ID :
65602
Sat, 06/13/2009 - 14:03
Auther :

Job prospects for IT graduates bleak this year, say experts

Bangalore, June 12 (PTI) Top executives of India's two
premier IT companies Friday drew a bleak picture of employment
opportunities for fresh engineers.

Observing that IT industry's growth rate in the current
financial year is going to be "very muted", Infosys CEO S
Gopalakrishnan said, "Employment opportunities for new
graduates are going to be very limited." He added that once
the recovery happens and growth comes back, there would be a
surge in demand for graduate engineers again.

Speaking at the fifth India Innovation Summit 2009,
organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, he also
stressed the need for continuously improving quality of
education.

Speaking at the function, Wipro Chairman Azim Premji said
that a large number of unemployed engineers would lead to
their salaries plunging.

Recalling his interaction with the Vice-Chancellor of
Anna University, Premji said there is possibility of a large
number of engineers graduating this year not getting jobs.

He quoted the Vice-Chancellor as saying that as much as
40-50 per cent of the graduating engineers from some 300
affiliated colleges in 2008-09 would not get jobs. This figure
is expected to go up to 80 per cent in regard to those who
pass out in the current financial year.

The Wipro chief also indicated that carry-over of such a
large number of unemployed engineers would lead to salaries of
engineers coming down sharply.

He said earlier engineers never experienced failures in
job markets, they had four-five job offers at a time and could
change their jobs "overnight" but that's not the case now as
there has been a fundamental change in suppy-demand equation.

Premji also cautioned the industry that competition
globally is hotting up and warned the sector against falling
into a mind trap of 'India Advantage'.

"We have talked a lot about India advantage. That makes
me extremely worried. It's a huge amount of thumping on the
back (by Indian IT industry)," Premji said.

He said BPO (business process outsourcing) exports from
the Philippines this year would be "pretty close" to that of
India's. Five years ago, BPO exports from the Philippines were
probably 10 per cent of what India exported. PTI RS

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