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New Delhi: The career roadmap remains unclear for many students and their parents: complete an undergraduate course, pass a competitive examination, and then pursue an MBA for better career prospects. Although that route is still alive, the skills needed for it have significantly changed. In today's digital economy, waiting until doing an MBA to acquire relevant skills in data is a serious drawback. For BBA and BCA students, the time is now for developing data literacy during undergraduate education.
Businesses today are driven by data. Decisions on everything from marketing and finance to operations and human resources rely on up-to-the-minute insights supplied by dashboards, analytics tools, and real-time information. From entry-level positions onwards, there is an increasing need for a basic level of competency in the interpretation and reporting of data using digital tools.
Ayush Kumar, MD of New Delhi Institute of Management (NDIM). said, "Most undergraduate programs still focus on theoretical knowledge, assuming that practical and analytical skills can be developed later. That assumption no longer fits employers' expectations. Employers are increasingly expecting fresh graduates to arrive with foundational data skills, not just academic credentials."
The assumption that data skills can be learnt on the job during an MBA overlooks a simple fact: graduate programmes are about building on base-level foundations, not starting from scratch. The pace in an MBA classroom is dizzying. Those uncomfortable with numbers, data tools or analytical thinking struggle to keep pace, no matter how motivated.
"Early development of data literacy helps BBA and BCA students grasp advanced concepts later more easily. Students are much more confident, capable of adapting to trends, and better prepared for internships and full-time roles. On the other hand, those who delay the development of skills will lag at a time when competition is already high," Ayush Kumar added.
Data skills at the undergraduate level do not involve becoming a data scientist. Rather, they include:
• Understand how data is collected and used in business decisions.
• Working confidently with spreadsheets and basic analytics tools.
• Interpreting charts, trends, and performance metrics
• Applying Data Insights to Solve Practical Problems
For BBA students, this might mean analysing customer behaviour or financial performance. For BCA students, it involves linking technical knowledge with business outcomes. In both cases, data skills strengthen decision-making and problem-solving ability.
Typically, Internships, Live Projects, and Entry-Level Jobs can be the first taste of the real world for students. Hiring managers now assess undergrad students more and more for the application of knowledge, and not its mere recall.
"Students who have the ability to back up their assertions with data immediately distinguish themselves from their peers. This translates to better questions being asked, as well as faster adaptation and learning. This snowballs over time, well before the issue of post-grad education even becomes relevant," Ayush Kumar said.
For parents trying to guide their children through their undergraduate years, the key is not to focus merely on the names of the courses and the rankings. Instead, the important question is this: Does this program help develop skills which will be valuable in five or ten years?
A combination of analytical skills, technology knowledge, and hands-on experience with various industries can benefit students. This is because the acquired skills increase the chances of getting a good job and enable students to prepare for further education, such as college, which can be pursued by students later in life.
Higher education institutions need to realise that the undergraduate stage is not a passive phase anymore. This is an actual critical stage for the development of skills. Data skills should be mainstreamed in subjects, not just in extra modules.
Those institutions that design their curriculum according to the practical applications available facilitate a smooth transition from school to work. This also enables students to be able to withstand the demands of higher education and an MBA program.
Degrees still count, but the guarantee of success has vanished. The modern job market is now defined by the ability to adapt, analyse, and continuously Learn. Building data skills in young minds helps them navigate through uncertainty, make Audacious Decisions, and stay Remedy in the ever-changing job market.
For the BBA and BCA batches, the message remains clear: don't wait till you get an MBA to be ready to enter the industry. The future belongs to those who are preparing themselves early in life and can convert information into insight through their analytical capabilities.
In an economy defined by data, early skill development is not an advantage—it is a necessity.
