E-Learning Challenges and Employability Skill Gaps: Evidence from Management Students in Nagpur City

Abstract

Introduction

The study examines e-learning and employability skill development among management students in Nagpur, India, in the context of the rapid shift to online education accelerated by COVID-19. While e-learning is promoted as a flexible and scalable solution for skill development, management education—traditionally interactive and practice-oriented—has faced significant challenges. Prior research highlights persistent gaps in employability skills among MBA graduates, particularly in communication, leadership and digital competencies, despite acceptable academic performance.

Using a descriptive–exploratory survey of UG and PG management students, the study assesses e-learning quality, challenges and employability skills. Findings show that students experience substantial e-learning challenges, especially low motivation, lack of clarity and reduced knowledge retention. Employability skills are moderate overall, with relative strengths in problem solving and teamwork and weaknesses in communication, leadership and digital skills, indicating a clear degree–skill mismatch.

Statistical analysis reveals that higher perceived e-learning quality is positively associated with employability skills, whereas greater e-learning challenges negatively affect them. Academic performance shows only a modest relationship with employability, reinforcing that degrees alone do not ensure job readiness. Regression results confirm that e-learning quality is the strongest predictor of employability skills.

The study concludes that e-learning can enhance employability only when it is well designed, interactive and aligned with industry needs. It recommends redesigning online management courses to integrate soft and digital skills, strengthening faculty capabilities in online pedagogy, embedding employability indicators in quality assurance, fostering industry–academia collaboration, and encouraging students to actively build skill evidence beyond formal qualifications.

Conclusion

The study on management students in Nagpur indicates that e learning has become central to their educational experience but is accompanied by significant challenges that affect engagement and perceived learning, especially in terms of motivation and clarity. Employability skills are moderate and uneven, with gaps in communication, leadership and digital competence despite acceptable academic performance, confirming a degree–skill mismatch. Analyses show that e learning quality is positively associated with employability skills and that e learning challenges exert a negative influence, while academic performance plays a smaller supporting role. These findings underline the need for well designed, learner centred e learning ecosystems if digital education is to genuinely enhance employability among management graduates

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Mrs. Pooja Dumbhare. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.