AI writes code now. Should my child still study computer science?

If your child enjoys it, yes, with open eyes. The WEF still expects software developers to be among the fastest-growing jobs, but the ILO finds a significant share of their tasks exposed to generative AI. The job is changing from writing every line to designing, reviewing and owning systems.

Will there be fewer entry-level IT jobs?

The work given to freshers is changing the most. Nasscom notes that hiring growth expectations are modest. Students who arrive with real projects, strong fundamentals and good communication will stand out.

Is JEE the only route?

No. State engineering tests, BCA and B.Sc. Computer Science through CUET UG or university tests, and later an MCA or M.Sc. are common routes. Skills and projects matter a lot in this field.

What should my child do in Class 9 or 10?

Learn one programming language by building small things they care about: a game, a school tool, a website. Use AI assistants, but make sure they understand every line they keep.

My child is good at maths but not interested in coding. Is that a problem?

Not at all. Many maths-strong students are happier in engineering, data, economics or research. Interest is the better guide.

Back to Future-proof careers

DharmaCode Agents · Future-proof careers

Software engineer

Still one of the fastest-growing jobs, and one of the most reshaped by AI. The work is moving from typing code to designing and checking systems.

Changing with AI

What the job is

Software engineers design, build, test and maintain the programs and systems that run phones, banks, hospitals, shops and governments. In India, they work in IT services firms, product companies, startups and global capability centres.

O*NET's task list for software developers includes analysing users' needs, designing and modifying software systems, testing and fixing errors, and working with other engineers to set requirements.

How AI is changing it

AI coding assistants now write, explain and test a lot of routine code. This is one of the occupations where generative AI's abilities have grown fastest.

Understanding what users really need, designing systems that are safe and reliable, reviewing AI-written code, and taking responsibility when it breaks are becoming the core of the job. Entry-level work is changing the most.

AI-resistance outlook

ChangingChanging with AI

Demand is expected to grow, but a significant share of tasks is exposed to generative AI. The job is being reshaped, and the skills that get hired are shifting.

What "Changing" means here: A large share of today's tasks is exposed to generative AI, so the job is being reshaped. Demand may still grow, but the skills that get hired are shifting.

Why we say this

The WEF lists Software and Applications Developers among the 15 fastest-growing jobs, and among the jobs with the largest expected growth in absolute numbers, to 2030. Source: World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025, Figures 2.2 and 2.4.
The ILO's 2025 index places Software Developers in Gradient 3, where a significant portion of tasks are consistently exposed to generative AI. It notes that software-related occupations saw rising exposure since 2023, and that these occupations also have a strong capacity to evolve and develop new tasks. Source: ILO Working Paper 140, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (2025), Table A1 and Section 9.
Nasscom reports that India's tech industry added 126K net employees in FY25, to a base of 5.80 million, with IT services expanding AI-led delivery. It also notes that hiring growth expectations remain modest, with 45% of providers expecting increased hiring. Source: Nasscom, Technology Sector in India: Strategic Review 2025.

No one can promise how any career will look in ten or twenty years. This is our reading of the sources above, not a forecast for your child.

Skills to build in school

Mathematics, especially logic and problem-solving.
Programming in at least one language, through real projects rather than only courses.
Reading and reviewing code, including code written by AI.
Explaining technical ideas in plain words.
Understanding a field beyond computing, such as health, finance or education, so your child can build for real users.

Exams and paths in India

JEE Main and JEE Advanced
For B.Tech in computer science and related branches at NITs, IIITs, IITs and many other colleges.
Official site: jeemain.nta.nic.in
State engineering tests
Most states run their own entrance tests for engineering colleges.
BCA or B.Sc. Computer Science
Three or four-year degrees, often followed by an MCA or M.Sc. Central universities admit through CUET UG.
Official site: cuet.nta.nic.in

Rules, dates and eligibility change every year. Always check the official site before applying.

Who tends to enjoy this work

O*NET gives software developers the interest code IC:

Investigative: working with ideas, research and problems that need thinking through.
Conventional: organised work with data, records and clear procedures.

These are O*NET's Holland interest types for the occupation, from its Software Developers page. DharmaCode's own quiz and report do not use this test.

Closest DharmaCode pattern: The Builder.

Choosing a stream first? Read how to choose a stream after Class 10, or see a sample report with ten ranked careers for one child.

Ask the DharmaCode Agent

Questions parents ask about this career. These answers were written in advance by the DharmaCode team in the voice of a DharmaCode Agent. They are not generated live.

AI writes code now. Should my child still study computer science?: DharmaCode AgentIf your child enjoys it, yes, with open eyes. The WEF still expects software developers to be among the fastest-growing jobs, but the ILO finds a significant share of their tasks exposed to generative AI. The job is changing from writing every line to designing, reviewing and owning systems.
Will there be fewer entry-level IT jobs?: DharmaCode AgentThe work given to freshers is changing the most. Nasscom notes that hiring growth expectations are modest. Students who arrive with real projects, strong fundamentals and good communication will stand out.
Is JEE the only route?: DharmaCode AgentNo. State engineering tests, BCA and B.Sc. Computer Science through CUET UG or university tests, and later an MCA or M.Sc. are common routes. Skills and projects matter a lot in this field.
What should my child do in Class 9 or 10?: DharmaCode AgentLearn one programming language by building small things they care about: a game, a school tool, a website. Use AI assistants, but make sure they understand every line they keep.
My child is good at maths but not interested in coding. Is that a problem?: DharmaCode AgentNot at all. Many maths-strong students are happier in engineering, data, economics or research. Interest is the better guide.

A lesson from the texts

"there he made a clay-image of Drona, and began to worship it respectfully, as if it was his real preceptor, and practised weapons before it with the most rigid regularity."

Mahabharata, Adi Parva, section 134 (Ekalavya), translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883 to 1896). Public domain.

Ekalavya learnt without a seat in the class, by practising daily in front of a clay image of his teacher. Software is one of the few fields where a teenager with discipline and free tools can teach themselves a great deal, and where that practice shows.

Data analystAI outlook: Changing

See all 20 careers

Sources on this page

O*NET describes jobs in the United States, and the WEF and ILO figures are global. Training and licensing in India differ, so treat these as signals, not certainties. This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor.