As an experienced mechanical/materials engineer, I’ve watched a troubling shift unfold. Despite India producing over a million engineers annually, the majority are no longer working in the fields they were trained for. Why? Because the core sector—manufacturing, design, materials R&D—has been systematically sidelined.
The rise of the service sector (IT, BPO, consulting) has changed the game. These industries offer faster hiring, better starting salaries, and urban placements. As a result, many brilliant minds trained in mechanics, metallurgy, and CAD are now writing code, not out of passion, but out of economic necessity.

This talent mismatch is more than just a personal frustration—it’s a national concern. Core industries are the backbone of innovation, infrastructure, and self-reliance. Yet they’re starved of both talent and investment. Without action, we risk hollowing out the very foundation of India's technological and industrial future.
But there’s hope. With initiatives like Make in India, the shift to EVs, semiconductors, and clean energy, core sectors are showing signs of revival. However, it won’t happen without bold reform—better campus hiring, industry-academia collaboration, and upskilling in emerging tools like simulation, robotics, and materials informatics.

💭 We must ask ourselves: Are we nurturing a service-driven workforce or an innovation-driven nation?
If you’re a fellow engineer, student, or policymaker, I invite you to reflect—and speak up.

👇 Would you still choose core engineering today? Why or why not? Let’s start the conversation that India’s engineering ecosystem desperately needs.