Coders and software developers poised to call the shots

For Aradhya Awasthi, a sixth standard student in Delhi-NCR, coding is being creative, having fun and learning to be innovative. For Tanmit Kaur, who is in standard nine, learning coding helps open new career avenues and create solutions to solve real-life problems.

As the demand for skilled coders and software developers skyrocket, especially in the age of generative AI (aka ChatGPT) and other next-gen technologies, Indian girls are not far behind and are now learning the ropes to become world-class coders.

"I am fascinated by algorithm-based careers like in the world of finance. Coding has not only instilled confidence in me but has also given me a fresh career option, which I might explore later in life to build innovative solutions to solve real-life problems," said Kaur, a student at Noida-based Indraprastha Global School.

Amid widespread tech layoffs, developers are the most sought-after professionals in India, especially those who can design, develop and maintain the front-end and back-end of a web application, according to job portal Indeed.

Developers today make up five of the top 10 job roles. The positions that have seen the highest growth since pre-pandemic are data engineer (353 per cent), site reliability engineer (260 per cent), assistant engineer (254 per cent), application developer (235 per cent) and cloud engineer (220 per cent).

There are 45,000 Artificial Intelligence (AI) job openings in India, with data scientists and Machine Learning (ML) engineers as the frontrunners, according to the latest report by TeamLease Digital, a tech staffing firm.

Parul Malhotra, a senior software development engineer with global leading web and mobile app development company GeekyAnts, became a developer as she loved the idea of solving real-world issues through programming.

"I have built a few world-class web apps in the last three years and worked with people from across the globe. Coding has provided me a way to solve problems, contribute to technological advancements and communicate with people from different countries and backgrounds," she said.

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, coding is the only global language and he wishes that more Indian students, including girls, learn coding while at school so that they can create world-class products.

"Coding is the only global language. It is a way to express oneself. Arguably, we need more of that to bring the world closer," Cook, who has always emphasised that coding should be taught as early as elementary school, had told this correspondent in April.

Indore's Asmi Jain, 20, has been selected among the winners of Apple's 'WWDC23 Swift Student Challenge', for creating original apps using the Swift coding language. At Medi-Caps University, she came to know that her friend's uncle had to undergo brain surgery. As a result, he was left with eye misalignment and facial paralysis.

Jain sprang into action, designing her winning playground to track a user's eye movements as they try to follow a ball moving around the screen.

"It was important for me to create an app playground that could positively impact the lives of people like him," said Jain.

According to her, coding lets her create things that help her friends and the community.

"It gives me a sense of independence that is also empowering," she added.

According to Mohit Thukral, an alumnus of Stanford University and Director, Indraprastha Global School, technology will the mathematics of the 21st century.

"Every student will have to learn a certain level of knowledge of technology, coding, and others. Technology is an enabler and introduction of skill-based courses such as design thinking, robotics, coding and AI in school is just the beginning," he said.

Nikita Tomar Mann, principal of the school, said that it is a fallacy that coding is a skill only required by those who choose the career of a coder or software programmer.

"For citizens of the new world order, coding will be a vital 'Life Skill'. Creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving are touted as some of the skills of the 21st century, and one of the best ways to master these skills is to learn coding right from schooling years," she emphasised.

According to Parul, coding should be a part of the curriculum for students as it can equip them with logical and algorithmic thinking skills.

"They can solve problems better and also build new apps to showcase their creativity," she added.