Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs in Delhi [A Complete Report]

Updated on 18 October, 2022

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Highest Paying Jobs in Delhi

Introduction

There was a saying by a very famous Chinese philosopher who went like, “Choose a job that you love such that you will never have to work a single day in your life.” He knew that if his ambition drove a person, that person would be self-motivated and have an awe-inspiring work rate, both of which are the ideal qualities that would lead them to success eventually. 

If we try to translate that famous saying in the current paradigm, we see that it still holds its ground but not quite firmly as one might expect. It is seen that while passion, love for the job, and ambition, among other things, are a great motivator to several people, but for the vast majority of us, they usually take the back seat.

Yes, we have an even better motivator than passion in the mix. That variable whose importance was somehow not correctly estimated in that famous saying is that of money.

We can quickly put money as the top motivator for one to choose jobs. Cash is even used to “compare” one job from another (even if they happen to be of two completely separate disciplines). The booming Indian economy is also one of the contributing factors to the whole shifting status quo.

Now, because of the connectivity and the sheer number of opportunities floating worldwide, it is easy for us to see and choose which job to choose over the other. But for some, it could still be a challenging skill to master. They factor in too many variables and get lost in their calculation. 

To help eliminate this confusion once in, we have compiled this list of the highest paying jobs in Delhi and what gets the highest paid jobs in Delhi entrails. However, one final note before we begin, the list you are about to read is in no particular order, so please read through till the very end. 

Highest Paying Jobs In Delhi

1. Data Scientist

There is no denying that data science has to be one of Delhi’s hottest fields. Although the entire sector is relatively new, it still boasts of the most lucrative opportunities for both excitement and money. Let us look at what makes Data scientists one of the highest paid jobs in Delhi. 

So, as the name might suggest, the job of any data scientist revolves around data. Any data scientist in any company is tasked with collecting and processing vast volumes of data daily. They are supposed to take a look at the data in front of them and are believed to draw significant insights that would potentially dictate even the profit margins of any company or organization. 

You would find data science to be an amalgamation of various fields. To be a successful data scientist, you should have the coding skills from a software engineer, stats knowledge from an expert statistician, and most machine and deep learning algorithms like that of a machine learning engineer.

If you find data science appealing, be prepared for all the hard work you would have to gain all the needed skills because the average salary of any data scientist in Delhi is about Rs. 10 Lacs INR per annum. Which in itself is a pretty huge motivator. This is one of the best high salary jobs in Delhi. 

You can get a PG Diploma in Data Science from upGrad and IIIT-B to get the required skills and become a data scientist. On the other hand, you can get a Master’s in Data Science and work on projects to do the same.

2. Full-stack Software Developer

Software has been and always will be one of the most respected jobs in the whole sector of Computers and informatics. Hence, it is given that being a software developer in the capital city of Delhi should bring in top dollar. To land such a job in Delhi can be a great opportunity for freshers as well as experienced professionals. 

But before we discuss the monetary side of things, let us take a look at what a full-stack software developer does. Every software and website is essentially an amalgamation of the pretty consumer-end (which is also known as the front-end) and the code-driven backbone of any software known as the server-end (or backend).

A full-stack developer is skilled enough to be able to do the development of both sides with ease. Software development was traditionally a job for two people handling the front and the back end, but a Full-stack developer changes everything by reducing and removing many problems associated with the old model; hence it is obvious why they are in demand.

To help keep up with the rising demands of skilled full-stack developers, companies are ready to shell out big money if you fit their bill. You can earn a check of around Rs. 14 Lacs per annum if you happen to be a full-stack software developer based in Delhi.

Read: Highest Paying Jobs in India

3. Investment Banker

Investment banking has its name in one of the most rewarding sectors regarding the amount of money earned by a banker. Typically an investment banker would be tasked with giving financial advice to the company and individuals who employ them and keep them under their payroll. This is one of the best paid jobs in Delhi. 

You will rarely see an investment banker to be used at a small firm. Instead, you usually see them handling investments, IPOs (Initial Public Offerings), bonds, mergers, and even teh acquisitions of giant corporations. To be a good investment banker, you will need a sharp and statistical mind.

You should be fully aware of all sorts of strategies employed at the stage of international business. Not to mention you must have impeccable communication skills. You can expect to earn about Rs. 18 lacs per annum with such a tiring job. 

4. Corporate Lawyer

Yes, you will get to live out your days as depicted by your favorite TV shows, just like what you see in those shows. If you happen to become a lawyer, especially a corporate lawyer, you will earn a considerable sum of money. This is one of the best high salary jobs in Delhi for freshers or professionals.

