TLDR: Communication skills
As an admissions consultant, I conduct hundreds of mock-interviews for professionals (including many IITians) targeting the top universities in the world.
The average experience level tends to be around 4-5 years.
The role-playing often involves taking on the role of a prospective employer.
Most of the IITians look impressive when you first read their resume. But when the process moves to the next stage (interviews), often it’s a mixed feeling.
Some of them blow me away with their professionalism, accomplishments and overall personality.
However, for a big chunk, I start wondering ‘If this is the situation now (after 4-5 years of work experience), I wonder how it was when they just graduated.’
The problem is not with capability. It’s with the presentation.
Going through the rigorous selection process makes them strong at cracking competitive aptitude exams. Focusing on grades makes them strong in academics.