Computer Science and Information Technology continue to reign supreme in India’s talent market, but the India Skills Report 2026 shows a reshuffling of the middle ranks — and it signals a deeper transformation in how companies choose talent.

While tech graduates still enjoy the highest employability, the once-unshakable MBA is losing ground, even as commerce and vocational streams gain momentum in a digital-first economy.

According to the report, employability percentages by degree stand at:

CS: 80% | IT: 78% | B.E./B.Tech: 70.15% | MBA: 72.76% | Commerce: 62.81% | Science (non-IT): ~61% | Arts: ~55.55% | ITI: 45.95% | Polytechnic: 32.92%

Tech remains unbeatable — and AI is doing the heavy lifting

The report links the dominance of CS and IT graduates to three unmistakable hiring trends:

1.     AI and data adoption are driving recruitment across industries, fuelling demand for graduates who specialize in analytics, automation and cloud technologies.

2.     Digital fluency outweighs traditional coding — employers want talent who can work at the intersection of engineering and data, not just write software.

3.     Tech leads fresher hiring, accounting for 35% of entry-level recruitment, explaining why CS and IT degrees remain the safest, most future-proof academic bets.

MBA is slipping — and the reason is not fewer jobs, but different expectations

MBA employability has dipped to 72.76%, down from nearly 78% in earlier years. The fall reflects a clear shift in recruiter mindset:

·        Employers now prefer cross-domain leaders, not classical management generalists.

·        Business + tech competency — not pure management theory — is becoming the new baseline.

·        Commerce and tech-driven roles are eating into the MBA hiring share, especially in BFSI, analytics and digital operations.

MBA remains a strong pathway — but only when paired with specialisation. The message from employers is blunt: the generalist MBA era is ending.

Commerce and vocational streams are quietly rising

One of the most striking turnarounds comes from the commerce stream — now at 62.81% employability, powered by:

·        BFSI expansion

·        Growth in analytics-oriented roles

·        Recruiters increasingly favouring cost-efficient, domain-strong talent over expensive generalist MBAs

The rise goes beyond commerce.

·        Science graduates (non-IT) at ~61% are benefitting from interdisciplinary and data-driven roles.

·        Arts graduates at ~55.55% reflect growing demand for hybrid skillsets, especially in communications-tech and creative-tech sectors.

The sleeper success story: vocational education

The employability of ITI graduates (45.95%) and Polytechnic diploma holders (32.92%) is climbing — long overdue for a manufacturing-driven economy. Industries such as EV, renewable energy, logistics, automotive, and smart manufacturing are aggressively hiring skill-first, hands-on talent, signalling a structural shift in hiring priorities.

What this means for the future of education and employment in India

For students

·        CS and IT remain high-probability pathways — especially with AI, cloud or data specialisation.

·        Commerce and vocational streams now offer real, mainstream opportunity, not backup options.

·        MBA without specialisation no longer guarantees employability — business + tech is now the winning formula.

For universities

·        Curriculum must move toward cross-disciplinary, industry-aligned learning.

·        Internships, applied projects and skill-based evaluations are no longer optional.

For employers

·        Continue scaling tech hiring, but actively build talent pipelines in commerce and vocational education.

·        Structure entry-level roles around domain + analytical skills, not just experience or pedigree.

The report makes one thing clear: a degree no longer drives employability — skills and specialization do.

Tech retains its crown, MBA is being forced to evolve, and commerce and vocational pathways are stepping into the spotlight.
For India’s next generation of workers, the winning formula is simple but non-negotiable:
Digital skills + domain strength + real-world application.