Moreover, your base would be in the country’s capital, so you should be getting ready to fight some high profile cases given that you have the reputation and experience. If you choose to be a corporate lawyer, you will be tasked with helping companies provide a structure to their business, perform deals in their stead, and not to mention handling all the legal obligations that they might have.

The corporate lawyer also helps the company in writing fine prints like contracts and terms and conditions. You might find the job taxing at times, but the reward will be worthy of your efforts. You can earn about Rs. 9 lacs INR being a corporate lawyer.

5. Expert of Machine Learning

There is a lot of hype around the whole idea of machine learning, meaning the ability to create smart machines. While that is still a vision far into the future, the present technology, however, does allow us to get an insight into the future by looking at the past. Sound interesting, right?

Because that is the whole idea behind machine learning. Since machine learning allows us to build things that were deemed impossible earlier, it is understandable that it is the new fad. Not just that machine learning expert makes a ton of money as well, which makes machine learning one of the highest paying jobs in Delhi. You can earn around Rs. 8 lacs INR per annum with your knowledge of machine learning. To get such a job in Delhi is a dream come true for IT professionals. 

upGrad offers a comprehensive machine learning course with IIIT-B, which can help you learn all the skills needed to become an ML expert.

6. Blockchain Developer

Since the dawn of cryptocurrency, blockchain has cemented itself as one of the most popular sectors for any professional to work. Blockchain has ushered in a new era of decentralized and highly secure everything. Blockchain even promises to replace some of the most long-standing features of our status quo with their smart alternative (like smart contracts).

There are a lot of things which blockchain brings to the table. If you want to work on the blockchain, you can expect to earn in the neighborhood of 35 to 45 lacs INR per annum. 

You can become a blockchain developer by taking a detailed course in this domain. IIIT Bangalore has a blockchain certification program in which you can enrol and learn all the concepts and relevant skills to become a blockchain professional.

7. Management Consultant

There are many problems which companies, irrespective of their size, faces every day. Some of the problems deem an expert intervention. You will be one of these experts if you happen to go to the route and become a Management consultant.

If you like fast-paced jobs, you would love being a management consultant. You need to have a good financial background and a highly analytical mind to found reasonable success in this sector. Once you do, you would earn in the neighborhood of Rs. 11 lacs per annum.

To become a management consultant, you should have a Bachelor’s in economics, finance, business, the management or any related field. You can also get an MBA to enhance your career prospects and develop the skills this job requires.

8. Product Manager

In a market like today’s trillion-dollar companies like Apple thrives on releasing new products every year. Even a small delay in the launch cycle could mean increased competition, and sometimes the product itself is not doing well in the market. Another critical factor in the success of any product is the launch itself.

Continuing our example from the smartphone world, we have seen some great products not doing well because of how they launched the product. To help companies establish and monitor the cycle of any product, Product managers are hired. It is a highly coveted job, which also is one of the highest paid jobs in Delhi. In a good company, you can earn about Rs. 11 lacks INR per annum. 

To become a product manager, you will need certification in product management or an MBA with specialisation in marketing. upGrad offers a unique product management course where you get to learn in-demand skills such as user design, market research, and others from leading experts and thought-leaders. It has always been one of the best jobs in Mumbai, and dealing with money – yours and others – is the stuff of dreams.

9. Charted Accountant

If you took the commerce route in your senior secondary school, chances are being a CA or Charted Accountant was your dream job. CA boasts one of the nation’s most stringent selection processes but, all the efforts pay off when you finally become a CA. Because of such a low acceptance rate, a county like India faces a shortage of CAs.

So, if you like finance and providing companies to help with their taxes and helping them figure out terms like GST, you can choose to be a CA. The money you make is another factor of motivation. A CA in Delhi makes about Rs. 9 lacs INR per annum. But, you can earn a lot of money through the commission itself.

10. Marketing Manager

Marketing has to be one of the most critical factors for determining the revenue of any company. A good marketing campaign could be the difference between a great fiscal year and an awful fiscal year. Now, the traditional means of marketing do not fare well in the 21st century because of the whole digitization.

This fact opens up opportunities for a completely new set of people and the skills that they possess. This sector also boasts of being the reason for about 20 lack of jobs in India itself. If you like marketing or helping the company in their advertisement campaign, you would see this job through without breaking a sweat and bringing in about Rs. 7 lacs per annum.

