China is cutting 'obsolete' degrees for an AI future. Where does India stand?

While Beijing is shutting down thousands of humanities and management courses to feed its AI ambitions, India's universities continue producing millions of graduates in traditional disciplines. The question is no longer academic: are today's degrees preparing students for tomorrow's jobs?

In Short

• China cuts 12,200 programmes, adds 10,200 new AI-focused courses
• India sticks to traditional degrees, millions enrol in arts and commerce
• AI, data science attract more students; skill-based hiring rises

For decades, a university degree was seen as a ticket to stability. Whether it was a BA in History, a BCom, or a degree in Political Science, Psychology or Sociology, the promise was simple: earn a qualification, secure a job and move up the social ladder.

That promise is increasingly under pressure.

As artificial intelligence reshapes industries and automates routine work, governments are beginning to ask a once-unthinkable question: should universities continue offering degrees that no longer align with the jobs of the future?

China has already made its choice.

Between 2021 and 2025, Chinese universities revoked or suspended more than 12,200 undergraduate programmes while introducing about 10,200 new ones. Many of the cuts were concentrated in the arts, humanities, foreign languages and management, as Beijing pushes universities to produce talent for AI, semiconductors, robotics and other strategic industries.

India, however, has chosen a very different path.

While China is aggressively reshaping higher education around the demands of the AI economy, India's universities continue producing millions of graduates in traditional disciplines. The contrast raises a critical question: is India preparing students for the jobs of the future, or for a labour market that is rapidly disappearing?

CHINA'S GREAT EDUCATIONAL RESET

China's overhaul is not simply an academic reform. It is economic strategy.

Beijing wants universities to function as talent factories for industries it believes will dominate the coming decades. AI, robotics, quantum computing, semiconductor manufacturing and advanced computing are no longer niche fields. They are national priorities.

At the same time, China faces mounting youth unemployment and a growing mismatch between degrees and jobs. Millions of graduates continue to enter the labour market each year, but many struggle to find work related to their qualifications.

For policymakers, the solution is straightforward: reduce programmes that generate graduates for saturated sectors and expand programmes that feed emerging industries.

The result is one of the most aggressive higher-education realignments seen anywhere in the world.

INDIA'S DEGREE PROBLEM

India's challenge is different, but equally urgent.

Every year, millions of students enrol in BA, BCom and BSc programmes. For many, the degree is not a pathway to a career but a gateway to government job exams.

Students often choose subjects such as political science, history, sociology or psychology not because they plan to work in those fields, but because a bachelor's degree is required for UPSC, state public service commissions, banking exams, SSC recruitment and other government positions.

The result is a growing paradox.

Universities continue producing graduates in large numbers, even as employers report shortages of talent in artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, data science and semiconductor design.

As technology reshapes the economy, the gap between what students study and what employers need is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

A WARNING SIGN FROM KARNATAKA

Recent developments in Karnataka offer a glimpse of the pressures building within India's higher-education system.

The state government has discontinued 458 BA, BSc and BCom programme combinations in government first-grade colleges for the 2026-27 academic year, citing low enrolment and other factors. Seat capacity has also been reduced across more than 1,300 programme combinations.

While this is not comparable in scale to China's nationwide restructuring, it reflects an emerging reality: students themselves are beginning to vote with their feet.

Courses perceived to offer limited employment prospects are struggling to attract applicants. Universities can no longer assume that traditional degree structures will remain viable indefinitely.

THE AI BOOM IS CHANGING STUDENT CHOICES

The shift is already visible in student behaviour.

Engineering, computer science, data analytics and AI-related programmes continue to attract strong demand. New specialised courses in artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing and cybersecurity are proliferating across Indian universities.

At the same time, the rise of skill-based hiring is challenging the traditional value of university credentials. Technology firms increasingly prioritise portfolios, certifications and practical expertise alongside formal qualifications.

Adding to the debate, LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky recently argued that AI is reshaping what employers value. He believes the future of work will favour adaptability, continuous learning and the ability to use emerging technologies over degrees from elite institutions, signalling a broader shift from academic pedigree to practical skills.

The challenge is particularly acute in India, where a significant skills-readiness gap persists. According to government data, only 4.1 per cent of the workforce aged 15–59 have received formal vocational training, while 88 per cent remain concentrated in low-competency roles, raising concerns about whether graduates are adequately prepared for an increasingly technology-driven labour market.

WHY INDIA IS TAKING A DIFFERENT ROUTE

Unlike China, India has largely resisted dismantling humanities and liberal arts programmes. Under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, policymakers favour multidisciplinary education, arguing that creativity, communication, critical thinking and ethical judgement will become more valuable as AI automates routine work.

At the same time, India is attempting to narrow the employability gap through curriculum reforms that place greater emphasis on AI, digital skills and industry-aligned learning.

AICTE has encouraged the integration of emerging technologies across disciplines, while platforms such as SWAYAM are expanding access to AI and technology-focused courses. The broader objective is to create graduates who are better equipped for an increasingly technology-driven economy.

Psychology illustrates this thinking. Growing numbers of Indian students are pursuing psychology and mental-health-related careers abroad, attracted by rising global demand for behavioural experts, counsellors and mental-health professionals.

TWO NATIONS, TWO VISIONS

China and India are pursuing two different visions for the AI age.

China is aligning higher education closely with industrial strategy, expanding AI and advanced technology programmes while cutting courses it sees as less relevant to future growth.

India is pursuing a broader approach, seeking to combine technical skills with humanities and social sciences.

The difference reflects two competing beliefs: whether the future belongs primarily to specialists trained for emerging industries, or to graduates capable of adapting across disciplines.

Both approaches have strengths and both carry risks. China may produce a workforce closely matched to future industries, while India may produce graduates better equipped to navigate an uncertain future.

THE BIGGER TEST AHEAD

The real challenge for India is not whether humanities degrees should disappear. It is whether every degree, from literature and psychology to commerce and engineering, can demonstrate relevance in an AI-driven economy.

For too long, many programmes have survived on tradition or served mainly as eligibility certificates for government examinations. Students investing years and money in higher education deserve qualifications that translate into real opportunities.

China has chosen rapid restructuring. India has opted for gradual reform.

As AI reshapes the labour market, the success of either approach will be measured by a simple question: are universities producing graduates with skills that employers still need?

- Ends