Coursera's Global Skills Report 2021: India trails in data skills, ranks 67th worldwide

India has adapted to the digital transformation from the past two decades, yet according to Coursera's Global Skills Report 2021, the country has exhibited a lag in digital skills with 38 per cent proficiency in each global skill domain. Globally, India has ranked 55 in business, and 66 in both technology and data science. On the Asian map, India is at rank 16, ahead of the Philippines and Thailand, but behind Singapore and Japan.  

Global Skills Report analysis

The report indicated that Indians have 52 per cent proficiency in machine learning and 54 per cent in mathematical skills. But India has shown significant improvement in data analysis and statistical programming sector, ranked at 25 per cent and 15 per cent respectively.

The report also showed evidence of developing gender dynamics as women adapt to online learning at a faster pace. There was an increase in women enrollment to Coursera and STEM courses. STEM enrollment courses which constitute many foundational digital skills has observed that women learners in India grew from 22 per cent to 33 per cent in 2020, the second increase globally. 

Where does India fail?

Indian workforce represents only 12 per cent digitally skilled employees which are expected to increase nine-fold by 2025. Data science has contributed to industries ranging from Finance to Healthcare and offers the highest paid jobs in India. The country is still in terms of universities and boot camps offering degrees in data science which has resulted in fewer people knowledgeable in the field of data science. And so experts believe that initiatives to upskill individuals will pose scope to the faster pace of economic growth and professional development. 

Raghav Gupta, Managing Director for India and the Asia Pacific at Coursera, said, " The pace of skills transformation is slower than the pace of digital transformation in India, as in  the case in several countries across the world". 

He also informed that to secure a good job in the future one must invest in both soft and technical skills. 

India's way to digital skills learning 

During the pandemic, education and various courses shifted online. Many universities and educational institutions across the country shifted to online coaching. Recently, a lot of people have been curious to understand and learn data science online for free. Apart from private certified courses, the government too offered many certified online courses to help people utilise the time for their best interest. 

(With ANI input)

(Image Credit: COURSERA.ORG/PIXABAY)