HR Round Table 2025

The Skills Oracle: Enhancing Indian Employability for Accelerating Global Impact

Driving India’s employability transformation requires a visionary approach that identifies emerging trends, crafts strategic pathways, and inspires innovation to align with global standards. As industries evolve in a technology-driven world, India’s workforce must be equipped with future-ready skills to ensure its competitive edge in the global economy. This requires bridging gaps between academia and industry, fostering adaptability, resilience, and technical expertise. By empowering institutions and industries to embrace change, India can accelerate its global impact, nurturing talent that excels in technological and market-driven domains. To explore how India can strengthen its role in the global landscape, the School of Leadership and Management (SLM), Manav Rachna Educational Institutions is organizing the annual flagship event- HR Round Table 2025 on February 15, 2025. The 2025 edition is the fourth in the series of this landmark initiative which brings together thought leaders to deliberate upon innovative strategies in the disruptive era of business transformation and sustainable growth. The event is set to unfold with an insightful keynote address, followed by three powerful sessions to explore the challenges and opportunities for enhancing employability in India for accelerating global impact. The culmination of the event will be with a valedictory address, summing up the day’s deliberations and highlighting the key takeaways.

1. The CXO Panel: “Myths and Realities of the Employability Crisis in India’’
The discussion on “Myths and Realities of the Employability Crisis in India” will delve into the complex factors shaping the country’s workforce challenges. While many perceive the crisis as simply a result of skill gap, deeper issues such as a disconnect between educational outcomes and industry requirements, rapid technological advancements and shifting market dynamics are also determining factors. The conversation will uncover common misconceptions, offering a more nuanced understanding of the employability landscape. The discussion will highlight actionable strategies for bridging gaps, enhancing workforce readiness, and aligning talent development with the demands of a fast-evolving global economy.

2. The Gen Z Panel: “Entitlement vs Enhancement - Discretionary Efforts for Future Readiness”
The role of Gen Z for ushering in technological progress and transformation cannot be undermined. In this pursuit, they often grapple with the conflict of entitlement and enhancement. As a notion, entitlement can be understood as the belief that equal opportunity and inclusivity automatically imply accomplishment, merit, or credit. How does Gen Z reconcile the push for self-directed upward mobility with their aspirations for an ecosystem that offers them opportunity? Is this type of mindset the very thing that dilutes the significance of hard work and perseverance?

Enhancement embraces learning, innovation, and active effort to unlearn, learn and succeed. While Gen Z deserves commendation for its creativity and tech-savvy mindset, how frequently does this lead to a voluntary effort that exceeds the minimum requirement?

This conversation envisages to shed light on the critical need for Gen Z to accept change and to keep upgrading oneself in order to be future-ready for the transforming world of work.

3. The Leadership Debate: “Leveraging the Power of AI to drive Upskilling”
The rise of AI poses critical questions about leadership in this transformative era. What does it mean to be a leader in the age of AI, and how can leaders drive large-scale change effectively? AI is revolutionizing workforce development by providing scalable, personalized upskilling solutions. With intelligent tutoring systems and adaptive learning platforms, AI has the potential to identify skills gaps, tailor learning pathways, offer real-time feedback and enhance learner engagement and retention. Leveraging AI for upskilling not only addresses current skill shortages but also fosters a culture of lifelong learning, driving innovation and productivity of the workforce. By implementing AI while maintaining a human-centric approach, leaders can guide organizations and societies through the challenges and opportunities of this technological revolution.

The debate will revolve around the all-pervasive and multifaceted role of AI, building an appreciation for technology while recognizing human capital.

The upcoming HR Round Table on February 15, 2025, promises to explore, discover, and throw light on these issues with deeper insights and innovative solutions drawing on cutting-edge best and next practices. It’s about understanding AI as an emerging reality and crafting strategic pathways to enhance skills and employability towards global standards.

In the earlier three editions of the HR Round Table, industry practitioners, academics, and students came together in exciting and interactive sessions. 

The first edition of the HR Round Table, held in Nov. 2021, explored the theme of “Emerging Paradigms of Leadership’. The Keynote address was delivered by Mr. Ashok Taneja, Managing Director & Chief Mentor, Shriram Pistons & Rings Ltd. It was followed by panel discussions on Value Based Leadership, Women on Board: Creating a Level Playing Field, and Entrepreneurial Leadership. 

The second HR Round Table held in April 2023 was devoted to the theme: ‘Antidote to the Great Resignation’.  The Keynote address was given by Mr. Rajit Mehta, Managing Director and CEO of Max India, and Antara Senior Care, followed by panel discussions on Employee Priorities#Remapped, Reimagining Work Design, Online Offline Balance Decoded, and Democratizing Digital Transformation. 

The third edition of the HR Round Table, held in Feb. 2024, explored the theme of: ‘Future Ready: Decoding the Way Forward’. The Keynote address was delivered by Mr. Ajey Mehta, Former CEO of NOKIA Mobiles (APAC), Partner, SVP India, followed by four powerful panel discussions on The Future of Work (Work, Workplace, and Workforce), Skilling ‘Ahead of Time’: The Role of Higher Education, Managing a Multigenerational Workforce and Bringing ESG to Life. The day ended with an emphatic closing address by Ms. Preeti Bajaj, CEO of Luminous Power Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

The HR Round Table 2025 will carry forward the high standards of excellence set in the earlier three editions to provide an exciting interactive and value-added experience.