The reason India does not have enough awesome developers

A never-ending debate is that about the quality of Indian software developers. It is said that most developers around the world begin coding at a ridiculously young age. However, it will surprise many to know that in India, only one in ten start coding before the age of 15. The number is three out of ten elsewhere!

See the difference? Hence, we have always heard time and again that Indian software developers are ok-to-mediocre coders, are not technically competent, and most times, clueless.

Robert Baptiste, a French hacker who challenged UIDAI's security (the agency that issues Aadhaar) in 2018 tweeted,

“I use to work with Indian developers and sometimes it’s very painful. Seriously, you are a senior developer and you don’t know how to use Git? You are a backend developer and you don’t know how to do a curl request?” (sic)

Baptiste explained his statement in subsequent tweets. He stated the core problem of Indian developers was that they lacked curiosity. He further added that not knowing something is no biggie, but then one needs to be curious.

"Sometimes, the candidates are googling basic questions during the interview," he tweeted. "Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of good developers in India and it's ok to don't know something. But at least, if you don't know something to be curious, try to learn it and understand. The lack of curiosity is really a blocker for me." (sic)

It is a well-known fact that a significant percentage of people working for technology giants across the globe are none other than Indians. They are considered high-quality resources there.

Also, the country houses top colleges and universities for computer programming, such as IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, BITS Pilani, IIIT Hyderabad, and others.

So why are Indian software developers considered bad? Is the scenario different only in their motherland and not elsewhere? Let’s dig deeper:

Inefficient education system

Of course, the Indian education system doesn't help. It is only focused on exams and knowledge is not a priority. Schools and colleges aim to mold students with high scores.

Hence, a good percentage of students mug up textbooks. Most teachers rely on books, giving students little or no practical experience.

An engineering student, on average, has to study more than 40 subjects in 8 semesters; this equals almost 6,000 hours of classes and more than 300,000 pages of information.

Of the 6,000 hours, only around 500 hours are spent on hands-on lab work. If students read so many books but don’t get practical experience, what can they learn?

Also, students are mostly forced to take tests that reflect retention and not actual understanding.

It is said that the amount of new technical data doubles every 2 years. However, most educational institutions still teach outdated technologies. Students starting a 4-year engineering degree may find that half of what they learn in year one is obsolete by year three.

Research says around 1.5 million engineers graduate every year in India, with 80% not employable. Then some become teachers—thus continues the vicious cycle!

Fault in hiring processes

Going by current hiring patterns, it doesn’t seem like most companies prioritize coding talent.

Rudimentary coding knowledge and a degree suffice for many jobs, and many “graduates” end up warming benches at plush offices.

Developer hiring at scale is often reduced to shortlisting based on academic performance, a FizzBuzz test (read technical interview tips – beyond FizzBuzz), and simple pen-and-paper code exercises.

Individual assessment is ideal but not feasible at scale. Some IT companies in India hire 3,000–5,000 students from a single college.

So individually assessing each candidate becomes unthinkable. But if companies want good coders, they need to start with better hiring processes—asking the right questions is essential.

The customary, “How would you rate yourself in XYZ language?” doesn’t work outside the context of real-world problems.

Coder by profession not passion

Most engineers choose IT because it’s seen as a desirable white-collar job. Many end up in engineering due to parental or peer pressure.

Even non-IT background students opt for IT jobs due to salary prospects. Lacking passion, they work just for the paycheck.

Many such employees work mechanically, unaware of what they’re really doing—leading to stagnation in skills and innovation.

Passion fuels quality work. A coder who never programs outside their job, runs side projects, or explores tech events is unlikely to improve significantly.

Lack of opportunity to work on cutting-edge tech

The Indian IT industry is largely service-based. It comprises companies that work on products already created by clients, offering testing, database, and support services.

This leaves little room for R&D or innovation. Service companies work under strict deadlines with fixed client specs, reducing developer flexibility.

Coders are trained to maintain existing technologies instead of creating new ones, unlike in product-based companies that encourage exploration and innovation.

Clearly, there’s a link between these factors and the quality of developers in India. Maybe it's the curse of rudimentary methods, or maybe experienced devs think the old ways are “good enough.”

But there’s reason for hope—“change is the only constant.”

Many talented developers in India are underutilized. The industry must foster a growth mindset and support communities that encourage learning and development.

Companies should promote participation in such communities to help developers break out of their comfort zones.

How to find a good software developer in India?

First, define what makes a good developer. A good developer:

Asks questions
Has good communication skills
Is honest
Is responsive
Keeps deadlines
Maintains integrity
Suggests improvements
Takes ownership of requirements
And most importantly, knows how to code

Read more on how universities can use online assessment platforms for students HERE.

Look for talent in specialized forums like StackOverflow and GitHub. These platforms attract developers who enjoy sharing and solving problems.

Coding platforms like HackerEarth help connect with a 2.5M+ developer community that participates in challenges to improve their skills.

Meanwhile, check out HackerEarth Recruit, a platform that enables efficient technical screening, helping companies build strong tech teams.

