New Delhi [India], August 21 (ANI): Only 9 per cent of India's finance certification aspirants believe their current skills are enough to compete in an AI-driven job market, compared with 67 per cent of graduates globally, according to the Finance Talent Pulse 2026 study.
The study found that the gap in AI readiness was the widest difference between the two groups. About 56 per cent of Indian respondents said AI and automation were making it slightly or much harder to get their desired job. This was close to the 59 per cent of global graduates who saw AI as a barrier of some kind.
The study said the two groups are different, and therefore the comparison should be viewed as a directional signal rather than a statistical match.
However, only 9 per cent of Indian finance aspirants felt their skills were already ready for an AI-driven job market, compared with 67 per cent of global graduates.
The study also found limited practical use of AI among Indian respondents. Only 7 per cent said they regularly used AI tools for real financial analysis or modelling work, while 42 per cent said they had never used AI in real financial work.
More than a quarter, or 26 per cent, of respondents said their current exam preparation or coaching did not teach them how to use AI in finance.
Practical, hands-on experience emerged as the biggest concern among Indian finance aspirants, with 42 per cent ranking it as their top concern. This was followed by financial modelling at 35 per cent and AI tools at 18 per cent.
The study said the concern among Indian respondents was more about not having practical experience than competition from other candidates. Peer competition was the top concern for 16 per cent of global graduates, while 35 per cent cited a lack of work or internship experience.
The survey was conducted among 133 India-based CFA, FRM and CA candidates by SSEI and compared with the CFA Institute's 2026 Graduate Outlook Survey of 9,000 graduates across 11 countries.
Sanjay Saraf, Founder and Lead Educator, SSEI, said the gap showed that financial education needs to keep pace with changes in the workplace.
"This gap of 9 per cent vs 67 per cent reflects a deeper challenge that Indian youth face. The curriculum of financial courses and certifications does not match the pace of the world. The curriculum of financial courses and certifications does not match the pace of the world. Our methods of teaching are still not enough to create an AI-ready and AI-native workforce," Saraf said.
The study also found that 89 per cent of Indian respondents considered professional certification more valuable than a postgraduate degree for their careers, compared with 59 per cent of global graduates.
At the same time, 100 per cent of Indian respondents said continual upskilling was important, compared with 95 per cent of global graduates.
The findings point to the need for more practical AI training, applied exercises and real-world financial problem-solving in finance education, the study said. (ANI)
Only 9% of India's finance aspirants feel ready to compete in AI-driven job market: Study
