Wheebox Unveils India Skills Report 2024. The report states that:

"Impact of AI on the Future of Work, Skilling & Mobility." This eleventh edition, based on the extensive Wheebox National Employability Test (WNET) with 3.88 lakh participants and insights from 152 corporations, unfolds key highlights that underscore India's leadership in the AI domain.
The extensively insightful report reveals that India boasts a global leadership position in AI skill penetration and talent concentration, earning an impressive score of 3.09. With an installed talent base of 416K AI professionals as of August 2023, the nation is well-poised to meet the current demand of approximately 629K, a figure expected to surge to 1 million by 2026.

In India, the overall young employability has improved to 51.25% over the previous year. Among states with large talent pools, Haryana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Telangana have the highest concentration of highly employable youth. Specifically, Haryana leads with 76.47% of test takers scoring 60% and above on the WNET. In the age range of 22 to 25 years, Uttar Pradesh stands out with the highest talent concentration at 74.77%, followed closely by Maharashtra at 71.97%. Additionally, the overall employability rate within this age group across the top 10 cities is 63.58%.

Some other data points that can be used for your story as per your interest are the following:

Male/Female Employability: The ISR findings illuminate a significant rise in female participation in the workforce, surging from last year's 33% to an admirable 36%. This positive trajectory represents a noteworthy stride in fostering gender equality. While the Female Labour Force Participation Rate has risen to 37% in 2022-2023 from 23.3% in 2017-18, female employability has dropped. 50.86% of females were found to be highly employable resources nationwide, a drop from last year's 53.8% female employability ratio. Haryana was reported to have the highest concentration of highly employable females who are prepared for the workforce at 49.58%, while Andhra Pradesh state came in second with 39.96%.

Employability across domains: Percentage of candidates from the Information Technology domain were found to be highly employable with 68.44% scoring above 60% on the WNET test across all regions. Computer science graduates were second most employable with 66% in this domain found highly skilled.This is a promising statistic for India's IT industry's demands entering 2024. 64.67% of graduates in BE/BTech test takers were found highly employable while 64.63 MCA candidates were also found highly employable, identifying the talent availability of qualified engineering and computer applications talent among India's Youth.

Overall improvement in English communication: Karnataka is the state with the highest availability of English skills with 73.33%, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 68.75% and Kerala at 61.66% availability of English as a Second Language Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra follow closely, showcasing a diverse geographic spread of English proficiency.

Vocational education gathering steam: Andhra Pradesh is offering Vocational Training in 31 Engineering and non-engineering trades.In Gujarat, Vocational training is offered in 132 Engineering and non-engineering trades, comprising 79 trades in the NCVT pattern and 53 trades in the GCVT pattern

New age Industries adopting AI: Healthcare: AI is transforming healthcare through predictive analytics, personalized medicine, and improved diagnostics Automobile: Autonomous vehicles and AI-driven logistics are reshaping transportation and supply chain management
Legal: Predictive analytics assist in assessing case outcomes and legal risk, making legal services more efficient.

According to Mr. Nirmal Singh, Chief Convenor of India Skills Report, and Founder and CEO, Wheebox, "Today, as we unveil the India Skills Report 2024, I extend my deepest gratitude to all who contributed to this insightful exploration of our nation's AI landscape. India's potential to lead the global AI revolution is evident in the significant strides we've made, coupled with the vibrant IT landscape that defines us. Navigating this transformative journey requires addressing challenges with a focus on inclusion. Collaborative efforts among government bodies, businesses, and educational institutions are paramount, as witnessed in successful youth upskilling initiatives and advancements in our digital infrastructure."

He further added, "Investing in AI extends beyond technology; it signifies our commitment to a more inclusive and prosperous future. India's allure for foreign investments in IT and business catalyses our dreams of a digital tomorrow. The AI revolution is our call to shape a people-first economy, lead in innovation, and pioneer a future where technology and humanity harmoniously coexist. The government's commitment to AI-driven economic transformation is evident through proactive initiatives like the AI Task Force and NITI Aayog's 'National Strategy for AI.'"