PM Modi says degrees are no longer enough, skills matter more for India's youth

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed that degrees alone are no longer enough as the world of work changes. Sharing the PM's message, Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi highlighted the growing importance of skills, continuous learning and upgrading capabilities for India's young workforce in a changing economy.Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed that degrees alone are no longer enough as the world of work changes. (Photos: PTI)A college degree may get a young person started, but is it enough to stay ahead in a rapidly changing job market?Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a clear message for India's youth: skills matter too.Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi has shared a video of PM Modi highlighting how the world of work is changing and why young people need to keep upgrading their capabilities.The message comes as employers increasingly look for skills that can be applied beyond what is written on a degree certificate. 'EARLIER, FOCUS WAS ON DEGREES'In the video shared by Joshi, PM Modi says that the needs of the world are changing and so is the way people learn."Earlier, the focus was on degrees; today, skills matter equally," PM Modi says. His message is not that degrees have become irrelevant. Rather, formal education needs to be accompanied by skills that can keep pace with changing technology, industries and workplaces.The Prime Minister also stresses the need for young people to continuously upgrade their skills instead of treating education as something that ends with graduation.That shift is particularly relevant for students entering a job market where the skills demanded by employers can change much faster than traditional university curricula.As the world changes, its needs are changing, and so is the way we learn. Earlier, the focus was on degrees; today, skills matter equally. Our youth must acquire skills and continuously upgrade them. That is why we are transforming our education and training institutions. From pic.twitter.com/Z7XHNqaEze— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) September 8, 2026FROM A DEGREE TO CONTINUOUS LEARNINGThe message also fits into the government's wider focus on skilling and employability.At the Red Fort on Independence Day, PM Modi announced that one crore young Indians would be trained in AI skills over the next year. He also announced free online coaching for various competitive examinations.The government's current education approach increasingly links formal education with skill development and employment. Education Minister Pralhad Joshi also recently stressed the need to look at education, skilling and economic growth together, saying India needs to become a global skilling hub.For students, the message is fairly simple.A degree can show what you studied.The skills you build after that can show what you can actually do.- EndsPublished On: Sep 8, 2026 18:24 IST