Is a college degree still enough to get a good job in the age of AI, and what should students actually study to stay employable?

In this conversation, Ashish Dhawan explores the future of education, jobs, AI and higher education in India, and why the traditional connection between getting a degree and getting a job is becoming less predictable. He explains why many university degrees have failed to evolve with industry, why students need broader and more flexible skills, and what young people should learn today to prepare for careers that may change multiple times.

As one of the people behind Ashoka University, Dhawan shares the thinking behind interdisciplinary education, why students should be exposed to subjects such as history, psychology, economics, quantitative reasoning and computational thinking, and why human skills such as judgment, communication, empathy, curiosity and persuasion could become even more valuable as AI improves. He also discusses what employers will look for in young professionals, where future jobs may come from, and why students should not prepare themselves for only one industry or one career.

The conversation also explores:

• Why many college degrees in India are disconnected from industry

• What an 18-year-old should study to stay employable in the age of AI

• Why AI literacy will become important across almost every profession

• The five areas students should develop beyond their core degree

• Why humanities, psychology and history still matter in an AI-driven world

• Why soft skills may become more valuable as technology automates more tasks

• The future of computer science, IT services and traditional corporate jobs

• Why startups, SMEs, deep tech, biotechnology, semiconductors and creative industries could create new opportunities

• What employers actually look for in a 22-year-old beyond academic qualifications

• How parents and students should evaluate a university before choosing one

• Why college is about more than lectures, content and getting a degree

• How Ashoka University was built around interdisciplinary learning and student choice

Watch the full conversation for Ashish Dhawan’s perspective on education in India, AI and jobs, career choices, employability, universities and the skills young people will need to navigate the future of work.