75 per cent of India’s HEIs not industry ready, 16 per cent of colleges achieve graduate placement: Report
A recent report has found out that 75 per cent of Indian higher education institutions are not industry-ready. Only 16.67 per cent achieve high placement rates, while just 8.6 per cent have fully industry-aligned curricula.
New Delhi: Nearly 75 per cent of higher education institutions in India are still not prepared to meet industry requirements despite employability becoming a key focus area for universities and colleges. The gap continues to raise concerns about the job readiness of graduates entering an increasingly competitive labour market.
The findings come from a new report released recently which underscores persistent structural challenges within the higher education institues. The study draws insights from 1,071 institutions spanning public, private and deemed universities along with autonomous and affiliated colleges across the country.
'What stands out in this report is the clear gap between aspiration and execution. While employability remains a central objective, a significant number of institutions are yet to fully align their curricula with industry needs, build strong employer partnerships, or integrate recognised industry certifications into their programmes,' said TeamLease EdTech founder and chief executive officer Shantanu Rooj, as per reports.
Key findings-
- 75 per cent of institutions are not industry-ready.
- 16.67 per cent of institutions achieve placement rates of 76 to 100 per cent within six months of graduation.
- 8.6 per cent report full industry alignment across programmes. 16.9 per cent report partial alignment in select courses.
- Only 9.68 per cent use live industry projects, while 37.8 per cent have no internship integration.
- 5.44 per cent of institutions report highly active alumni networks.
- Only 7.56 per cent integrate ‘professors of practice’ across multiple programmes. 15.46 per cent of institutions limit this to a few departments.
Curriculum misalignment impacts graduate employability
The report highlighted that although curriculum alignment with industry needs is underway it remains largely confined to individual departments or specific programmes rather than institution-wide reform. This fragmented approach limits students’ exposure to real-world work environments and restricts the ability to build practical, job-relevant skills before graduation.
Weak internship structures, minimal use of live industry projects and underutilised alumni networks further hamper employability. As per the study, low alumni engagement reduces access to informal hiring channels, mentorship opportunities and referrals that are specifically critical during early career stages.