Mapping Futuristic Skills among Higher Education Students in Tamil Nadu: Aligning Competencies with Traditional and Emerging Industry Needs

The present research examines the congruence between the skills possessed by the higher education students in Tamil Nadu and the changing human capital needs of not only traditional industries (Automobile, Textile, Agriculture) but also new age industries (Artificial Intelligence, Renewable Energy, Robotics). With funding from the Chief Minister’s Research Grant (CMRG), this research assesses the effectiveness of state intervention schemes such as the “Naan Mudhalvan Scheme,” while identifying the socioeconomic and geographic constraints in the form of skill constraints. By employing a sequential explanatory design with mixed methods approach, the researchers have collected quantitative data through survey from 1200 higher education students from different parts of Tamil Nadu and received qualitative information from focus groups and industry practitioners. The findings of the research have shown a serious case of “competency paradox,” wherein although the level of digital skills has improved due to region-based intervention, there is still a gap in automation-related core competencies, complex problem-solving skills and technical reasoning skills. Higher education students from rural areas and first-generation colleges face a structural constraint in terms of certification costs and infrastructure deficit.

Skills, Higher Education, Traditional, Emerging Industry, Mapping, Mapping.

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