Insights

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the main reasons why a student's higher education plan has to be centered around it. It is because MIT is known as a university that continuously produces graduates with high employment ability and who are versatile enough to be able to successfully work in several industries. MIT alumni have been the first to invent such things as 3D printing and bionic prostheses, and among its graduates, the university has counted 89 Nobel laureates, 58 National Medal of Science recipients, and 48 MacArthur fellows.

These accomplishments are certainly a great proof of MIT's focus on academic excellence and research, however, for a student who has not yet made up his mind, employability and career readiness are the factors that equally balance the scales.

Graduate employability at MIT

MIT consistently ranks highly for employability. According to the QS World University Rankings, it ranks first in Employer Reputation and also scores a perfect 100 in Employment Outcomes. These indicators imply that the graduates are recognized by the employers for their skills and are well, prepared to take up professional roles. Employers generally tend to seek MIT graduates who not only have deep technical knowledge but also possess problem, solving and critical thinking skills. Such a skill set enables the graduates to change and work efficiently across different sectors, be it the technology, consulting, or finance industry.

MBA results at MIT Sloan

One of the best illustrations of the correlation between academic programs and career readiness is given by MIT Sloan School of Management. The MBA Class of 2025 managed to get job offers from over 270 different companies that ranged from multinational corporations to high growth firms and startups. Around 40% of students joined the top hiring companies.

Industry distribution for graduates:

Consulting: 32%

Technology: 23%

Finance: 21%

Healthcare/Biotech/Pharma: 8%

Common roles were:

Consulting/Strategic Planning: 38%

Finance: 16%

Product Management/Development: 14%

The average salary for graduates was $173, 000 and consulting ($190, 000), manufacturing ($180, 000), and finance ($175, 000) had higher median salaries. Additional compensation and signing bonuses were reported, reflecting that these skills are in demand in the job market.

Internships are a crucial component of the MIT Sloan MBA program. For the Class of 2026, a huge part of the students' internships accounted for careers in Technology (31%), followed by Finance (30%), Consulting (16%), and Healthcare/Biotech/Pharma (6.5%). The predominant roles were in Finance, Consulting, and Product Management.

Startups have been a motivator to include entrepreneurship as a part of the educational experience and thus 10% of students launched their businesses during their internships which were supported by the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship. Other students returned to sponsored roles in consulting, manufacturing, and military services, reflecting a diversity of career pathways.

Skills and specialisations

MIT students have the option of selecting certificates and majoring in subjects such as Finance, Analytics, Product Management, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare, and Sustainability. These courses are aimed at equipping students with the kind of skills that are most viable in the industries which are constantly changing.

The emphasis is on gaining and applying knowledge in the actual situations and environment of life, for example, by utilizing AI together with other ramping technologies, which consequently require one to think about their ethical and social influences. There is also a global network of alumni and links with corporations that offer further avenues to advance one's career.

What students should consider

Choosing a university is a journey during which one weighs various factors including the quality of education, professional training, learning experiences, and networking. MIT provides a blend of rigorous technical education, hands on experience, and an up to, date understanding of industry trends. A student intending a career in technology, consulting, finance, or entrepreneurship, finds this environment very helpful both for career preparation and for making career decisions.

In 2026, employers are not just evaluating your transcript. They are evaluating you. How do you speak? What do you think? How do you respond under pressure? Can you collaborate, adapt, and learn? According to LinkedIns 2023 Workplace Learning Report, 92% of hiring professionals are of the opinion that soft skills are at least as important as hard skills.

So what character traits really make candidates distinguishable? Here are seven that have been consistently demonstrated to be more important than grades.

1. Communication skills

Clear communication is the bedrock of almost every job. Being able to make your point, listening thoroughly, and changing your message for different groups of people is what employers look for in applicants. The way you communicate can determine people's opinion of you, whether it's persuading the customer to buy a new product or admitting a mistake.

2. Emotional intelligence (EQ)

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is a measure of how well you understand not only your own emotions but also those of others. It shows how well you can handle arguments, take criticism, control your feelings, and build relationships.

 Frequently, in collaborative work environments, people with high EQ outperform individuals with a high IQ.

3. Problem solving ability In fact, few workplaces give you problems in a boxed format. They want you to spot the problem, analyze it logically, and come up with a viable solution. Good problem solvers are proactive, innovative, and responsible, traits that no exam report can demonstrate.

