Srinath Mallikarjunan, CEO and Chief Scientist of Unmanned Dynamics, has raised alarm over India’s deepening employment and employability crisis, warning that the country is heading towards a “demographic disaster.”
In a detailed LinkedIn post, Mallikarjunan wrote, “I think India has a huge employment and employability crisis that mainstream media is afraid to talk about. Our Indian office had an opening for 2 interns, and there were 1,200 applicants. Out of these, about 20 were shortlisted for further evaluation.”
He pointed to structural flaws in India’s education system, listing five key issues:
1. Many IIT students stop studying after cracking JEE, making them unfit for real-world jobs.
2. Private colleges and universities fail to provide meaningful education.
3. First-generation graduates often earn degrees without acquiring real knowledge.
4. Students remain unaware they are being misled due to a broken system with outdated syllabi, ineffective exams, and poorly trained teachers.
5. As a result, millions of graduates are only suited for call center or clerical jobs — roles that AI will soon replace.
“So India is not looking at a demographic dividend but a disaster,” he warned.
Mallikarjunan advised students to take charge of their learning by studying from reputed international books, using NPTEL courses, and working on independent projects to develop hands-on skills.
His post struck a chord with many professionals who echoed his concerns about the job market and lack of practical skills among graduates. One user called for the introduction of vocational training in schools, emphasizing that Indian institutions “churn out certificates but not skills.” Another pointed out that for a single job posting, thousands of applicants compete, highlighting the scarcity of quality employment.
Mallikarjunan, however, dismissed the notion that startups could be a quick fix. “Startups offering quick-fix solutions for a broken education system is like taking paracetamol for cancer,” he wrote in response to a comment.
Another user shared their personal struggle despite holding a PhD and global experience, saying, “Unless I learn AI/ML or some JavaScript, it’s hard to get a decent-paying job in India. Our market is driven by foreign investments, and AI will soon automate many of these software jobs. Without opportunities in other sectors, we are heading for a crisis.”
Mallikarjunan took a jab at Indian investors, arguing that they lack vision. “Indian venture investors suffer from a poverty of imagination. They only run ponzi schemes where loss is directly proportional to turnover. They have no understanding or stomach for deep tech,” he wrote.