With a library of over 15,000 questions, tech leads and even non-tech recruiters can assess developers at scale for virtually any technical role.

(Also read – Advantages of using online assessments for students)

Revolutionizing Mobile Talent Hiring: The HackerEarth Advantage

The demand for mobile applications is exploding, but finding and verifying developers with proven, real-world skills is more difficult than ever. Traditional assessment methods often fall short, failing to replicate the complexities of modern mobile development.

Introducing a New Era in Mobile Assessment

At HackerEarth, we're closing this critical gap with two groundbreaking features, seamlessly integrated into our Full Stack IDE:

Now, assess mobile developers in their true native environment. Our enhanced Full Stack questions now offer full support for both Java and Kotlin, the core languages powering the Android ecosystem. This allows you to evaluate candidates on authentic, real-world app development skills, moving beyond theoretical knowledge to practical application.

Say goodbye to setup drama and tool-switching. Candidates can now build, test, and debug Android and React Native applications directly within the browser-based IDE. This seamless, in-browser experience provides a true-to-life evaluation, saving valuable time for both candidates and your hiring team.

Assess the Skills That Truly Matter

With native Android support, your assessments can now delve into a candidate's ability to write clean, efficient, and functional code in the languages professional developers use daily. Kotlin's rapid adoption makes proficiency in it a key indicator of a forward-thinking candidate ready for modern mobile development.

Breakup of Mobile development skills ~95% of mobile app dev happens through Java and Kotlin — This chart illustrates the importance of assessing proficiency in both modern (Kotlin) and established (Java) codebases.

Streamlining Your Assessment Workflow

The integrated mobile emulator fundamentally transforms the assessment process. By eliminating the friction of fragmented toolchains and complex local setups, we enable a faster, more effective evaluation and a superior candidate experience.

Old Fragmented Way vs. The New, Integrated Way — Visualize the stark difference: Our streamlined workflow removes technical hurdles, allowing candidates to focus purely on demonstrating their coding and problem-solving abilities.

Quantifiable Impact on Hiring Success

A seamless and authentic assessment environment isn't just a convenience, it's a powerful catalyst for efficiency and better hiring outcomes. By removing technical barriers, candidates can focus entirely on demonstrating their skills, leading to faster submissions and higher-quality signals for your recruiters and hiring managers.

A Better Experience for Everyone

Our new features are meticulously designed to benefit the entire hiring ecosystem:

For Recruiters & Hiring Managers:

Accurately assess real-world development skills.
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Enjoy a seamless, efficient assessment experience.
No need to switch between different tools or manage complex setups.
Focus purely on showcasing skills, not environment configurations.
Work in a powerful, professional-grade IDE.

Unlock a New Era of Mobile Talent Assessment

Stop guessing and start hiring the best mobile developers with confidence. Explore how HackerEarth can transform your tech recruiting.

A New Era of Code

Vibe coding is a new method of using natural language prompts and AI tools to generate code. I have seen firsthand that this change makes software more accessible to everyone. In the past, being able to produce functional code was a strong advantage for developers. Today, when code is produced quickly through AI, the true value lies in designing, refining, and optimizing systems. Our role now goes beyond writing code; we must also ensure that our systems remain efficient and reliable.

From Machine Language to Natural Language

I recall the early days when every line of code was written manually. We progressed from machine language to high-level programming, and now we are beginning to interact with our tools using natural language. This development does not only increase speed but also changes how we approach problem solving. Product managers can now create working demos in hours instead of weeks, and founders have a clearer way of pitching their ideas with functional prototypes. It is important for us to rethink our role as developers and focus on architecture and system design rather than simply on typing c

The Promise and the Pitfalls

I have experienced both sides of vibe coding. In cases where the goal was to build a quick prototype or a simple internal tool, AI-generated code provided impressive results. Teams have been able to test new ideas and validate concepts much faster. However, when it comes to more complex systems that require careful planning and attention to detail, the output from AI can be problematic. I have seen situations where AI produces large volumes of code that become difficult to manage without significant human intervention.

AI-powered coding tools like GitHub Copilot and AWS’s Q Developer have demonstrated significant productivity gains. For instance, at the National Australia Bank, it’s reported that half of the production code is generated by Q Developer, allowing developers to focus on higher-level problem-solving . Similarly, platforms like Lovable enable non-coders to build viable tech businesses using natural language prompts, contributing to a shift where AI-generated code reduces the need for large engineering teams. However, there are challenges. AI-generated code can sometimes be verbose or lack the architectural discipline required for complex systems. While AI can rapidly produce prototypes or simple utilities, building large-scale systems still necessitates experienced engineers to refine and optimize the code.

The Economic Impact

The democratization of code generation is altering the economic landscape of software development. As AI tools become more prevalent, the value of average coding skills may diminish, potentially affecting salaries for entry-level positions. Conversely, developers who excel in system design, architecture, and optimization are likely to see increased demand and compensation.
Seizing the Opportunity

Vibe coding is most beneficial in areas such as rapid prototyping and building simple applications or internal tools. It frees up valuable time that we can then invest in higher-level tasks such as system architecture, security, and user experience. When used in the right context, AI becomes a helpful partner that accelerates the development process without replacing the need for skilled engineers.