4. Adaptability

Industries are changing continuously. Jobs get modified. Technology leaps forward. More and more, employers are on the lookout for individuals who are capable of unlearning, relearning, and changing their path if required. Adaptability is a kind of a resilience indicator and shows potential for development over time.

5. Teamwork and collaboration

Today, almost all work is done in teams. Employers look for people who are not only able to share their ideas but also consider other points of view and peacefully resolve conflicts. Being very smart alone is actually a little less worth than being very good at working with others.

6. Time management

It is a fact that we are faced every day with deadlines, multitasking, and competing priorities.

Effective time management tells your employer that the work is not going to overwhelm you and you are capable of balancing work and play.

7. Creativity and innovative thinking

Creativity isn’t limited to art or design. It is about seeing possibilities others miss, improving systems, and offering fresh solutions. In competitive markets, creativity becomes a strategic advantage.

Why Soft Skills Are the Real Career Currency

Grades measure what you know. Soft skills reveal how you function in the real world.

Employers recognize that one can always be taught the knowledge. However, they consider attitude, self, awareness, adaptability, and empathy to be qualities that are very difficult to train.

Rather than being caught up with the figures on your transcript, spend your time and energy on experiences that develop these human- centered strengths/internships, volunteering, group projects, public speaking, leadership roles, and real, world problem solving.

Your soft skills will be the ones that keep your doors open long after your GPA has stopped mattering. And in the current employment market, this is what real success is all about.

For lakhs of Class 11 and 12 students, the biggest nightmare isn’t Physics or Math's—it’s managing CBSE boards and JEE Main together. 

According to education expert Mohit Tyagi from Competition, the difference lies not in what you study, but how you study. Boards test your ability to explain concepts in detail, while JEE Main focuses on speed, logic, and application.

One Syllabus, Two Exams: Why Smart Students Don’t Separate Their Prep

Most JEE concepts are already taught in school classrooms. The theory is the same—the only difference is the question style. When students build strong conceptual clarity through NCERT and standard problems, board questions become easier and JEE questions less intimidating.

Trying to prepare separately for both often leads to confusion. But deep understanding makes both exams feel manageable.

The Ultimate Plan: How to Study Without Burning Out

A realistic, flexible timetable is key. Your daily routine should include:

• NCERT reading and revision
• JEE-level problem-solving
• Weekly mock tests
• Board-style answer practice
• Breaks, sleep, and physical activity
• Consistency matters more than studying for 12 hours a day.
• Study Smart, Not Long

NCERT is your best friend. Combine it with previous years’ question papers, mock tests, and short notes for quick revision. After the January JEE attempt, gradually increase focus on subjective board answers.

Online vs Offline: Where Are Students Saving Hours?

Many students now prefer online learning, saving 2–3 hours of daily travel time. Free, high-quality lectures available online prove that discipline beats expensive coaching.

• Don’t Ignore “Scoring Subjects”

English, Computer Science, Economics, and Physical Education can boost your percentage easily. Ignoring them all year only creates last-minute panic.

• The Real Secret: Mindset

Boards and JEE are not enemies. They work together. When your concepts are clear, revision is regular, and practice is consistent, you automatically prepare for both.

With the right mindset and strategy, cracking JEE Main and scoring high in boards is not a dream—it’s totally achievable.

The University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026 add a much stronger and detailed legal framework to eliminate caste, based discrimination in universities and colleges in India. These regulations are substitutes for and substantially raise the bar of the 2012 anti, discrimination guidelines, thus making the system more explicit, inclusive, and enforceable. The intent is to make higher education a fair, dignified, and equal opportunity space for all students, thus respecting the constitutional values of India.

The Justice Verma Committee had contributed a important recommendation that the law clearly specify discrimination against Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) as a violation. One of the most notable updates in the 2026 law changes is the broadened definition of caste, based discrimination. The intermediate drafts of the regulations had left out OBCs but the final version now officially recognises and makes discrimination against SCs, STs, and OBCs punishable. This way, all the three groups, SCs, STs, and OBCs, which have suffered historical marginalisation, are assured of getting equal legal protection without any doubt or ambiguity in educational institutions.

