Government Constituted Panel to look at AI Impact on Jobs and Services

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology/Economy

Context

• Union Finance Minister in her Budget Speech said a high-level ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ Standing Committee will be formed to recommend measures that focus on the services sector.

Terms of reference of the high-level standing committee, according to Budget documents

• Identify services sub-sectors with potential for growth, employment and exports.
• Assess the impact of emerging technologies, including AI, on jobs and skill requirements.
• Propose specific measures for embedding AI in the education curriculum from school level onwards and upgrading State Councils of Educational Research and Training institutes for teacher training
• Propose measures to make the informal workflow visible, verifiable and future-ready, to enhance upward mobility prospects.
• Propose steps to be taken to attract skilled diaspora and foreign talent into the country.

Need for the Committee

• Job Losses due to Automation: Due to heightened concerns of AI’s impact on jobs, as employees across sectors face layoffs, with enterprises increasingly turning to automation. 
• Sectoral Mapping: The Economic Survey 2025-26 had called for a comprehensive sectoral mapping of jobs outside the white-collar workspace, which have a high-skill requirement but are understaffed, which is an often-overlooked source of new jobs within the economy. 
• To Subside the Risk of AI on Jobs: The policy reforms could subside some of the impending risks that AI can have on current jobs on offer.

Impact of AI on Jobs in India

• Routine, repetitive tasks are most vulnerable: Roles in sectors like BPO/ customer service, basic clerical work, assembly-line tasks, and routine logistics can be significantly reduced as AI-driven automation takes over these functions.
• Traditional mid-skill jobs, which have historically provided stable employment, are being squeezed as automation substitutes many of those functions.
• IT and outsourcing: AI tools are increasingly handling tasks such as coding, testing, and support work contributing to workforce restructuring in major IT firms and outsourcing companies.

Emerging Opportunities

• Emerging technologies are creating new job categories that didn’t exist before such as: AI/ML engineers, Data scientists and analysts, Cloud architects, Cybersecurity specialists, AI product managers and prompt engineers.
  • These roles often command higher salaries and are rapidly growing in demand.
  • Forecasts suggest millions of new tech jobs could be added over the next few years, with estimates of ~4.7 million AI/tech roles emerging in India by 2027.
• Shift in Skill demands: About 38% of the Indian workforce could experience shifts in skill needs due to AI by 2030 the highest among BRICS countries.
  • Traditional academic credentials are becoming less predictive of employability; recruiters are prioritizing technology skills, analytical abilities, and adaptive learning.

Way Ahead

• Upskilling & Reskilling Imperatives: India needs large-scale reskilling to adapt to new job requirements, estimates suggest over 16 million workers will need reskilling in AI and automation technologies by 2027.
• Government & Industry Initiatives: National strategies and partnerships are focusing on equipping students and workers with AI and tech competencies.
  • Large-scale corporate skill-building initiatives are underway to boost workforce readiness.

Conclusion

• While certain traditional roles will decline or transform, a dynamic landscape of new opportunities is opening up that rewards advanced technical capabilities, continuous learning, and adaptability. 
• The transition will require coordinated efforts from government, industry, and educational systems to ensure India’s workforce is ready for the future of work.

Source: IE