Nasscom cautions that the surge of AI in routine tasks may erode deep engineering capabilities among India's young tech workforce. While about two‑thirds are AI‑proficient, only 23% qualify as AI‑native.

Key Takeaways

  • Roughly two‑thirds of the young workforce are AI‑proficient, but only 23% are AI‑native
  • Automation of routine coding risks weakening fundamental engineering expertise
  • Academia and industry must revamp curricula, mentorship and assessment to preserve deep skills

New Delhi — The Indian IT industry body Nasscom released its inaugural “The State of AI‑Native Talent in India” report, warning that while over 90% of early‑career tech professionals have embraced artificial intelligence, the rapid displacement of routine coding threatens the nation’s deep engineering talent pool.

AI‑Proficient vs. AI‑Native

The study finds that about two‑thirds of India’s young workforce are “AI‑proficient,” meaning they can operate AI tools, yet only 23% are classified as “AI‑native”—engineers who embed AI into core technical decision‑making and create novel solutions. Ignoring this gap could leave India with an AI‑reliant, not AI‑native, talent base.

Preserving Deep Technical Expertise

Sangeeta Gupta, Senior Vice‑President and Chief Strategy Officer at Nasscom, emphasized, “Academia must strengthen fundamentals, while industry must redesign onboarding and mentorship to ensure that the decline of routine work does not lead to a decline in deep engineering expertise.” She added that the shift from “code factories” to “AI orchestrators” demands engineers who can exercise independent judgment, not just run tools.

Concrete Steps for Academia‑Industry Collaboration

The report outlines three priority actions: (1) Academic institutions should move beyond pure coding to reinforce engineering judgment, domain learning, and re‑imagine assessment methods; (2) Companies must embed AI verification into workflows, augment foundational learning with AI‑enhanced modules, and establish multi‑layered mentorship; (3) Hiring assessments need to transition from basic coding tests to comprehensive evaluations of AI‑native capabilities.

Implications for India’s AI Hub Aspirations

If these measures are not adopted, India’s ambition to become a global AI‑talent hub could falter. A workforce lacking deep engineering insight may become mere users of AI tools, stifling home‑grown innovation and weakening competitive advantage on the world stage. Policymakers, educators, and industry leaders must therefore coordinate a strategic overhaul to nurture a robust AI‑native talent pipeline.