Besides, a key feature of the revamped system is the elevated degree of accountability of the institutions. They are required to, inter alia, establish the internal grievance redressal mechanism, conduct awareness programmes at regular intervals, monitor discrimination cases, submit reports, and ensure prompt inquiries and actions. By doing so, the policy is no longer a mere symbolic compliance but an active enforcement that largely relies on the institutions taking responsibility for the inclusive and safe learning environments which they are supposed to maintain.

Their regulations are closely linked to the core values of the constitution as well. They heavily depend on Article 14 which guarantees Equality before the law; Article 15 that prohibits discrimination; and Article 21 which assures the right to life with dignity. Taken together, these principles stress that higher education institutions ought to be safe and inclusive environments where students may freely acquire knowledge and grow without being subjected to discrimination or exclusion.

From a UPSC viewpoint, such regulations have great potential implications for a range of General Studies papers. For GS Paper II (Polity and Governance), at the level of connecting, they highlight constitutional values, the role and functions of statutory bodies like the UGC, and government schemes geared towards social justice and inclusion. For GS Paper I (Indian Society), they touch upon issues of social stratification, the caste system, and the challenges that the structurally weakest sections such as SCs, STs, OBCs, women, and persons with disabilities face on a daily basis. For GS Paper IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude), they serve as a reminder of the fundamental ethical values such as respect for human dignity, fairness, justice, institutional ethics, and public system's accountability.

A committee established by the Ministry of Education has proposed sweeping changes to India's high school education system, aiming to limit coaching centre hours and reduce student dependence on external tuition, said a report. The panel has recommended capping coaching classes at "2-3 hours per day", redesigning school curricula to align more closely with competitive entrance examinations, and increasing the weightage of board examination results in college admissions. 

According to a report in The Indian Express, the proposals respond to concerns regarding the "psychological toll of competitive exams and the pressure to enrol in coaching from an early age". Members also want to see the introduction of career guidance starting in Class 8 and the possibility of competitive tests in Class 11, the report added.

The committee, headed by Vineet Joshi, Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, was constituted in June 2025 to examine the effectiveness and fairness of competitive entrance examinations, the proliferation of dummy schools, and the growing influence of coaching institutes across academic pathways. The panel included senior officials such as CBSE chairman Rahul Singh, NTA Director General Rajesh Lakhani, and professors from leading technical institutes. During meetings at Shastri Bhawan, members discussed the "growing concern around the proliferation of coaching centres and their impact on student well-being, equity of education, and the role of schools".

Throughout the talks, several times, it was mentioned that one of the reasons students get stressed and depend on private guidance is because there is no proper counselling or career guidance available in schools. The committee, in its report, along with other things, pointed out that a major problem was the gap between the school curriculum and what is required in highly competitive exams like JEE and NEET. The transition from Class 10 to Class 11 was noted as a stress point. The committee considered the "lack of alignment between CBSE's analytical and conceptual approach and the objective, MCQ-based format of entrance exams" a "root cause" of the dependence on coaching, fueling dummy schools and a parallel education economy.

The committee observed that many teachers in schools are not adequately trained to teach beyond board exam requirements, while coaching centres often employ subject experts, including engineers and medical graduates. The article also pointed out that schools don't have an environment where students are regularly tested, their performances analyzed and study materials curated enough for students to be forced to study from outside.

Among the suggestions was that NCERT be the lead agency, supported by NTA, CBSE, and other boards, to ensure syllabus alignment between school curricula and competitive exam requirements.

The committee suggests imposition of more rigorous measures on the tutoring centres such as their advertising being regulated and them being made legally responsible for disclosure of teaching methods, faculty credentials, and student success rates. Other proposals on the table are the increased number of entrance tests and giving more weight to board exam scores for admissions. The different working groups have been asked to review the syllabi of different boards and check whether competitive examinations can be held in Grade 11.

India’s online skilling firms banked on co-branded courses for years, leveraging the credibility of legacy institutions. As the nation’s young population swells and stricter visa norms shut the gates overseas, some of them are chasing full university status.

Master’s Union and Scaler, among higher education platforms that promise to impart industry-ready skills outside the traditional degree system, are evaluating the acquisition of university licences in India, their founders said. PhysicsWallah is also looking to set up a technology, driven university in Andhra Pradesh.

