QS World Future Skills Index 2027: India 13th of 89
Why in the news
QS placed India 13th worldwide on readiness for an AI-driven job market. India tops lower-middle-income economies and South Asia, yet its talent pipeline lags its economic strength.
Key facts
- Publisher: QS Quacquarelli Symonds, a UK higher-education analytics firm; released on 24 June 2026.
- Edition: second (a pilot ran in 2025); covers 89 economies.
- Overall: India 13th, score 89.4; the United States leads with 99.2, then Australia, UK, Germany and Canada.
- The report estimates a gain of as much as $500 billion for the Indian economy by 2030 if AI is adopted well.
India’s category ranks
| Category | Rank | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Workforce Readiness | 74th | – |
| Human Capital | 73rd | – |
| Academic Readiness | 22nd | – |
| Skills Alignment | 18th | – |
| Economic Transformation | 14th | – |
| Future of Work | 5th | 96.0 |
| Digital-Skills Penetration | 2nd | – |
| Economic Capacity | 1st | 100 |
What the index measures
- Skills Alignment (industry-graduate match), Academic Readiness, Future of Work (AI, digital and green readiness) and Economic Transformation.
- Economic Capacity (GDP, investment, infrastructure) is added alongside.
India’s position
- Largest IT workforce, 5.8 million professionals; largest tertiary-educated population; about $90 billion of AI-linked investment.
Concerns
- Mismatch between economic momentum and job-ready talent.
Related skilling initiatives
- Skill India Mission (2015, MSDE), PMKVY 4.0, Digital India (2015), NEP 2020, National Strategy for AI (NITI Aayog, 2018), IndiaAI Mission (₹10,372 crore, March 2024), Startup India (2016).
Exam angle
- Publisher QS; 89 economies; India 13th.
- India’s highest strength: Economic Capacity, score 100.
- IndiaAI Mission outlay: ₹10,372 crore.