Interview With Ambarish Datta, CEO Talent Skillsvarsity, On Skilling, Employability & Building India’s Talent Chain

India’s demographic dividend presents both an opportunity and a challenge—while millions of young people join the workforce every year, the real question is whether they are equipped with the skills industry demands. In this exclusive conversation, Ambarish Datta, CEO of Talent Skillsvarsity, shares his insights on the evolution of India’s skilling ecosystem, the employability gap, and the urgent need to build a robust talent supply chain. From industry-integrated education and specialized programs in BFSI, fintech, and analytics to the role of government–industry partnerships, Datta outlines how India can transform its youth potential into a competitive advantage for the future.

Q: The skilling ecosystem in India has grown significantly over the past decade. How do you see its evolution?

A: We are at an inflection point. India has the youngest workforce in the world, and millions of young people enter the job market every year. Yet, unless they are equipped with the right skills, this demographic dividend can quickly become a burden. Over the past decade, skilling has evolved from short vocational programs to more sophisticated training in areas like digital literacy, financial markets, and entrepreneurship. However, the real leap now must come from deep integration with industry needs. Skilling can no longer be generic—it must be specialized, tech-driven, and job-linked. For sectors like BFSI, fintech, AI, and data analytics, the challenge is not just training more people, but training them for tomorrow’s roles.

Q: Despite so many graduates in India, employability remains a big concern. Why?

A: The issue is not supply, but the quality of supply. Too many graduates today are not industry ready. They may have degrees, but they often lack the applied knowledge, tools, and problem-solving approaches that employers demand. The employability challenge is really a curriculum relevance challenge. Industry is moving fast—companies now expect employees who can navigate AI tools, understand global compliance standards, and contribute from day one. Traditional curricula are still playing catch-up. At Talent Skillsvarsity, our work is focused on bridging this industry academia gap through research-backed interventions and applied learning programs that ensure learners aren’t just certified, but employable.

Q: What role does the talent supply chain play in India’s competitiveness?

A: A robust talent supply chain is the backbone of a competitive economy. As global capability centers (GCCs), BFSI back offices, and fintech companies scale in India, they need professionals who can combine domain expertise with technical fluency. The future of BFSI is not just banking or markets—it’s finance plus AI, compliance plus data analytics, investment plus automation. If India cannot supply this talent at scale, companies will take those jobs elsewhere. That’s why short-term skilling programs and industry-ready degrees are vital—not just for employability, but for ensuring India continues to be the preferred global hub for financial services and technology.

Q: How does Talent Skillsvarsity address these skilling gaps?

A: We work in two stacks—capacity development and employability interventions. On the capacity side, we take complex problems—like financial literacy, women’s leadership, regulatory awareness— and design research-backed, scalable programs. On the employability side, we design reskilling and upskilling programs for students, employees, and entrepreneurs that directly link to jobs or micro enterprises. For BFSI in particular, our programs integrate financial market knowledge with AI, fintech, and analytics tools. The idea is to prepare talent not just for today’s workforce, but for the jobs emerging in the next 5–10 years.

Q: The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has emphasized flexibility, multidisciplinary education, and employability. How does your new BSc in Finance & Analytics align with this?

A: The BSc in Finance & Analytics, launched with Mumbai University and hosted at Thakur College of Science & Commerce, is a first-of-its-kind program that embodies the spirit of NEP 2020. It goes beyond traditional commerce degrees by blending finance, capital markets, analytics, and AI tools into a single, future-ready curriculum. Students don’t just learn theory—they work on financial models, use real-world data, and engage with industry mentors. The NEP encourages universities to think beyond silos, and this program does exactly that. It is designed not just to educate, but to make students employable from day one, while servicing the hiring needs of BFSI, fintech, and GCC industries. This program is our answer to the national employability challenge—producing graduates who can fuel both India’s financial sector and its technology ambitions.

Q: What challenges do you see in scaling skilling interventions across India?

A: Scale is always the biggest challenge. India is vast, and the needs of a college graduate in Mumbai are very different from a student in Uttarakhand. What works is a layered model—using technology for scale, but keeping local interventions personalized. We’ve seen success with community-based financial literacy programs and regional capacity development projects because they blend localized delivery with national-level frameworks. Another challenge is awareness—students and families still don’t always see the value of new-age skills like data science or algorithmic trading. Our role is to create awareness, build trust, and show clear job linkages.

Q: What role does government and industry partnership play?

A: Critical. Government policy sets the direction, but industry defines the demand. If the two don’t work hand-in-hand, skilling initiatives remain fragmented. We’ve been fortunate to partner with governments, regulators, and corporations to design programs that are aligned with both national priorities and market needs. For example, financial literacy initiatives tie into the Hon. Prime Minister’s vision of financial inclusion, while advanced programs in data analytics align with Maharashtra’s ambition to be the AI and fintech capital of India. Partnerships ensure scale, sustainability, and impact.

Q: What is your vision for the future of skilling in India?

A: The future of skilling must be customized, tech-enabled, and outcome-driven. Programs will have to move fast—what’s relevant today may be outdated tomorrow. AI will reshape not only industries but also learning. At Talent Skillsvarsity, our mission is to ensure young Indians don’t just chase jobs, but build sustainable careers, create enterprises, and contribute to India’s growth story. Skilling is not just about employment—it’s about nation building. And I truly believe India can lead the world if we get our talent supply chain right.