In the context of artificial intelligence (AI) reshaping the global job market, a new survey has revealed a remarkable trend as technology giants such as Apple, Nvidia and Zoho (Big Tech) are gradually prioritizing practical skills over the names of candidates' universities.
According to data published by Blind platform, an app for technology experts, about 34% of Apple, Nvidia and Zoho employees graduated from India'sTier-3) universities.
These schools are not in the prestigious group like IIT or IIM, which is considered the "cradle" of leading engineers and technology managers.
The survey was conducted with 1,602 Indian experts from September 17 to 24, 2025, showing that the place of graduation is no longer a factor that determines the career path in the technology industry.
Instead, technical capacity, adaptability and creativity are becoming core factors that help candidates recruit leading technology companies.
A Salesforce employee shared: C applyants from IIT/IIIT/NIT still have higher admission rates, but many companies are opening doors for those from small towns, as long as they demonstrate practical skills.
Meanwhile, an expert from Goldman Sachs admitted: companies are not just targeting IIT anymore. We are hunting for people who are willing to learn, regardless of their school background.
The data also shows that 18% of employees of large companies such as Google, Visa, Oracle and Atlassian come from Tier-3 schools, a significantly higher number than in the previous period.
In particular, only 15% of high school graduates said that their degrees bring clear benefits, while 74% of respondents said that the school's name is only helpful in the early stages of their career or is completely ineffective.
This trend reflects a profound change in the way global technology corporations recruit talent, especially when the AI industry is strongly transforming the labor structure.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicted that AI would eradicate some traditional occupations, but at the same time create a series of new jobs that require creativity skills and high technology understanding.
