A new study reveals a major AI confidence-capability gap among India's engineers. While many feel ready for AI roles, few possess deep practical skills. This disparity creates hiring challenges and risks individual careers. Women engineers face additional barriers like work-life balance pressures and a lack of mentors. Companies now prioritize hands-on experience over self-assessment to find skilled AI professionals.
IIM Calcutta has completed final placements for its 61st MBA batch, with 458 students securing 542 offers from 202 recruiters, including 61 first-time participants. The highest domestic salary stood at Rs 1.45 crore, while the top international offer was Rs 1.10 crore. Average pay rose 5.05% year-on-year to Rs 36 lakh, with a median of Rs 35 lakh.
India is shifting its focus from software services to AI tokens, offering tax holidays to foreign companies establishing inference hubs. While this could generate significant revenue, it poses a challenge to the country's existing coder workforce. Policymakers must explore new roles like AI supervisors to manage autonomous agents, ensuring opportunities for its young population amidst technological upheaval.
India Inc employees can expect average pay hikes of 9.1% in 2026, up from 8.9% in 2025, with real estate and NBFCs leading at around 10%. Attrition levels have also declined to a five-year low of 16.2% in 2025, reflecting more targeted hiring and employee engagement efforts.
Indian salaries are set for a 9.1% rise in 2026, a significant jump compared to global economies. Real estate, NBFCs, and manufacturing sectors are expected to lead these increases. Employee attrition is also declining, nearing pre-pandemic levels. Companies are adapting to new wage codes, with many restructuring compensation. This growth reflects India's strong economic fundamentals and sustained talent demand.
India's semiconductor sector is seeing a hiring surge. Companies are actively recruiting for chip design and manufacturing roles. Demand for skilled professionals in areas like VLSI and AI accelerators is high. This expansion is driven by government initiatives and growing industry needs. The sector is focused on building advanced capabilities.
The institute’s 2026 final placements saw the highest India-based package exceed international offers, with more than 580 roles for 559 students across consulting, finance and tech.
The Employees Provident Fund Organisation is set to hire retired officers and government employees. This move aims to fill over 4,000 vacancies across various departments. Initially, the investment division will be strengthened. Retired officials from institutions like SBI, RBI, and LIC will be engaged. This initiative will enhance the organisation's capacity to manage its growing subscriber base and corpus.
The Quess Pulse Report shows that 70 per cent of jobs are now in non-metro India, with tier III cities alone accounting for 40 per cent of employment and tier II hubs a further 29 per cent compared with 31 per cent in tier I.
India Inc. anticipates a 9.1% salary increase in 2026. Global Capability Centres will lead with 10.4% growth. Financial services and e-commerce also show strong projections. Attrition is stabilizing. Companies are shifting to skills-based pay, with emerging tech roles commanding premiums. Long-term incentives are becoming more prevalent. CEO compensation is rising, with a focus on performance-linked pay.