Context:

• Higher education analytics firm QS Quacquarelli Symonds has released the QS World Future Skills Index 2027, according to which India has secured the 13th position globally in preparedness for the AI-driven economy.

Key Highlights:

• India achieved an overall score of 89.4 out of 100, making it the leading country among South Asian and Lower-Middle-Income nations.
• The ranking places India at the top among South Asian and lower-middle-income countries; however, the report highlights a growing gap between the rapidly evolving labour market and the quality of skills produced by Indian universities.
• India achieved a perfect score of 100 on QS’s Economic Capacity sub-indicator—the highest in the world—driven by sustained GDP growth, labour market investments, and aggressive infrastructure spending.
• India has remained the fastest-growing economy among G20 countries for three consecutive years, and AI-related investments reached USD 90 billion by February 2026.
• South Asia: India ranks first; the closest regional counterpart is Bangladesh, ranked 67th globally.
• Lower-Middle-Income Countries: India ranks first; the nearest country in this income category is the Philippines, ranked 38th globally.

Main Indicators (4 Pillars) of the Index:

• The index evaluates 89 economies based on four major pillars, each carrying a 25% weightage:
• Skills Alignment
• Academic Readiness
• Future of Work
• Economic Transformation

Top 15 Economies :

Rank Economy Overall Score (/100) Primary Strength

India’s Performance Across Indicators – QS World Future Skills Index 2027 :