Check out: Highest Paying Jobs in Commerce Field

Things You Should Know About Finding a Job in Delhi

Delhi is the capital city of India; however, there are always mixed reactions about making the city your hometown because of the immense pollution and extreme weather conditions. Delhi also has several plus points, like the well-connected transport network, public infrastructure, and great job opportunities. Several factors can influence your next job decision, like the place of work, people, lifestyle, and personal fulfilment. There are several high salary jobs in Delhi for freshers as well as experienced professionals! Here are some of the things that you should keep in mind when hunting for a job in Delhi – 

  • Job location – In the capital city of Delhi, the location of your job is quite significant. Long commutes can have a negative impact on your life. As a result of Delhi’s high level of pollution, you will have to deal with rush hour traffic on your commute regardless of whether you drive yourself or take public transport. This can take a toll on your health. 
  • Thorough research on the company and values – Be sure to conduct thorough research on the company’s background and core values. The company website, social media accounts, press releases, etc., are all excellent sources of information you can use if you are looking for a job in Delhi (or anywhere). Determine the company’s age, whether it is growing, whether it has expanded into new industries, and how it performs compared with its competitors. In addition, you need to consider if the work culture in the firm matches your temperament since Delhi will have a unique influence on it.
  • Benefits of being in the company – When you are moving to a new city, away from family and friends, there is a new sense of independence. Thus, you must ensure that your new company provides a salary in which you can sustain yourself and take care of your basic needs. When conducting thorough research, make sure to check the competitions and salaries they are offering so that you can make better negotiations. 
  • Growth and development – Delhi is popular for government jobs, IT,  education, media, and manufacturing jobs.  You are more likely to succeed if your strengths align with the job duties. You must also keep in mind the number of people in the team, the responsibilities, and how you can grow professionally. 
  • Appraisals – You should be recognized for your efforts at work, regardless of whether you work in a Delhi-based firm or elsewhere.  Your efforts should be rewarded. Workplaces in Delhi reflect their cultural ethos. They tend to reflect the competitive nature of the city. It would be important to consider your personality type when deciding if this is right for you. As part of your research, find out how the firm rewards and recognizes its employees. A typical performance-related reward is a bonus, a paid vacation, a stock option, accelerated promotion, etc. Such provisions influence compensation and career advancement.

Conclusion

These are the top 10 highest paying jobs in Delhi– that will help you grow financially / that will be in demand. We hope we made choosing your career easier through this article. Money is a great reason to select a field, but you should also keep your interests in mind during the selection.

Which job did you like the most? Let us know in the comments below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the skills required for Data Scientists?

Data scientists are professionals who are currently very much in demand. To become a data scientist and to explore the career in a full-fledged manner, there are a few skills you should be aware of. To become a data scientist, you have to understand the principles of data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, as these are the most primary skills you will have to gain fluency in. Data scientists must be familiar with descriptive statistics concepts and data science well. Professionals also need to understand data manipulation and analysis, data visualisation, software engineering, model deployment, communication and storytelling skills, and structured thinking.

2. What are the responsibilities of an Investment Banker?

Investment bankers must conduct a wide range of jobs and tasks as part of their daily responsibilities. They must help businesses, organisations, and other entities raise public or private cash via stock or debt issues. They also create extensive financial models to examine and assist in transactions related to mergers and acquisitions as well as financial planning and analysis activities. Investment bankers use transaction comparisons, discounted cash flow, and leveraged buyout approaches to undertake business valuation evaluations. In order to find new clients and bring in new business, they also perform company and industry research, too.

3. What is the difference between a Chartered Accountant and an Investment Banker?

Chartered Accountants and Investment Bankers are both finance careers; however, they are very different. A Chartered Accountant is in charge of auditing accounts, providing advice, financial analysis, and revenue, among other things, while an investment banker is in charge of generating cash for their customers. An investment banker aids customers with debt restructuring, stock sales, and mergers and acquisitions. Auditing, taxes, financial, and general management are all areas of business and finance where chartered accountants operate. Investment bankers work for a financial institution and are primarily responsible for generating cash for businesses, governments, and other entities.

Did you find this article helpful?

Dilip Guru

He is a Growth Hacker, Digital Marketer & Blogger. He loves solving problems of scale and long term digital strategy.

