India must preserve core engineering expertise to build AI-native workforce: Nasscom
National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) has said that India risks building a technology workforce that depends on artificial intelligence (AI) tools rather than developing professionals who are truly AI-native if deep engineering capabilities are not preserved by industry and academia.
While more than 90 per cent of India's early-career technology professionals have already adopted AI, the apex industry body cautioned that the decline of routine coding work must not lead to a drop in fundamental technical skills. India has a unique opportunity to establish itself as a global hub for AI-native technology talent and it is important to keep in mind that AI skills penetration is not the same as being AI-native. India risks scaling a workforce that is AI-reliant rather than AI-native.
To address this, Nasscom called for a coordinated effort by academia and industry to move beyond traditional coding instruction. It said academic institutions should strengthen engineering judgment, domain learning and reimagine assessment methods, while reimagining assessment methods to reflect AI-driven work environments. It also urged companies to redesign talent development strategies by building strong foundational capabilities, expanding mentorship programmes, encouraging independent problem-solving, integrating AI verification into workflows and continuously upskilling early-career professionals.
For the IT industry, it said the shift to an AI-native workforce will require rethinking long-established operating models. Hiring assessments must shift from testing basic coding knowledge to evaluating comprehensive AI-native capabilities. Furthermore, companies must redesign capability building to include AI-augmented foundational learning, simulation-based exercises, and multi-layered mentorship to encourage independent problem-solving among early-career talent.
