Introduction:
Community discussions mainly revolve around the debate between Generative and Specialist AI, the fatigue among prompt engineers, and the entry-level job crisis. The latter is worsening as AI tools increasingly replace roles traditionally held by new graduates. Additionally, there is ongoing debate about the future cost-effectiveness of LLMs and APIs, especially given recent advancements like Loop engineering technology that overshadow earlier topics.
In our previous article, we emphasised that a mindset fixated on securing an IT job solely by mastering an engineering degree, syntax, or scripts is limited and closed-minded. With AI and generative tools handling coding, and the launch of Viva Coding encouraging non-coders to do tasks that once required an engineer, this breaks the long-standing paradox. Basic coding is now an added advantage, since your performance is vetted against GitHub submissions, and coding and scripts can now be drafted by even school-age children. The modern world needs IT engineers who can work with these AI systems and design robust programs and architecture to handle more complex tasks in less time.
6 Skills every fresher needs to excel in 2026:
To stand out and engage proactively in the evolving job market, avoid being a mute spectator. Instead, concentrate on developing key skills and building a foundation for future-ready abilities that will set you apart from the 120,000 other freshers competing for only 10,000 jobs. The list below outlines the skills currently in high demand, based on the latest training and hiring trends of Indian companies as of September 2026.
1. AI Fluency- Not Just ‘Knowing About AI,’ But Building With It
Learning about AI is essential for newcomers in the field and will be the key differentiator in 2026. As a beginner, shift your perspective from viewing AI as just a tool to seeing it as a coworker you need to manage. When you look at mass-layoff news, it’s clear companies aren't dismissing employees who understand AI - they are letting go of those who can't leverage AI as a search engine and collaborative partner. IT companies are not inquiring, ‘Do you know what ChatGPT is?’ but rather, ‘How can you use ChatGPT to enhance your workflow, increase productivity, and boost company revenue?’
- What to learn in AI: Prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), fine-tuning open models, working with the Anthropic and OpenAI APIs, LLM evaluation, and increasingly, agentic AI (while it is an advanced skill, but it is a must-have skill to secure a job in 2026-27), building AI systems that can plan and execute multi-step tasks, not just answer questions.
- Real Example: TCS developed its own platform, TCS AI Wisdom Next, to accelerate the deployment of GenAI for both its employees and clients. Conversely, Infosys involves its staff in creating AI agents and smaller internal language models instead of relying solely on ready-made tools. Meanwhile, students at Academic Mantra Services are gaining experience with advanced AI tools like Antigravity, Claude Code, Codex, and others, reflecting ongoing developments in the IT industry.
- Why it matters for freshers specifically: Naukri’s own data shows AI/ML roles grew 34% year-on-year even in months when overall IT hiring was flat or falling.
2. Cloud and DevOps- The One Segment that is still Growing
While generic IT support roles are shrinking, cloud infrastructure is one of the few segments that grew through the slowdown, around 20% year-on-year, according to recent hiring trend reports. If you are a recent graduate, you should bag at least one solid AWS or Azure certification and basic Kubernetes/CI/CD exposure, since it’s closer to what knowing HTML was in 2005. It is table stakes.
- What to learn: AWS or Azure certifications (even one solid cert carries real weight), Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code (Terraform), and basic security-by-design practices.
- Why: NASSCOM projects cloud could contribute 8% of India's GDP by 2026 and generate 1.4 crore new jobs across the ecosystem. This isn't a shrinking pocket; it's one of the few expanding ones.
3. Cybersecurity:
Cybersecurity is considered a boring domain, and this is exactly why you should learn it. As companies automate more with AI, they're also more exposed to newer cyber threats, such as prompt injection and model security. Interestingly, these problems did not exist three years ago, so if you want an edge in your career as a fresher, then you should opt for cybersecurity.
- What to learn: cloud security fundamentals, basic penetration testing, security compliance frameworks, and increasingly, how to secure AI systems themselves (prompt injection defence, model security), a niche that barely existed three years ago.
4. AR/VR and Spatial Computing- A Genuinely Underserved Niche
This is where ‘koi gyan nahi, real data’ truly matters. Most people overlook this, making it a smart choice to focus on. Every day, many students approach us uncertain about which career to pursue in IT. They often express interest in AI tools, data analysis, or cloud computing, but surprisingly, very few, especially in North India, mention Unity, Unreal, or Spatial computing- even though India’s XR industry is expected to reach $6.8 billion by 2028.
The AVGC-XR government task force predicts the sector could generate approximately 20 lakh direct and indirect jobs in the coming decade. Maharashtra has already approved a ₹3,268 crore AVGC-XR policy, with Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana following suit.
- Real companies hiring here: Wipro is building spatial computing solutions for energy and automotive clients. Tech Mahindra runs dedicated XR and metaverse innovation labs. Google continues to run AR/VR developer internship programs requiring Unity, Unreal Engine, and computer vision skills.
- What to learn: Unity (C#) or Unreal Engine (C++), basic 3D math, computer vision fundamentals, and WebXR for browser-based immersive apps. Entry-level VR developer salaries in Tier-1 Indian cities currently range ₹3.5–6 LPA, with senior XR roles reaching well beyond that.
