The short answer
A degree still matters. Many companies use it as a basic filter, and some paths — government jobs, higher studies abroad, certain campus drives — require one. But once you clear that filter, almost every hiring decision in IT comes down to one question: can this person actually do the work?
Interviewers rarely ask for your semester marks. They ask you to write a query, fix a bug, explain a project you built or walk through how you would solve a problem. That is why two candidates with the same degree can get completely different results.
Why skills have become the deciding factor
- Technology moves faster than syllabi. University curricula are revised every few years, while frameworks like React, .NET and the major cloud platforms ship big updates every year.
- Teams expect faster contribution. Startups and service companies want freshers who can pick up a task within weeks, not months.
- Portfolio-first shortlisting. Many companies now look at GitHub profiles, live projects and take-home assignments before they ever see a marksheet.
- AI tools raise the baseline. When anyone can generate boilerplate code, employers look for people who understand what the code does and can debug it when it breaks.
What employers actually check
Hiring managers we speak with keep coming back to the same list:
- Fundamentals — programming logic, data structures, SQL and how the web works.
- One stack done properly — for example React with a .NET or Node.js API, or Python with pandas and SQL. Depth beats a long list of half-known tools.
- Projects you can explain — not copied tutorials, but work where you made decisions and solved problems.
- Version control and teamwork — Git, pull requests and reading someone else's code.
- Communication — explaining your approach clearly, asking good questions and writing a professional email.
- Learning ability — how you figure things out when you are stuck.
How to build proof of your skills
Writing "I know React" on a resume is not enough. Build evidence instead:
- Two or three real projects. A job board, an inventory tracker or a dashboard built on public data. Deploy them so anyone can open a link.
- A clean GitHub profile. Meaningful commit messages and a README that explains what each project does and how to run it.
- Small, regular practice. Thirty to forty-five minutes of problem solving every day adds up quickly.
- Mock interviews. Practise explaining your projects out loud — this is where many freshers lose marks.
- Feedback from someone experienced. A mentor who reviews your code will spot habits you cannot see yourself.
A practical plan for your situation
- Still studying? Use your final two years to build projects alongside your degree. A degree plus a strong portfolio is the most powerful combination.
- Graduated from a non-IT stream? B.Com, BA and B.Sc graduates move into IT every year. Start with fundamentals, choose one track and build projects that prove it.
- Already working? Your domain knowledge in finance, retail or healthcare is an advantage. Combine it with development or data skills to stand out.
Your degree tells an employer what you studied. Your projects show them what you can do.
How Groot Institute helps
At Groot Institute in Zirakpur, every program is built around doing: weekly labs, assignments reviewed by trainers and capstone projects you can present in interviews. We also run resume reviews and technical and HR mock interviews so you can show your skills with confidence.
Not sure which track suits you? Talk to our counsellors or browse our courses.
