Preparing a globally competitive skilled workforce for Indian economy: emerging trends and challenges

Abstract

Economic reforms over the last two decades have meant increased global exposure and a sharper focus on competitiveness for Indian industry. These, in turn, have drawn our attention to the question of how globally-competitive and skilled our industrial workforce is. Prior to the economic reforms, India, as an exporter, was by and large content with exporting raw materials and products with low value addition. Export of finished goods was supported through subsidies and other concessions. India’s abundant labour force was perceived to be semi-skilled or unskilled, with low cost and low productivity as its defining features. However, over the last two decades, India’s manufacturing and service sectors have grown, despite the reduction of trade barriers and concessions. It is intuitive to expect, therefore, that India’s workforce too would have grown in quality as well as in numbers.