Overview
- The India Skills Report 2026, released by ETS with CII, AICTE, AIU and Taggd, puts overall employability at 56.35%, up from 54.81%, using the Global Employability Test of over 100,000 candidates and employer inputs across seven sectors.
- A Taggd–CII survey shows hiring intent climbing to 11% for 2026 from 9.75% in 2025, led by BFSI and core industries, with employers shifting toward mid- and senior-level talent.
- AI adoption is widespread, with over 90% of employees using generative AI, more than 40% of IT and gig workers deploying AI on the job, and recruiters increasingly applying AI to resume screening and interview automation.
- Female employability reaches 54% versus 51.5% for males, Tier-2 and Tier-3 hubs gain ground, and Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka are identified as the most employable states.
- India accounts for 16% of the global AI talent pool and is projected to reach 1.25 million AI professionals by 2027, while the gig and freelance workforce is forecast to grow to 23.5 million by 2030.