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The opportunity is staring at us in the face. Only about 25% of Indian graduates are considered employable by the organized sector. Further, 48% of Indian employers said they were having difficulty in filling jobs, in 2012. Despite employers expressing difficulty in finding employable candidates, in 2009-10 the unemployment rates in India were higher for those who were more educated (graduates had more difficulty finding jobs than secondary or primary level graduates). [b_color background=”#EDFF3D”] Also Read – Technology will surely kill some jobs, but not all of them [/b_color] So Indian education, in its current form, hasn’t proved to be enough training for the incoming workforce. The numbers also prove that just completing higher education in any field is not all it takes anymore. This pinch is being increasingly felt as the world of jobs is turning upside down; which is why we need skill training. Skill-intensive industries are expected to contribute more than 90% of India’s GDP by 2030. The opportunity is staring at us in the face. It’s not just about the potential but also the responsibility we are tasked with — restoring balance to the global supply of labour. The country needs to invest in skill development and training for a large chunk of its population. Exploiting sheer numbers is therefore one major reason to skill our workers. Secondly, the demand for advanced skill-sets in emerging areas is growing. Knowledge-intensive roles such as finance, business, etc, and those related to information technology and entrepreneurship are gaining momentum. The reality that these skills must be acquired will take root for more and more individuals, including drop-outs from the mainstream education system and those who have completed such education. Currently, the actual supply of these workers falls drastically short of matching growing demand. Hence, the gaps in domain knowledge are another reason to scale up the skilling. You are likely to be at a disadvantage, in terms of skill training and thereby employability, when compared to someone your age in China, USA, South Korea… In China about 47% of the workforce has received some kind of skill training, 52% in USA, 68% in UK, 75% in Germany, 80% in Japan and 96% in South Korea. Comparatively, only about 10% of the Indian workforce received such training in 2008. India is seventh in the category of countries facing maximum difficulty in filling jobs, i.e., 58% difficulty, where the global average is 38%. These figures reflect that just belonging to the young Indian demographic is not enough. You are likely to be at a disadvantage, in terms of skill training and thereby employability, when compared to someone your age in China, USA, South Korea etc. To address these imbalances, India needs unprecedented increase in both education and job creation. At this point, there is no guaranteed advantage for India in the contest for high-skill talent. It will be dependent on skilling. Considering the state of higher education and the skill upgrade required to be carried out in the future, the process will not just be about learning for professionals, but rather unlearning and re-learning.
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by Mayank Kumar

