Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are the backbone of sustainable and inclusive economic growth. As India sets its sights on becoming the world’s third-largest economy, one key factor will determine its success — the availability of a skilled STEM workforce. Despite a large youth population, there’s a pressing need to nurture and prepare the next generation of STEM professionals to meet the evolving demands of the global market.

Early Exposure to STEM

Early exposure has a powerful influence on shaping a child’s future interests and abilities. To build a strong STEM pipeline, it’s essential to provide students — regardless of their socio-economic background — access to hands-on learning, engaging STEM activities, and modern educational tools from an early age. This not only sparks curiosity but lays the foundation for future learning and career readiness. To tap into future opportunities, India must proactively create inclusive spaces for early STEM learning. For instance, Amazon offers the Future Engineer program, a comprehensive childhood-to-career program. It aims at increasing access to computer science education for students from underserved and underrepresented communities.

Interestingly, India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 focuses on bridging the gap between the current state of learning outcomes and what is required through undertaking major reforms that bring the highest quality, equity, and integrity into the system, from early childhood care and education to higher education. India is focusing on having an education system by 2040, with equitable access to the highest-quality education for all learners regardless of social or economic background.

Aligning Curriculum with Industry Needs

A disconnect between academic curricula and real-world industry requirements remains a major challenge. To bridge this gap, stronger industry-academia collaboration is essential. Industry experts should have a seat at the table when designing course content, ensuring that students graduate with job-ready skills. This realignment will help India build a more agile, employable, and innovative STEM workforce. Philippe Pelletier, HR VP Transformation- India & Asia Cluster, Groupe Renault, recommends industry-academia collaboration to address talent shortage.

According to Prof. M.S. Rao, most institutions emphasise theory rather than practice, creating a disconnect with industry expectations. Employers look for ‘plug and play’ candidates to meet the industry's expectations. Bridging this gap requires educational institutions to adopt innovative tools and techniques that align better with industry expectations.

Fostering Inclusion and Diversity

While technical alignment is key, fostering a culture of inclusion is equally important in ensuring a diverse, future-ready STEM workforce Despite their growing participation in education, women remain significantly underrepresented in STEM fields. UNESCO reports that women comprise only 35% of STEM graduates — a figure that has stagnated over the last decade. Social norms, unconscious bias, and a lack of visible role models continue to hinder progress. Addressing this gap requires coordinated efforts through policy reforms, mentorship programs, digital skills training, and targeted scholarships.

Companies like L’Oréal India, vivo India, and Rolls-Royce are making commendable strides by offering scholarships and supporting women and underrepresented communities in pursuing STEM education. Creating a culture of inclusion and representation is not only a matter of fairness but also a competitive advantage for India’s innovation ecosystem.

India has witnessed an increase in enrolment in STEM UG, PG, M.Phil., and Ph.D. levels in 2021-22 to 98.5 lakhs compared to 94.7lakh in 2020-21.

Empowering Educators and Mentors

Teachers play a crucial role in inspiring and guiding the next generation of innovators. Strengthening teacher training and upskilling faculty in emerging technologies must be a national priority. Alongside this, mentorship programs led by industry professionals can bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application, especially for first-generation learners and students from underserved backgrounds.

Promoting Innovation and Entrepreneurship

To cultivate a spirit of innovation, educational institutions must foster an entrepreneurial mindset. Platforms like hackathons and innovation challenges can give students the opportunity to apply STEM knowledge to real-world problems while enhancing creativity and collaboration. For instance, Cognizant’s ‘Insight Days’ allow students to engage directly with professionals and explore what a STEM career truly entails — making these careers more tangible and aspirational.

The Way Forward

To truly realise the potential of India's youth, a systemic and inclusive approach to STEM education is critical. This includes early access to learning, inclusive policies, dynamic curricula aligned with industry trends, teacher empowerment, and a strong ecosystem of mentorship and innovation.

India’s future as a global economic and innovation leader depends on how well it can nurture the next generation of STEM talent. The time to act is now.