UNDERVALUED SKILLS: WHY DO WE NEED TO BUILD ROCK-SOLID STEM FOUNDATION?

DeepMind CEO and Nobel laureate Demis Hassabis recently emphasized the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) skills.

- DR. DHRUV GALGOTIA

DeepMind CEO and Nobel laureate Demis Hassabis recently emphasized the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) skills. He has hit the bulls-eye with his appeal. Building rock-solid STEM foundational skills is crucial in this AI era.

The STEM practice in India has witnessed a peculiar paradox. Disappointing admissions to STEM academics across state-level colleges and universities has raised an uncomfortable question—is a decline a reflection of growing lack of confidence in STEM education?

WE NEED MORE STEM

On one hand, we witness a trend of STEM graduates emerging in large numbers; on the other hand, there are concerns around underemployment and misemployment in core engineering and scientific domains. Recent data from the India Skills Report (2024) notes that only about 50% of Indian graduates are considered employable. A report from Aspiring Minds (now SHL) found that 80% of Indian engineering graduates are unemployable in the knowledge economy owing to several challenges—lack of practical exposure, poor communication skills, and outdated curricula.

It is widely believed that automation has made many traditional STEM roles redundant, while others point to tech layoffs even at elite firms. Then, students are greeted with social messages where even engineering toppers are working in unrelated domains. Such visible contradictions somehow tend to fuel the belief that, probably, STEM no longer guarantees upward mobility. This interpretation may seem emotionally valid; it is still intellectually incomplete. Now is the right time that a developing economy like ours focus and even double-up on STEM skills.

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