Facts checked 29 September 2026 for the CAT 2026 cycle
WAT Topic: "Will AI create more jobs than it destroys?" - technology category, medium difficulty. Consider 2 perspectives for a balanced essay.
Reference the fall in headcount at India's top five IT services firms in FY 2025-26 and the World Economic Forum's estimate for 2030. State: displacement is real, but adaptation is possible.
Para 1: Historical pattern of technology creating jobs
Para 2: Why AI might be different (speed, breadth, entry-level work)
Para 3: Policy responses (reskilling, education reform, transition support)
AI will transform work more than it destroys it. Focus on transition support.
WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025: 170 million new jobs and 92 million displaced by 2030, a net gain of 78 million
The five largest Indian IT services firms together cut a net 6,981 jobs in FY 2025-26, after adding 12,718 in FY 2024-25; TCS alone shrank by 23,460 (Economic Times, April 2026)
Nasscom expects direct tech sector employment of about 6 million in FY 2025-26, up 2.3% (135,000 net additions)
Being too optimistic without acknowledging disruption
Being too pessimistic without acknowledging new opportunities
Blaming every layoff on AI; TCS said its 2025 restructuring was not driven by AI
Not mentioning India-specific implications (IT services)
Show awareness of India's IT sector vulnerability and the need for reskilling programs.
Rhetoric (4th Century BC)
Insight: Persuasion requires ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic) working together.
How to apply: Structure your WAT with logical arguments (logos), establish credibility through data/examples (ethos), and connect to human impact (pathos). IIM evaluators look for all three.
Made to Stick (2007)
Insight: Ideas that stick are Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, and tell Stories (SUCCESs).
How to apply: Open with an unexpected fact or angle. Use concrete examples, not abstractions. Ground arguments in credible data. Make it memorable.
The Sense of Style (2014)
Insight: Good writing is about showing the reader something in the world, not performing your knowledge.
How to apply: Don't write to impress—write to illuminate. Avoid jargon and pompous language. Show you understand the issue, don't just list points.
Politics and the English Language (1946)
Insight: Clear thinking leads to clear writing. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
How to apply: Prefer active voice. Cut unnecessary words. If you can cut a word, cut it. Clarity beats complexity in 200-word essays.
Values original thinking and nuanced positions over conventional wisdom.
Tip: IIMA loves contrarian but well-reasoned takes. Don't be afraid to challenge the premise of the topic itself.
Practical, business-oriented evaluation. Values structured thinking.
Tip: IIMB appreciates when you connect topics to business/management implications. Always include "so what" for managers.
Rigorous analytical approach. Values data and economic reasoning.
Tip: IIMC loves numbers. Include at least one relevant statistic. Show you understand economic trade-offs.
Balanced evaluation of content and expression.
Tip: IIML values clear structure. Use explicit transitions and signposting.
Ethics-focused, values human-centric perspectives.
Tip: XLRI's Jesuit heritage means they value ethical dimensions. Always consider the human/social impact angle.
There's no "right" stance. What matters is taking a clear position and defending it well. Show awareness of India's IT sector vulnerability and the need for reskilling programs.
Nobody outside the institute can say. IIMs set the essay topic on the day. This topic is tied to an issue that was current in September 2026, and the statistics on this page carry their source and date, so use it for practice.
Reference the fall in headcount at India's top five IT services firms in FY 2025-26 and the World Economic Forum's estimate for 2030. State: displacement is real, but adaptation is possible. Your body should cover: Para 1: Historical pattern of technology creating jobs; Para 2: Why AI might be different (speed, breadth, entry-level work); Para 3: Policy responses (reskilling, education reform, transition support).
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