13 Jul'16
7 reasons to watch UpGrad Talks today

5.2K+

7 reasons to watch UpGrad Talks today

There is really no secret sauce for success. Provided you have had the opportunity to view the exclusive online tete-e-tete sessions brought to you by UpGrad Talks. With an amazing roster of world-class speakers, some from the top 1000 companies of India such as Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Sky, Coca Cola, JP Morgan, JWT to start-up poster children such as RedBus, Snadeal, Ola & Zivame and many more, Upgrad Talks provides insights into their formulae for success. The talks also share deep learning from situations that didn’t work out and many valuable nuggets of honest, down-to-earth and practical advice from successful entrepreneurs, experts and industry leaders. While some lip service has been paid to new-age technologies and skill sets, and the evolution of industries because of these, a deeper understanding of what this signifies is missing. Upgrad Talks intends to fill this gap by bringing together thought-leaders from different walks of life and raising the level of discourse in this area, as they share their experiences. Here are the top reasons why you must visit talks.upgrad.com today and make it your daily source of insights and motivation: Get Inspired Inspiration can come from many different sources. You may get inspired when you see a problem that needs a solution, which you are able to ideate, or get inspired when you hear stories of adversity being overcome by sheer willpower. Rarely does the simple existence of wealth inspire us. It may motivate us to work harder, but inspiration stems from a deeper place that needs real stories. Upgrad Talks are stories from the folks who have lived these stories, first hand. Not only does hearing someone’s complete story of challenges, thought process and subsequent outcome inspire, it also gives birth to new ideas and provides impetus to grow in your own space.  Moreover, inspiration also stems from well-put statements such as, ‘attitude will sail you through,’ by Harit Nagpal, CEO of Tata Sky. A key benefit of listening to industry leaders is that it also inspires us to think. ‘What we think, we become,’ is a quote by Buddha that sums up this well. Go ahead, face challenges It does not matter if you are a startup or an established financial organization; challenges, big or small, exist in every level of most businesses. Challenges faced, strategized and overcome is the rite of passage for almost everyone. Not only do Upgrad Talks cover challenges faced by leading industry veterans, it also covers it from various stages of businesses along with discussion of the solutions that helped overcome them. Upgrad Talks speakers’ discuss challenges faced by businesses in different spaces, which makes these talks an interesting listen. Furthermore, is quite motivating to hear the candid conversations of business leaders. So what is the common thought on challenges in the Upgrad Talks? No challenge is too big. It also strengthens the belief that challenges help you grow and become stronger and develops a sense of confidence to take on the next big challenge. Learn from influencers People who can motivate are great influencers. To hear success stories at Upgrad Talks, which have been driven by deep-rooted passion as well as courage of conviction can be a great influence on most people. It is likely to help you push yourself to greater heights and also follow your dreams a bit more diligently. To quote Snapdeal’s Kunal Bahl, ‘ there is a fine line between stubbornness and persistence.’ Upgrad Talks is likely to help you define the lines as an excellent selection of influencers talk also about the key soft skills required to make it a significant mark on the industry that you belong to. Mentoring As you listen to entrepreneurs, business leaders and experts on models that have worked, one can also start drawing parallels to one’s one business or profession. Mentoring of this kind is both subtle and effective as it helps you choose some key takeaways from the shared experiences that are most relevant to you. Follow the series to get premium access to the best mentors in the country as they talk about education, the emerging digital age and its impact on businesses, talent shortages and advice to youngsters. A bit of crystal gazing In the series of Upgrad Talks, one is likely to come across a vast amount of business knowledge which has been converted into digestible insights that can also help you choose the next steps in your career. Speakers’ at Upgrad Talks share their business mantras and what the future is likely to be.  This is crystal gazing of the finest variety and yet another reason to tune into the talks. A healthy dash of optimism One of the unique selling points of the Upgrad Talks is that they also brings out the combined optimism in business from key industry leaders. Apart from that one can learn what is next in the industry, and explore potential future opportunities in the workspace. The upbeat and positive nature of these talks makes them a must-listen. Easily available online Just in case you were wondering how far you would need to travel to listen to such a wide range of speakers, you can breath easy. Upgrad Talks are delivered online and you can listen to them at your own convenience. All you need to do is to long onto talks.upgrad.com and you can access high quality, pre-recorded sessions online. Upgrad is making content richer, bigger and better as it kicks off with 15+ talks delivered by entrepreneurs, experts & business leaders.  You definitely do not want to miss out on the educational transformation that UpGrad is fuelling in partnership with some of the greatest minds. Remember, one can never stop learning. So, if you always aspired to hear great advice and insights from the top Indian business leaders on how you can grow your business, choose a career goal or get inspired, do take a look at Upgrad Talks. They are truly the voices that impact. Join us today and be a part of it at talks.upgrad.com.
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by Omkar Pradhan

