World · India Bureau
AI threatens entry-level tech jobs for India's new engineers: NASSCOM
India's technology sector faces a skills crisis as artificial intelligence threatens traditional entry-level positions for freshers, warns NASSCOM president Rajesh Nambiar. The industry and educational institutions must rapidly pivot toward emerging domains like cybersecurity and AI advisory roles.
LSN India ·
Artificial intelligence adoption poses a significant threat to entry-level technology employment opportunities for newly qualified engineers in India, according to NASSCOM President Rajesh Nambiar. The warning underscores mounting concerns about how automation and AI capabilities are reshaping the country's IT talent landscape, particularly for graduates seeking their first professional positions.
Nambiar cautioned that the traditional pathways into technology careers risk becoming increasingly congested as routine junior-level tasks are absorbed by AI systems. Fresh engineering graduates, who historically formed the backbone of India's IT services export model, may find fewer conventional openings as companies leverage artificial intelligence to streamline operations.
To address the emerging challenge, both educational institutions and IT companies must accelerate their transformation initiatives, Nambiar emphasized. The industry body has advocated for a strategic pivot toward high-demand specializations, including cybersecurity, AI consulting, and related emerging disciplines that are less susceptible to automation.
The shift reflects a broader global pattern wherein rapid technological change is reshaping employment structures and skill requirements. Educational curricula must be updated in tandem with industry needs, while IT firms are expected to invest more heavily in upskilling and training programs that prepare new graduates for roles in advanced technology domains rather than conventional software development positions.