The Paradox of Skilled Unemployment: Understanding Underemployment among Engineering Graduates

Abstract

Underemployment among engineering graduates remains a critical challenge in India, where the rapid expansion of technical education has not been matched by sufficient job opportunities. This study employs a survey-based approach, analyzing responses from 100 engineering graduates in Kerala and using Chi-Square tests to identify key factors influencing underemployment. The findings indicate that demographic factors, academic performance, and institution type do not significantly impact underemployment. However, participation in internships and skill development programs significantly reduces underemployment, highlighting the importance of practical experience and industry-aligned training. Major challenges include skill mismatches, weak industry-academia collaboration, outdated curricula, and inadequate career guidance. To address these issues, the study recommends mandatory internships, expanded skill development programs, improved career counseling, and stronger industry partnerships. Additionally, government interventions such as hiring incentives and structured employer-academia collaboration are essential to bridging the education-employment gap. These insights contribute to ongoing discussions on education reform and employability, emphasizing the need for systemic changes to ensure engineering education leads to meaningful careers.