06 Aug'16
Evolving online education: Learning Together

5.37K+

Evolving online education: Learning Together

Technologies in online learning have been making promises since early 20th century. From radio to present day MOOCs,  multiple new technologies were seen as silver bullet in revolutionising education. These promises were indeed laudable, to make education accessible to everyone, affordable for everyone and more effective. Yet, the same history of unmet expectations has been repeated every time*. Although a lot has happened over the past decade in terms of growth and expansion of online education, there are many challenges yet to be solved before we can say online learning has truly arrived. We, at UpGrad, believe the following three challenges are the biggest hurdles to the success of online education. Isolation: Online learning is solitary experience   Acceptability: Online learning’s validity in the Job Market   Not Engaging: Interplay of distractions and motivations in learning online The dismally low completion rates and high failure rates are reflection of these challenges [1]. Our goal at UpGrad is to fight these challenges and provide an unmatched learning experience for the working professionals. We believe, with the flexibility of online learning, every working professional can “UpGrade” himself without going back to full-time formal education. Hence, we need to to make online learning mainstream. In this article we would be sharing how are setting the online learning as a ‘Social Experience’ for our students, ie the first of the three mentioned challenges. In 2000s, internet surfing was mainly an individual experience and on the other hand, in 2016 almost all of internet time is a social experience. We do not feel alone in 2016 version of internet. We believe online education will have much higher engagement and completion rates once it becomes a social experience. An average student’s e-learning journey is an individual experience making him/her feel isolated. Learners move through the course with limited interactions with both their instructor and classmates. We at UpGrad, are building a new learning platform specifically designed keeping our students and their needs in mind. We believe this would be key to provide the kind of engagement levels the students deserve. The perception of social presence (or lack of) is a big concern among students and teachers in online learning. Teachers develop courses in isolation and the students take the courses in isolation. Researchers have found strong correlation between the sense of social presence facilitated by the course and student’s perceived learning [3,4,5]. Also there is good re correlation between withdrawal in the course and student’s perceived lack of social interaction and instructor presence [3]. Lack of social interaction in e-learning increases the distraction, since a learner would look for social interaction elsewhere which is usually Twitter, Whatsapp or Facebook. If there is another learner doing the same course in my apartment building, there are limited chances that I would know about him. As learners of online courses, we are oblivious of everyone else’s presence except few replies on the discussion forum. They do form Facebook groups or Whatsapp groups organically, yet the whole online learning format ends up being mostly a solo experience. Here are the steps we are taking at UpGrad in making our online programs a social experience.: Profiles : The first step in ‘social’ e-learning is knowing your classmates. We have learner profiles with education and work history along with other details. Almost everyone is encouraged to fill in their full profile along with a descriptive ‘bio’ section. There are multiple points where learners are nudged to click on the profiles. To improve discoverability of relevant profiles we not only leverage cohort social graph but also use interest graph, performance graph, complementary skills graphs. Combined with other semi random** algorithms like who was recently online, learners bump into each other in interesting ways. In the first month of Data Analytics Program, an average engaged learner viewed peer profiles 110 times. Discussions: We have a discussion forum which is contextual and relevant to the course content. We designed it from the ground up to involve learners during the course. They help each other, solve doubts, ask questions, have healthy debates on the forum. Only when there is no consensus a Teaching Assistant gets involved in clearing the doubts. Last 3 months data shows that on a daily basis 50% of the students who are engaged on the platform, also engaged actively on the discussion forum. As most professionals have different backgrounds, sharing of experiences on the forum is much valuable to everyone in the cohort. We have seen learners fall into three buckets on the forum. First is the majority producers, the top 30% of forum content producers are responsible for around 70% of the discussions. The next 50% do the rest of 30% of the content but continue to voice their opinions through upvotes. Rest of the 20% are mere observers. These numbers are highly encouraging and we will be investing more time in finding out how student-student social interactions can help in overall engagement. Figure 1: Forum topic distribution in one of our programs. Share in the pie is (questions * votes) for each topic. Bigger share of the pie is a proxy for doubts. This lead us to start live sessions on those topics. Thought Leader AMAs: Initiating and maintaining engagement on the forum is hard. To set the ball rolling, we started the discussion forum for a new cohort with getting a thought leader to do an AMA on the platform. This way not only the students got a product onboarding experience but also the social expectation was set amongst the peers. In some months, the total content creation during AMAs ended up around 20% of the total cumulative content. We also observed a side benefit of starting the program with thought leader – that learners are more helpful, behave with more civility and show much more respect for each other. This is not very unusual because it is known that a group’s eventual social dynamics are very much impacted by behaviour in initial few days. In a way, it sets the trend which follows upto the end of the course. We also explored bringing in external motivations to see how does it impact on engagement levels. At times, there were small gifts for top forum contributors and at times we included forum participation in the grading. Our primary observations show that this is to be used cautiously. We are working on establishing a balance between extrinsic and intrinsic motivations for social involvement. Facebook Groups: For all cohorts we have Facebook groups for students apart from the platform discussion forum. We were not very confident how much our forum will be used for non academic discussions and generic social sharing. However, we found more and more discussions of generic nature and sharing of articles & blogs also started happening on the forum. Hence facebook group ended up becoming redundant. We are thinking of doing away with a cohort’s facebook group with this expanded use of discussion forum In summary, having a strong sense of community within the students is a big predictor of learning outcomes. This has been researched multiple times [7, 8]. Our platform’s usage data of course progress and social interaction activity strongly confirms this research. At a time, a learner who is socially engaged on our platform has usually completed 4 times (Figure 2) course materials than a learner who does not participate in social discussions. This high correlation has been repeated across multiple cohorts. Figure 2: At a snapshot of time course completion rates for learners active on forum vs non active. Apart from the student isolation e-learning content creators and facilitators tend to work in isolation, reflecting and sharing of best practices is minimal[6]. We at UpGrad are aware of this problem, and making sure different program teams collaborate and share solutions to common problems. We do not have complete solution to isolation in learning yet. We as a company are focussed on solving this problem, we are testing out few ideas and are willing to share the results with the community. With these changes we are expecting online learning experience to be more engaging, more involving and eventually pushing up the low completion rates of online learning. These are early days of online education and we have miles to go. Bibliography [1] http://collegequarterly.ca/2007-vol10-num03-summer/rolfe.html [2] Online Social Networks as Formal Learning Environments: Learner Experiences and Activities, The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, Vol 13, No 1 (2012) [3] Tello SF (2007). An analysis of student persistence in online education. International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education [4] Herbert, M. (2006). Staying the course: A study in online student satisfaction and retention. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 9(4). [5] Morris, T. A. (2009). Anytime/anywhere online learning: Does it remove barriers for adult learners. In T.Kidd (Ed.), Online education and adult learning: New frontiers for teaching practices. Hershey, PA:IGI Global. [6] Duncan, H & Barnett J (2009) Learning to teach online. [7] Kaulback, B (2015). Learning Together : Community and Network from the perspective of designers of online learning. (Doctoral dissertation) [8] Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Borokhovski, E., Wade, C. A., Tamim, R. M., Surkes, M. A., & Bethel, E. C. (2009). A meta-analysis of three types of interaction treatments in distance education. Review of Educational Research, 79(3), 1243–1289.
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by Ankit Mittal

