New Delhi: As we transition into an economy that relies heavily on technology, the Union Budget has been transformed from a financial document into an indicator of what skills will be needed in today’s workforce. Not only is this roadmap being developed by the Union Budget, but it is also being created through the various initiatives that have been launched by the Indian government and other organisations over time.
In an exclusive interaction with News9Live, Manish Mohta, Founder of Learning Spiral, said that emerging technologies, such as AI, need to be weighed against traditional university methods from the standpoint of the best options for students without clearly defined career paths.
The growing demand for AI skills
Many students are beginning to wonder if it makes sense to spend three or four years pursuing a traditional degree in light of the rapid evolution of technology through AI. As such, the Budget must be used to create AI Labs, Skill Hubs, IT Infrastructure, and Industry-Linked Training programs that can aid in the development of students for the modern workforce.
The continuing relevance of traditional degrees
While Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills are rampantly supported, the truth is that a traditional degree continues to serve an important service to society. The Academic disciplines of Engineering, Medicine, Law, Economics, Humanities, and others provide the foundational knowledge, analytical and critical thinking abilities, ability to conduct research, and ability for ethical reasoning. None of these graduate-level abilities can be learned through short-term skill courses.
In addition, developing AI itself requires a solid academic foundation in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, and Domain Knowledge. Without a strong university and adequate financial resources for universities to develop these skills, India will create an AI-skilled workforce with very poor fundamentals. In order to guarantee continued high-quality Academia, financial resources should continue to fund the development of faculty, research grants, research libraries, and laboratories.
The risk of a skills-only approach
The budget may exacerbate current inequality by focusing solely on AI-specific skill development while neglecting to support traditional educational institutions. This will allow privileged students to obtain costly certification training and provide access to technological devices, while students from disadvantaged backgrounds will only have access to public universities or community colleges for their structured learning opportunities. A career model based only on skills has the potential to create temporary job opportunities for students; however, it will also lead to long-term career stagnation for many students due to changes in technology.
While many students will find careers in technology and will continue to support society through their chosen profession, other careers will be just as important to society’s overall stability and sustainability as those who work in the field of technology (this includes but is not limited to teachers, researchers, social scientists, artists, and policymakers). To ignore these other career paths would be to weaken both the social and intellectual fabric of the Indian community and to run the risk of losing out on significant contributions from individuals pursuing these other pathways.
A student-centric budget vision
The three most important concerns to students are affordability, employability, and relevance. Education should be made affordable to students today, while at the same time providing them with the skills they will need in the future as part of their careers. Investment in AI should not replace traditional education, but should use technology to enhance and add innovation to traditional education.
The Budget should not choose between AI skills and traditional degrees but rather acknowledge that India’s competitive edge is creating a balance of strong academic foundations and advanced technology skills. A balanced approach will not only prepare students for their first job but also prepare them for a lifelong career in an AI-based world.
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