India, Aug. 11 -- justify;">India produces more graduates than almost any country on the planet. By some estimates, over 1.5 million engineers alone enter the workforce every year. The numbers are genuinely impressive. And yet, a persistent and uncomfortable conversation runs through boardrooms, HR functions, and hiring teams across industries: Why are so many of these graduates arriving without the skills that workplaces actually need?

This is India's graduate paradox. More credentials than ever before, but a widening gap between academic achievement and professional readiness.

The National Employability Report, published by Wheebox in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry, has consistently found that fewer than half ...