India’s Energy Jobs Rise Amid Employment Anxiety

Concerns about technology reducing employment remain widespread across India. Multiple workforce surveys indicate that a substantial proportion of employees are concerned about job security, particularly in white-collar and routine roles. These concerns have shaped public debate around employment, even as official data points to strong hiring activity in specific sectors.

At the same time, employment in the energy sector has continued to rise. The International Energy Agency (IEA), in its World Energy Employment 2025 report, states that the global energy workforce reached approximately 76 million people in 2024, with employment growth in the energy sector running at nearly twice the pace of overall global job growth. Electricity-related roles accounted for the largest share of this expansion.

India recorded close to 6 % growth in energy jobs in 2024, placing it among the fastest-growing energy labour markets globally. The increase has been driven by rising electricity demand, urbanisation, and large-scale renewable energy deployment. This growth has taken place alongside continued public concern about job losses linked to technological change, creating a contrast between employment data and workforce sentiment.

How India’s Electricity Sector Is Adding Jobs

Job creation in India’s electricity sector spans a wide range of activities linked to physical infrastructure. Employment growth has been reported across solar and wind installations, transmission network expansion, battery manufacturing, and electric-vehicle charging infrastructure.

Large renewable projects in states such as Rajasthan and Gujarat require workers for panel installation, cabling, site preparation, and ongoing maintenance. Transmission expansion projects involve tower construction, line stringing, and substation work, all of which depend on trained personnel working on site. Battery manufacturing facilities and energy storage projects also employ technicians, engineers, and operations staff.

Many of these roles involve tasks that require physical presence, adherence to safety protocols, and manual execution. Grid construction, equipment repair, and field maintenance continue to be performed by workers rather than automated systems. Machinery and digital tools are used for planning, diagnostics, and monitoring, but installation and repair activities remain labour-intensive.

Government data shows that domestic manufacturing initiatives have also contributed to employment. Production-linked incentive programmes for solar module manufacturing have resulted in tens of thousands of jobs across multiple states, including Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. These positions span assembly, quality control, logistics, and plant operations.

Skills Mismatch Raises Workforce Concerns

While energy employment has expanded, reports point to a mismatch between available skills and job requirements. The IEA has identified shortages in roles such as electricians, grid technicians, solar installers, and engineers with combined field and technical capabilities.

Many newer roles require workers who can read diagnostic outputs, interpret technical data, and operate safely around complex electrical systems. Employers report difficulty filling positions that require both hands-on experience and familiarity with digital monitoring equipment used in modern power systems.

This gap is evident across several segments of the electricity workforce, including renewable energy installation, grid operations, and energy storage facilities. Training institutions and certification systems have not expanded at the same pace as infrastructure deployment, contributing to recruitment challenges.

At the same time, workforce surveys in India show that anxiety about job security remains high. Studies reported by national media indicate that a large share of workers believe technology will affect employment prospects, particularly in administrative and repetitive roles. These concerns persist even as sectors such as energy continue to add jobs requiring manual and technical skills.

The coexistence of rising employment in infrastructure-heavy sectors and continued concern about job security illustrates the uneven nature of India’s labour market, where job creation and workforce anxiety exist at the same time across different parts of the economy.