Subroto Bagchi calls for immediate overhaul of India’s vocational ecosystem

Bengaluru Subroto Bagchi, chairman of Karnataka’s Vision Group for Skill Development, called for an immediate overhaul of India’s vocational ecosystem on Wednesday (November 4), warning that the nation cannot become a developed economy without addressing systemic wage disparity, class prejudice, and the severe underrepresentation of women in technical trades. Speaking at the Bengaluru Skill Summit, Mr.

Bagchi, who also co-founded IT firm Mindtree, urged stakeholders to transition from statutory minimum wages to “sustainable wages” for skilled labourers. He noted that while the Karnataka government mandated a monthly minimum wage of ₹19,000-20,000 for semi-skilled workers back in 2016, entry-level Industrial Training Institute (ITI) graduates today are routinely paid starkly lower rates of ₹8,000 to ₹12,000, often through cash-only deals with small and medium enterprises that strip away long-term benefits.

Mr. Bagchi pointed to Silicon Valley, where specialised vocations like nurse anaesthetists earn more than computer scientists at the entry level.