08 Aug'16
Skill deprivation: Education alone won’t guarantee a job, in-demand skills need of hour

898.95K+

Skill deprivation: Education alone won’t guarantee a job, in-demand skills need of hour

If you are 25 years old, hold a degree in a traditional arts discipline from a well-regarded institute and are looking for a job, you may not be handed one on a platter any time soon. You may be cushioned within the famous Indian demographic that is supposed to yield a ‘dividend,’ but unlike what you’ve been reading everywhere, this does not guarantee you employment. Between 1980 to 2010, 90% of world labour force growth occurred in developing countries and about 500 million new workers emerged in India and China alone (workers went from 260 million to 470 million in India, between this period). India is all set to power most of global growth in labour in the coming years. Enrolment in Indian higher education is 24% right now. With India attaining almost universal elementary education, and increased retention in secondary schools, the projected demand for higher education and jobs will only escalate. India has finally been placed on the world map with a solid advantage where labour supply is concerned. Impacting Education: My Journey and UpGrad It’s not all good news though. Indian millennials are being touted as the future of jobs and the saviours of the working world. But this won’t hold true if in-demand skills are not imparted to the youth entering the workforce. The world of work is changing and industries are transforming. It’s a fact that we are moving towards a massive labour pool, but we are possibly riding a low-skill, low-wage cycle to get there. The country is on a trajectory that involves a surplus of millions of low-skill workers, whereas most nations, including India, will be demanding high-skill workers more and more. Most industries are replacing low-skill jobs with high-skill ones. Skills relating to upcoming technologies in advanced areas – think AI, robotics, data science and mining – are gaining immense relevance. Unfortunately, our education system is not preparing students well enough to enter the workforce as high-skill workers nor equipping them with skills in emerging domains. Curricula is outdated and pedagogy poorly-developed. Gone are the days when just holding a graduate degree was enough to get employers to clamour to hire you. Education is not enough. The new-age job-seeker must strive to acquire specific skill sets to be considered employable (currently only 43% of Indian youth are considered fully employable). This applies to all sectors of the economy, as most industries and businesses are adopting new-age technologies and going digital within most functions. There’ll Be A Billion-Plus Job-Seekers By 2050! The positive connotation associated with our demographic shift has been taken for granted and assigned the term ‘dividend.’ But if we don’t strategically harness this change, we could easily be faced with a demographic disaster. We don’t want to be stuck in a situation where we have too many job-seekers with inadequate skills, and therefore not enough jobs for them. India is moving workers out of farm jobs at a very fast rate, and this will only add to the burden of providing jobs in other sectors. Realising this, even the government has begun focusing on skill development and training. Creating an entirely new Ministry and launching the Skill India Mission are clear indications of this. Another sign that skill training is gaining momentum is reflected in the growth of the Indian education and skills industry at an average rate of 13% over four years. From Rs 1.21 trillion in 2008 to Rs 2.35 trillion in 2012. However, these measures have not been enough to successfully skill India’s young. Only 2% of the Indian workforce has received some kind of formal skills training so far, and 8% have received informal training. Comparatively, 47% of China’s workforce is skill trained, 52% in USA, 68% in UK, 75% in Germany, 80% in Japan and 96% in South Korea. Almost half of Indian employers find it difficult to fill jobs and a similar proportion of employed youth suffer from some degree of skill deprivation. By 2050, India will be home to more than a billion jobseekers. This means providing jobs for over 12 million new entrants annually. There is also the challenge of finding jobs for the backlog, which reached 60 million by 2014. The pace of accretion to the labour market will keep increasing, given our demographic profile and declining age-dependency ratio. Our working age population (15-64 years) will peak in 2050 and till then pressures for jobs will only become worse. We need a wake-up call and more concerted efforts towards large-scale skill development and training. We may have a situation of too few high-skill workers and not enough jobs for medium or low-skill workers. This needs to be rectified by adjusting the education and skilling system to ready ourselves for the jobs of tomorrow. Article Source: http://www.firstpost.com/business/skill-deprivation-education-alone-wont-guarantee-a-job-in-demand-skills-need-of-hour-3020568.html
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by Apoorva Shankar

