Bhubaneswar: The digital revolution has arrived at the doorstep of Odisha's ambitious graduates, but it's not the welcome mat they expected. As artificial intelligence increasingly handles tasks once reserved for fresh college recruits, young professionals from the state are finding themselves in an unexpected battle for relevance in the modern job market.
Voices from the Ground
Priyanka Sahoo, a 2024 computer science graduate from a private university, Bhubaneswar, reflects the frustration felt by many: "I applied for a data entry position at a Bangalore startup, only to learn they had implemented an AI system that could process the same work in minutes rather than hours. The HR told me they no longer needed junior analysts for basic data processing."
The sentiment echoes across social media platforms where Odisha's youth are increasingly vocal about their experiences. Rahul Mohanty, a commerce graduate from Utkal University, shared on LinkedIn: "Three companies I interviewed with in the past month have automated their accounting entry processes. They're only hiring senior accountants now. Where does that leave freshers like us?"
From Bangalore's tech corridors, Sneha Patel, originally from Cuttack and now working in Karnataka's capital, observes: "Even in Bangalore, companies are using AI for resume screening, customer service, and basic coding tasks. My friends back in Bhubaneswar think moving to Bangalore guarantees tech jobs, but the reality is much more complex now."
The Changing Landscape
Dr. Amaresh Kumar, Head of Career Services at a top government college in Bhubaneswar, explains the shift: "Traditional entry-level positions in data processing, basic content creation, simple customer service, and routine administrative tasks are disappearing. AI can now handle these functions more efficiently and cost-effectively than human employees."
The impact extends beyond tech roles. Saumya Das, a journalism graduate from Bhubaneswar, discovered this firsthand: "Many media houses are using AI for basic news writing and social media management. The entry-level positions I was targeting simply don't exist anymore."
Expert-Recommended Upskilling Strategies
Career experts suggest specific paths for Odisha graduates to remain competitive:
1. AI Collaboration Skills"Learn to work with AI, not against it," advises Subhashree Mishra, HR Director at Confidence Motion Bhubaneswar. "Graduates should focus on prompt engineering, AI tool management, and human-AI workflow optimization."
2. Emotional Intelligence FocusBangalore-based career coach Vikram Pradhan, who mentors many Odisha professionals, emphasizes: "Jobs requiring empathy, complex problem-solving, and interpersonal skills remain AI-resistant. Customer relationship management, team leadership, and creative strategy roles are growing."
3. Specialized Technical Skills"Don't learn basic coding – learn AI model training, machine learning operations, and cybersecurity," suggests Rajesh Patnaik, Tech Lead at a Bhubaneswar-based startup. "These specialized skills are in high demand and harder for AI to replace."
Success Stories Emerging
Despite challenges, some Odisha graduates are thriving. Arpit Nayak from Berhampur leveraged AI tools to start his digital marketing consultancy: "Instead of competing with AI, I use it as my assistant. I can now handle projects that would have required a team of five people."
Similarly, Divya Swain from Sambalpur landed a role as an AI trainer at a Pune-based company: "I realized someone needs to teach AI systems about regional languages and cultural contexts. My Odia language skills became an asset."
The Path Forward
The consensus among experts is clear: adaptation rather than resistance. As Bhubaneswar's job market evolves, successful graduates are those who view AI as a tool to enhance rather than replace human capabilities.
