologies.
- The USA leads the rankings with a score of 97.6, followed by the UK (97.1), Germany (94.6), Australia (93.3), and Canada (91.0) in the top 5 positions, categorized as “future skills pioneers.”
About the QS World Future Skills Index:
i.The QS World Future Skills Index is a thorough assessment that evaluates how effectively countries are preparing to address the changing needs of the global job market.
ii.The index assesses four main areas: skills fit, academic readiness, future of work, economic transformation.
iii.The assessment covers: Over 190 countries, 280 million job postings, 5,000 universities, 5 million employer skill requirements, and 17.5 million research papers were analysed to compile the rankings.
Highlights of the Report:
i.India scored only 15.6 in the sub-parameter focused on future-oriented innovation in sustainability.
- India has maintained its position as the 2nd-largest destination for Venture Capital (VC) funding in the Asia-Pacific region.
ii.For the Skills Fit indicator, India had a score of 59.1 and global ranking 37th while for academic readiness its score stood at 89.9 and 26th position. On the economic transformation index, India stood at 40th position with a score of 58.3.
iii.Group of 7 (G7) countries scored 68.3, showing India’s need for increased investment and innovation in sustainable practices.
Overall Ranking:
| Rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA | 97.6 |
| 2 | UK | 97.1 |
| 3 | Germany | 94.6 |
| 4 | Australia | 93.3 |
| 5 | Canada | 91.0 |
| 25 | India | 76.6 |
Skills Fit indicator:
| Rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Kingdom (UK) | 100 |
| 2 | USA (United States of America) | 94.4 |
| 3 | Canada | 90.9 |
| 37 | India | 59.1 |
Academic Readiness indicator :
| Rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | UK | 100 |
| 2 | Germany | 99.6 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 99.3 |
| 26 | India | 89.9 |
Future of Work indicator :
| Rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA | 100 |
| 2 | India | 99.1 |
| 3 | Mexico | 98.2 |
Economic Transformation Indicator:
| Rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Korea | 100 |
| 2 | Israel | 98.9 |
| 3 | USA | 97.9 |
| 40 | India | 58.3 |
Key Recommendations :
i.Curriculum Evolution: Universities should integrate creativity, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial thinking into their curriculum to improve students with the skills needed for the future.
ii.Industry-Academia Collaboration is necessary to ensure that educational programs align more closely with real-world job demands.
iii.Reskilling and Upskilling: Initiatives like the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS), to support the reskilling and upskilling of the workforce.