Why Academic Mantra Experts Recommend it: Qualified AR/VR professionals are still scarce relative to open roles, and recruiters report most applicants have only done self-paced courses and never actually deployed a working app to a headset. A working portfolio here stands out far more than in oversaturated fields like generic web development.
5. Data and Analytics Beyond the Basics
Proficiency in SQL and Excel is now considered basic knowledge, as many entry-level candidates and interns already possess these skills. Employers are increasingly seeking candidates experienced with data pipeline tools, applied machine learning (beyond just theoretical knowledge), and the ability to interpret data into actionable business insights. This extends beyond mere dashboard creation; it involves helping businesses understand their data and uncover new insights from raw datasets. Since AI tools now handle data sorting, the role of humans has shifted to identifying errors in AI processes, supervising the tools, and recognising patterns that AI might overlook.
6. The Non-Technical Skill Companies Keep Repeating: Judgment
Building on our previous point, across every hiring report referenced above, one pattern repeats: companies are not just cutting headcount; they're cutting routine headcount and keeping people who can identify errors in AI-generated code, explain technical trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders, and make a judgment call an AI can't yet make on its own. This is not a "soft skill" anymore; it's becoming the actual job description for entry-level IT roles.
How have expectations for a fresher evolved?
The old fresher path was: learn a language and wait for training, apply to 200 companies with same CV, rely on a degree to open doors and learn to code.
However, the new fresher path has changed, as now freshers should Build 2–3 deployed projects using AI, cloud, or XR tools before graduating and build their portfolio to prepare for interviews.
Now, don’t apply for 200 companies with the same CV, Target 10–15 companies (especially GCCs) with a portfolio that matches their actual stack. Your CV should be ATS friendly and instead of plain black and white CV, try building a real portfolio showcasing your skills. If you are confused how to build a real portfolio, Academic Mantra Services experts can help you.
Now, the fresher can not reply on the degree to open the doors, reply on demonstrated, real-life skills to get the job interviews and land real jobs.
Now, the students don’t need to code, now students must learn to code with AI and know how to catch what it gets wrong.
Bottom line for students already in the pipeline: you don’t need to panic, and you don’t need to switch out of IT. You need to stop preparing for the IT job market of 2020 and start building the specific, demonstrable skills, such as AI, cloud, security, or XR, that the job market of 2026-2027 is actually paying for.
Where Do You Actually Learn These Skills? That's Where Academic Mantra Services Comes In
Reading about AI, cloud, and XR skills is one thing, actually building a portfolio in them is another. Since these skills are not yet taught in schools and colleges, students often rely on open-source, free video courses on YouTube and Coursera. While these courses are good for gathering basic insights, for personailised and professional skill building, you can reach out to Academic Mantra Services (AMS), a live, AI-integrated skill-training institute based in Chandigarh and Mohali.
- AI-integrated training across in-demand fields: AMS runs live, practical programs in Digital Marketing, SEO, Graphic Design, HR, Content Writing, Data Analysis, Videography, and a dedicated IT Training Program, including full-stack, AI, cybersecurity, every track built around working with real AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude, not just theory.
- Multiple paths depending on where you are: We have 24-month Diploma Courses for deep, long-term expertise and 2–8 week Crash Courses for fast skill upgrades; a Basic Industrial Training track for freshers and college students who want hands-on internship exposure alongside their degree; and Professional Courses for career-ready, placement-focused learners. You can choose a program based on your specific requirements.
- You train on the real industry stack, Laravel, PHP & MySQL, React, Git & GitHub, Google Analytics 4, Codex, Meta Ads Manager, Figma, Premiere Pro, Microsoft Clarity, Antigravity, ClaudeCode, and more, not dummy software. You work on live tools from day 1.
- 100% placement support is built into every track, with live client projects, portfolio development, and interview preparation, and recruiters from brands like Google, Infosys, Accenture, Croma, and Max Healthcare are directly tied up to us via our sister company, Job Suraksha, which is a new-age job portal providing job support to candidates and employers PAN India.
- We have launched over 10,000 careers so far through the programs.
Skill first is our only policy. Our IT training programs focus on helping students pursue courses that boost their chances of securing immediate employment. We emphasise full-stack development skills, covering both front-end and back-end workflows, and offer hands-on experience creating back-end dashboards. This enables students to build a GitHub portfolio, access agentic workflows, and understand cybersecurity systems that monitor AI misuse and related issues.
The Bottom Line:
Learning is no longer limited to schools and colleges, as information is now accessible everywhere. We still face the challenge that many rely on traditional degrees, with ageing programs and skills often being secondary to their preferences. Although the government is increasingly integrating vocational courses into the mainstream academic curriculum, much work remains - there is a long way to go before we sleep.’ We encourage students to pursue our recommended skill programs, such as Data Mining, AI, ML, IT courses with AI viva coding, digital marketing tools, SEO/AEO/GEO for organic and brand growth, content writing, graphics, videography, and HR and finance courses like Indian and foreign accounting and stock trading. The courses focus on practical skills that prepare students for immediate employment. Our programs are designed to make you job-ready from day one, connecting you directly to employment opportunities through our official platforms. All our programs are backed by 100% job placement.