Chief Economic Advisor Anantha Nageswaran recently made an insightful observation about India’s changing job market. “The era of software jobs and MBA degrees is dying,” he said, pointing out that trade skills, welding, plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry must be considered more than anything else for India.
For years, India’s middle class has viewed careers in IT and management as the ultimate path to success. The boom of software exports and the rise of MBA programs created a generation of professionals who flourished in corporate environments. But Nageswaran thinks this model is reaching saturation, with automation, artificial intelligence, and global competition diminishing the demand for traditional white‑collar jobs.
Instead, he stressed the importance of skilled trades which are still essential to the functioning of society. Welders, plumbers, electricians, and carpenters are doing work that we can’t easily do on our own or automate, and these professions make the building of infrastructure, housing, and everyday utilities a part of India’s growth story.
Nageswaran’s comments also demonstrate the Ministry of Education’s wider policy on vocational training and skill development. Skill India and PMKVY (Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana) programs aim to equip young people with practical abilities that suit the needs of the companies. By encouraging youth to enter trades, India can reduce unemployment and ensure a workforce that is a part of manufacturing, construction, and services.
The CEA also stated that trade skills would help to bridge the gap between urban and rural employment. IT jobs are concentrated in metropolitan cities, but trades are required everywhere—from villages to industrial hubs. This decentralization of opportunities could ensure more balanced economic growth across regions.
Nageswaran’s statement is a wake‐up call to India’s education and employment systems. As the glamour of software jobs and MBA degrees dissipates, the country must understand the dignity and value of skilled trades. If India is to develop and improve its economy and create a better future for millions of people through vocational training and a change of thinking in society, we need to take a step forward and do so.