08 Nov'16
Why The Growth Of Higher Education In India Hinges On The Private Sector

5.13K+

Why The Growth Of Higher Education In India Hinges On The Private Sector

For the sake of simplicity, let’s say that the public sector’s role in education can be identified as a three-fold one. Firstly, it is tasked with universalizing access to education. Its next responsibility would be to regulate the sector and finally, to ensure quality education for all. In the context of the access provider role, estimates show that just in terms of physical infrastructure, more than a US $100 billion spends would be required in higher education alone, to double enrollment, from where it stands today (24%). Where regulation is concerned, bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC) and other higher education regulators are in-charge but leave much to be desired in terms of quality checks and monitoring, accreditation, etc. In fact, the UGC merely acts as a grants disbursing body now for universities and colleges, rather than a regulator. This is despite the fact that about 16% of the Ministry’s budget (2016-17) was allocated to UGC. Regarding quality, the government struggles to set standards and measure outcomes. Accreditation in the country is irregular and sub-optimal. In addition, unlike school education, where a certain level of learning outcomes may be gauged, this is difficult to do in higher education – especially assessing employability of a student post completing such education. So is there a role the government should prioritise? Further, because the government is entrusted with these roles, does it necessarily mean that they are its exclusive mandate? Or should the government act as an enabler and allow external participation if it means better execution and a higher success rate? The education and training industry is extremely large today and has strong further growth potential. With total educational spending of $2.7 trillion, the industry accounted for about 4.25% of the world’s GDP in 2010. In India alone, the spending on education and skilling has touched approximately Rs 74,000 crore. This may seem like a daunting figure but is still not sufficient. India spends about 4% of its GDP on all of education (about 1% on higher education), whereas globally the minimum recommended expenditure on education is 6% of GDP. Most of the public expenditure on higher education is used upon salaries and maintaining existing institutions, leaving very little to be spent on curriculum, research, and technology. However, spending on education still has enormous scaling to do and this is where the private sector comes in. Private players will have opportunities from rising demand in segments not well covered by the public education system (like adult education and vocational training). They bring in additional capital and are able to make huge investments, especially when government spending is insufficient and results in substantial infrastructure and investment deficit. For instance, the government had set a target of achieving a 30% enrolment ratio in higher education by 2020. The enrolment ratio currently is 24%. Judging by historical trends, and the current pace of rising enrolments, this target seems difficult to achieve. We may need a better, plan to succeed. Plus, the demand for higher education is only set to accelerate with growing population, higher enrolment as well as retention of students in schools. The private sector could play a crucial role in plugging these gaps and matching demand. In fact, it is already capturing the market in a big way, as can be seen in the adjacent graph. Enrolment in, and share of, private higher education institutions has surpassed that of government institutions (data as on 2013). Even the online education market in India expected to grow to US $40 billion by as soon as 2017. Unlike the education sector, which is legally mandated to operate on a not-for-profit basis, for-profit skill training institutes can be set up. This, coupled with initiatives of the National Skill Development Corporation, has encouraged the private sector to set up vocational training institutes. Corporate interest has also increased in the skill development space because of the benefits that accrue to businesses themselves, in the form of adequately trained manpower as a ready pool for future hiring. Majority of institutions offering professional disciplines are now in the private sector. There is a tendency of the public sector to view the private sector’s involvement in the education space with scepticism. But the private sector is necessary because of its ability to match industry demand for superior skilled manpower. It supplements infrastructure, facilities, technology and pedagogy and has an added advantage of escaping bureaucratic control and retaining autonomy to a large extent. Private players often collaborate with reputed international universities for faculty and other benefits which can be attractive to prospective students. They are also heavily investing in research-based education. As consumers of skilled manpower as well, the private sector is in a position to understand what type of skill training is to be imparted, and eventually benefit from it. This makes skill-training more efficient and effective. All three education-related roles of the government are equally important. However, while regulation should remain outside the purview of the private sector, nothing should stop them from assisting the public sector in maximising enrolments and improving quality of education. Public needs to work with private and create a level-playing field, in order to uplift the overall quality of education. Article Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.in/mayank-kumar/why-the-growth-of-higher-education-in-india-hinges-on-the-privat/
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by Apoorva Shankar

08 Nov'16