With AI tools, students in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities can now tell their own stories

Indian Express

7 days ago

Written by Sourav Roy
Each year, millions of Indian students earn their degrees, stepping into the world with not only subject mastery, but also determination, optimism and the quiet strength that comes from years of focused effort. Today, our universities are nurturing a generation of thinkers, builders and learners ready to meet the challenges of an evolving professional landscape.
With nearly 50 lakh graduates entering the workforce annually, India commands one of the world's most dynamic young talent pools. This is not simply a demographic dividend; it is a human force of imagination and ambition, ready to engage with opportunity, if adequately prepared for it.
Yet, the rules of engagement have changed. According to the India Graduate Skill Index 2025 by Mercer Mettl, only 42 per cent of graduates are considered job-ready. The data signals a shift not in ability, but in alignment. Employers increasingly seek individuals who can think critically, communicate clearly and integrate seamlessly into fast-moving work and tech environments.
Fortunately, we are witnessing a pivotal moment in education and employment readiness. Graduating students now have unprecedented access to tools, mentors and information that can shape their futures beyond the limitations of geography, background or traditional metrics. A privilege that neither me or my dad had.
In my work with students, I notice that the key differentiators today are character, storytelling and fluency with modern tools, especially Artificial Intelligence career tools. When these attributes come together, they create a blend of preparation and presence.
Take, for instance, Nanak (name changed), one of our Computer Science and AI students from a Tier 3 town in Punjab. His father works at a local money exchange counter, and his mother runs the household. With a sharp mathematical insight guided by AI career mapping tools, Nanak set his sights on a Master's programme in engineering in Germany.
He taught himself German through open-access platforms, practised thesis writing using ChatGPT, Grok and Gemini, and prepared interview answers with Claude.ai. He designed his Applicant Tracking System-enabled résumé using Rezi, optimised it with Jobscan, and ran multiple interview simulations on Interview Warmup.
His research into universities was sharpened using Perplexity AI, and he used LinkedIn and You.com to gain just the right insights into institutional culture and faculty expertise.
When his application reached the scholarship committee, it stood out, not only for its completeness but for its clarity. It reflected thought, preparation and an intelligent sense of narrative. He wasn't just presenting grades; he was offering a compelling account of perseverance and self-driven learning, perfected by all the AI tools he used. Not surprisingly, Nanak was awarded a full scholarship by the German university.
This is emblematic of what recruiters and academic panels now look for. The ability to synthesise information, technology, articulate vision and present with confidence is as valuable as academic excellence. Employers no longer hire by checklists. They hire for growth potential and the capacity to engage with both people and technology thoughtfully.
Soft skills, once referred to as add-ons, have become central. And when supported by intelligent use of cutting-edge AI tools, students are now able to prepare faster and better, and craft and narrate their stories more effectively.
Interestingly, this transformation is occurring not just in major cities, but, in my opinion, more in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where AI tools are levelling the field. Students who once lacked access to premium training environments are now leveraging technology to master interview techniques, build portfolios, track market trends, decode job descriptions and personalise outreach.
What we are seeing is a new, democratised model of readiness. A student from Solapur or Siliguri can now compete with someone from South Delhi or South Bombay, not through privilege, but through preparation.
As hiring becomes more global, digital and contextual, the résumé itself is evolving. It is no longer just a catalogue of grades, but a living story of one's values, progress, and promise that checks all the right boxes of the recruitment shortlisting algorithm.
In our classrooms and career labs, this shift is visible. Students are increasingly reflective, more research-driven, and willing to speak about their challenges as learning moments rather than liabilities. The best interviews I've witnessed are not the most rehearsed, but the most honest. And the best-prepared students are not those who memorise answers, but those who ask better questions and leverage AI tools to practice their face-off with a recruiter.
None of this diminishes the value of the good, old degree. On the contrary, the degree remains an absolute foundational milestone. But its full power is realised when students intelligently add to it their ability to connect, communicate, adapt and articulate, skills that are further augmented by AI tools.
These are remarkable times for India's youth. They are not only competing in a faster market, they are entering it with smarter strategies.
The future, once seen as uncertain, now invites participation. With the right tools, communication skills, mindset and mentorship, students are not only becoming more employable, they are leading from the front.
More importantly, they now have their own stories and their own way of telling them.
The writer is professor of practice and director, Chitkara University