Q. How do you see the shift in approach in higher education with AI becoming an integral part of the workspace and learning?

Education in India is standing at an inflection point. For decades, colleges have measured success by degrees awarded, not by the employability of their graduates. But in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), that equation is being rewritten.

The next generation of top 100 colleges to watch will not be the ones that fear AI. They will be the ones that integrate AI elegantly into their workflow—enhancing learning, improving knowledge retention, and producing students with ‘Proof of Readiness’ rather than just certificates.

Traditional classrooms focus on theory. Employers, however, demand proof. The new model of education flips the script: students are trained and assessed in AI-powered practice environments that validate not just what they know, but how ready they are to perform.

From ‘Degrees to Data-Backed Readiness,’ this shift has far-reaching impact. For students it means higher retention, greater confidence, and stronger employability; for colleges it is a decisive move from degree-centric to outcome-centric reputations; for India it is the ability to uplift 100 million learners at scale, fueling national competitiveness.

Q. Could you share a few examples as ‘a case in point’ that are becoming ‘Colleges of the Future’? 

Across India, pioneering initiatives are breaking away from the monotone of certificates and resumes. They are proving that employability in the AI era means readiness, not paperwork:

• AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) is redefining how education meets industry. Instead of only accrediting degrees, AICTE is actively integrating AI to match students with industry needs—focusing on skills, outcomes, and readiness rather than just certificates.

• SWAYAM Plus is shifting from being a digital catalogue of courses to becoming an AI-enabled readiness platform, where learners don’t just “complete” modules but demonstrate skills mapped to real employer demand.

• Apna Jobs has already powered 7 lakh+ interviews through AI-driven skill-matching, eliminating the inefficiency of resumes. By using AI to perform the “non-scalable” tasks—connecting people with the right opportunities at scale—Apna is showing how technology can redefine placements.

These aren’t just incremental improvements. They represent a systemic break from the past—moving India’s education ecosystem from certificates and resumes to data-backed readiness and employability.

Q. Given the urgency of ‘now,’ why does AI-integrated learning matter beyond campuses?

The push for transformation is not just coming from students or regulators. It is being demanded by employers who are struggling to find talent that is not only qualified on paper but genuinely ready to perform on ‘Day One.’ Hiring managers across IT, BFSI, and manufacturing echo the same frustration: traditional degrees tell them what a student has studied, but not whether that student can actually deliver results.

AI-powered readiness models solve this gap. By validating practice, fluency, and applied skills, they give companies the confidence to hire faster and at scale. It isn’t just good for employers—it’s essential for India’s competitiveness.

Consider the numbers: India produces nearly 1 crore graduates every year, yet industry studies show that less than 30% are considered employable. Closing this gap is not an academic issue; it is an economic emergency. If even 10% more graduates enter the workforce job-ready, the productivity impact could add billions to India’s GDP annually.

This is why the ‘Colleges of the Future’ are not waiting. They are breaking free from the monotone of certificates and resumes, proving that readiness is the new currency of employability.

Q. What is the big picture in your opinion?

The overarching scenario is that it is not about survival. This is about transformation at scale. The future of India’s workforce depends on how boldly higher education institutions embrace AI—not as a threat, but as a partner. In fact, the foundation should start at the school level.

And as we celebrate these Colleges of the Future, we set the stage for a new era where education does not end with a certificate. It ends with readiness for the world of work.