According to government estimates, almost 50% of India's 1.4 billion population is below 25 years of age. Grand View Research forecasts the revenue of India's higher education market to nearly triple from $19.4 billion in 2023 to $54.4 billion by 2030, at a compound annual growth rate of 15.8%.

India presently has the largest population historically that could go for higher education, and policymakers are geared to pushing the gross enrolment ratio significantly higher over the next ten years, says Narayanan Ramaswamy, partner and national leader for education and skill development practice at KPMG. “There have never been so many people wanting to enter higher education in a single geography,” he said, calling the next 25–30 years a rare demand window for institutions willing to commit long term.

India’s higher education market is also entering a rare moment of churn. For years, aspirational Indian students looked overseas. That option is narrowing. Tighter visa norms and shrinking post-study work opportunities across the US, the UK, Canada and Australia are redirecting demand back home.

Campus calls

Online skilling surged during the 2020–21 edtech boom, only to fizzle as students returned to the classroom after the pandemic-induced lockdowns in 2022. Several started offering co-branded degrees and campus partnerships, with Physics Wallah, Simplilearn, and upGrad tying up with Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management, and private universities, Mint reported.

While these partnerships allowed them to grow without directly awarding degrees themselves, founders say independent skilling models often limit growth, especially in undergraduate programmes, where degree recognition matters the most.

Master’s Union recently applied for licensing for both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees with the state education departments and the University Grants Commission (UGC), founder Pratham Mittal told Mint. “We always wanted to build a university status. Governments do not look favourably in many situations until and unless you are a licensed player.”

Licensing will help Master’s Union become part of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), and allow it to participate in youth festivals, he said.

The government policy and licensing frameworks mainly support higher education reform in India. They impact access to rankings, funding, research collaboration and curriculum standards, thus areas non-licensed players are mostly still denied, according to a recent PwCAssocham report.

Physics Wallah has also signed an MoU with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to set up the University of Innovation (UoI).

UpGrad was the pioneer edtech company to set up a university in 2021, after getting approval under a Maharashtra state law and being recognized by the UGC. In 2025, it was accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council.

Scaler, too, is engaging with regulators and exploring formal accreditation routes, rather than relying on legacy university tie-ups.

“The partnership model works up to a point, but it also comes with limitations,” said Abhimanyu Sharma, co-founder and chief executive of Scaler. “Traditional universities often lack the governance structures and operational clarity that a venture-backed education company requires…”

The Scaler School of Technology, established in early 2024, received nearly 30,000 paid applications and over 2,00,000 registrations this year (2025) for its technology programmes, according to Sharma. The company plans to acquire a large campus for expansion and is evaluating a nearly 20-acre site.

Entry barriers

Under most state regulations, private universities are required to either own or hold long-term leases for 10 to 30 acres of land. These requirements deter smaller players.

“An independent university licence is a strategic option, but the immediate focus is on partnerships…” said Prateek Shukla, co-founder and CEO of Masai, which is focusing on building partnerships with top institutions in the country.

Ankit Agarwal, co-founder of Elevation Capital-backed Mesa School, said the limited need for formal degrees in the postgraduate segment has kept the company out of the university licensing race.

“A number of private universities were formed back in the day to fulfil the employment requirements of IT services companies,” he said. “Now, with the startup industry creating just as many opportunities, there is a need for new-age institutions to be formed.”

Not a free pass

The government’s stance has shifted. According to senior education experts, the UGC is actively opening the door to more private participation as it pulls back from setting up new public universities.

Policies under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 had the objective to totally transform higher education through the gradual discontinuation of the affiliating college model, giving more freedom to universities, permitting flexible entry and exit via credit banks, and encouraging multidisciplinary learning, research, and global collaborations.

Besides that, it had the broader aim of raising the gross enrolment ratio (GER) to 50% by 2035, which was only 28.4% as of 2021, 22.

But this is not a free pass.

Regulatory filters, from land requirements to accreditation and screening committees, have become sharper, reflecting a desire to let in capital and capacity without losing control of quality, said Ramaswamy of KPMG. “They want more players, but not everyone.”

While universities remain not-for-profit entities on paper, investors are increasingly backing the businesses around them, including operating platforms, marketing arms and service entities that effectively control campus economics. “A lot of money is being spent on higher education, even if it doesn’t always show up as a straight acquisition.”