This is revolutionizing our craft, much like the shift from machine language to assembly to high-level languages did in the past. AI can churn out code at lightning speed, but remember, “Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand.” Use AI for rapid prototyping, but it’s your expertise that transforms raw output into robust, scalable software. By honing our skills in design and architecture, we ensure our work remains impactful and enduring. Let’s continue to learn, adapt, and build software that stands the test of time.

Ready to streamline your recruitment process? Get a free demo to explore cutting-edge solutions and resources for your hiring needs.

What is Systems Design?

Systems Design is an all encompassing term which encapsulates both frontend and backend components harmonized to define the overall architecture of a product.

Designing robust and scalable systems requires a deep understanding of application, architecture and their underlying components like networks, data, interfaces and modules.

Systems Design, in its essence, is a blueprint of how software and applications should work to meet specific goals. The multi-dimensional nature of this discipline makes it open-ended – as there is no single one-size-fits-all solution to a system design problem.

What is a System Design Interview?

Conducting a System Design interview requires recruiters to take an unconventional approach and look beyond right or wrong answers. Recruiters should aim for evaluating a candidate’s ‘systemic thinking’ skills across three key aspects:

How they navigate technical complexity and navigate uncertainty
How they meet expectations of scale, security and speed
How they focus on the bigger picture without losing sight of details

This assessment of the end-to-end thought process and a holistic approach to problem-solving is what the interview should focus on.

What are some common topics for a System Design Interview

System design interview questions are free-form and exploratory in nature where there is no right or best answer to a specific problem statement. Here are some common questions:

How would you approach the design of a social media app or video app?

What are some ways to design a search engine or a ticketing system?

How would you design an API for a payment gateway?

What are some trade-offs and constraints you will consider while designing systems?

What is your rationale for taking a particular approach to problem solving?

Usually, interviewers base the questions depending on the organization, its goals, key competitors and a candidate’s experience level.

For senior roles, the questions tend to focus on assessing the computational thinking, decision making and reasoning ability of a candidate. For entry level job interviews, the questions are designed to test the hard skills required for building a system architecture.

The Difference between a System Design Interview and a Coding Interview

If a coding interview is like a map that takes you from point A to Z – a systems design interview is like a compass which gives you a sense of the right direction.

Here are three key difference between the two:

Coding challenges follow a linear interviewing experience i.e. candidates are given a problem and interaction with recruiters is limited. System design interviews are more lateral and conversational, requiring active participation from interviewers.

Coding interviews or challenges focus on evaluating the technical acumen of a candidate whereas systems design interviews are oriented to assess problem solving and interpersonal skills.

Coding interviews are based on a right/wrong approach with ideal answers to problem statements while a systems design interview focuses on assessing the thought process and the ability to reason from first principles.

How to Conduct an Effective System Design Interview

One common mistake recruiters make is that they approach a system design interview with the expectations and preparation of a typical coding interview.
Here is a four step framework technical recruiters can follow to ensure a seamless and productive interview experience:

Step 1: Understand the subject at hand

Develop an understanding of basics of system design and architecture
Familiarize yourself with commonly asked systems design interview questions
Read about system design case studies for popular applications
Structure the questions and problems by increasing magnitude of difficulty

Step 2: Prepare for the interview

Plan the extent of the topics and scope of discussion in advance
Clearly define the evaluation criteria and communicate expectations
Quantify constraints, inputs, boundaries and assumptions
Establish the broader context and a detailed scope of the exercise

Step 3: Stay actively involved

Ask follow-up questions to challenge a solution
Probe candidates to gauge real-time logical reasoning skills
Make it a conversation and take notes of important pointers and outcomes
Guide candidates with hints and suggestions to steer them in the right direction

Step 4: Be a collaborator

Encourage candidates to explore and consider alternative solutions
Work with the candidate to drill the problem into smaller tasks
Provide context and supporting details to help candidates stay on track
Ask follow-up questions to learn about the candidate’s experience

Technical recruiters and hiring managers should aim for providing an environment of positive reinforcement, actionable feedback and encouragement to candidates.

Evaluation Rubric for Candidates

Facilitate Successful System Design Interview Experiences with FaceCode

FaceCode, HackerEarth’s intuitive and secure platform, empowers recruiters to conduct system design interviews in a live coding environment with HD video chat.

FaceCode comes with an interactive diagram board which makes it easier for interviewers to assess the design thinking skills and conduct communication assessments using a built-in library of diagram based questions.

With FaceCode, you can combine your feedback points with AI-powered insights to generate accurate, data-driven assessment reports in a breeze. Plus, you can access interview recordings and transcripts anytime to recall and trace back the interview experience.

Learn how FaceCode can help you conduct system design interviews and boost your hiring efficiency.