At 36, he scrolled through job postings that read like a youth-only club: “Applicants under 35 preferred.” For years, China’s tech and professional sectors have wrestled with the notorious “curse of 35,” forcing mid-career workers into a scramble to reinvent themselves.

Now, Beijing has cracked the age barrier—raising the upper limit for civil service applicants from 35 to 38, and up to 43 for those with advanced degrees. On paper, it’s a minor tweak. In practice, it’s a bold acknowledgment that age shouldn’t be a career death sentence.

Why china is rewriting the rules

China’s ageing population and rising retirement age—men will retire at 63 instead of 60, women in white-collar jobs at 58 instead of 55—have made it imperative to keep experienced workers in the labour force longer. The cultural bias favoring younger recruits, seen as cheaper and more flexible, is finally under scrutiny. Workers in their mid-30s are now being given breathing room to stay relevant rather than being edged out.

India’s invisible age barrier

India faces a parallel challenge, though less visible. Civil services and government jobs carry explicit age ceilings—UPSC’s upper limit for general candidates is 32—but private sector ageism is subtle, often hiding behind “years of experience” or junior-level job descriptions. Surveys suggest roughly a third of Indian employees experience age-related bias, and job postings frequently signal a preference for younger hires without stating an official cut-off.

The human and economic cost

Age bias, whether overt or covert, shrinks career options, forces late pivots, and strains household finances. Losing seasoned talent is a double hit: individuals lose opportunity, and companies forfeit experience. China’s reform signals a societal admission that such rigid age gates are counterproductive. India, by contrast, has yet to confront the issue nationally, even as mid-career professionals quietly struggle.

What india could do differently

Practical reforms are possible:

·        Remove arbitrary age limits from job ads and focus on skills and outcomes.

·        Audit promotions and attrition by age to spot hidden bias.

·        Incentivize retraining older employees in fast-evolving sectors like IT and fintech.

·        Equip professionals to highlight transferable achievements like leadership, project ownership, and results.

Managing age bias isn’t just moral—it’s strategic. Companies that embrace multi-generational talent pipelines see stronger retention, richer institutional memory, and better long-term performance.

A demographic advantage, not an excuse

India’s younger workforce creates pressure to hire fresh talent—but demographic abundance should not justify discarding experience. China’s pivot is a cautionary tale: age is an asset, not a liability.

If Indian employers and policymakers act now, the country can transform its talent strategy before age bias becomes a widespread crisis. Experience isn’t a failure—it’s a resource waiting to be tapped.