Hyderabad: 

India ranks 89th globally in overall skill proficiency across business, technology, and data science domains, placing it in the Lagging quartile; but the country leads the world in terms of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) learner adoption, showcasing its preparedness to leverage AI for innovation and economic growth, according to Coursera's annual Global Skills Report.

Global rankings:

In the overall global skills ranking, European nations occupy nine of the top ten positions, with Switzerland maintaining its status at the top, followed by the Netherlands in second place and Sweden in third. Singapore, in fourth position, stands out as the leading skills hotspot in the APAC region, whereas Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan rank 13th, 14th, and 17th, respectively, securing their spots in the top 20.

In contrast, major Anglophone countries, such as the United Kingdom (22nd), Australia (23rd), and the United States (27th) rank lower. Peru at 45th spot is the highest-ranked nation in Latin America, with Uruguay (49th) also making it into the top 50.

Utilising data from its community of over 170 million learners, Coursera's 2025 report highlights where skill proficiency is increasing globally, where gaps still exist, and the factors influencing learner behaviour across more than 100 countries. It also includes the AI Maturity Index, which assesses how countries stack up in AI learning, research, and innovation.

As per the report, learners in this region identified cybersecurity as a significant global skills gap, with enrollments in this area from LATAM learners soaring by 129 per cent year-over-year (YOY).

India's position in the Global Skills Report:

As mentioned earlier, India ranks 89th in the overall skill proficiency, putting it in the bottom 25 per cent of countries. It ranks 86th in the technology domain, 88th in the data domain, and 90th in the business domain. The country ranks 46th in the AI Maturity Index. Within the Asia-Pacific region, India ranks 19th, indicating progress but still significant gaps compared to other countries globally.

Despite these challenges, India leads the world in Generative AI (GenAI) enrollments, with over 1.3 million enrollments recorded in 2024, showcasing its prominence in AI-related education. Interest in GenAI courses grew by 107 per cent YoY, but there is a gender gap as women make up only 30 per cent of learners in this field.

The United Arab Emirates, at 38th spot, leads the MENA region in skills ranking, closely followed by Qatar at 40th rank. Enrollments in GenAI surged by 344 per cent in the UAE and 165 per cent in Saudi Arabia YOY, reflecting the learner behaviour aligned with substantial investments in AI and other digital technologies throughout the region.

While India is making strides in AI education and digital learning, challenges in skill development and gender representation remain, the report highlights, adding that addressing these gaps could significantly boost workforce readiness for the evolving job market.

Organisations in India are aggressively adopting AI, with 96 per cent running AI programs. Mobile learning is on the rise, with 52 per cent of learners accessing content via phones. The median learner age is 31, which highlights active participation from working professionals in skill development.

Coursera learners in India have surged to 28.4 million, surpassing the combined learners across all European countries, reflecting the increasing demand for online learning. However, a severe talent gap remains in AI, machine learning, and data analytics, with a projected need for over one million roles by 2026. Key roles like Machine Learning Engineers and Data Scientists face a shortage of up to 73 per cent.

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