Nasscom proposes creation of SEZ

HYDERABAD: Nasscom has proposed creation of special education zones to bridge the talent pool shortage in the IT sector. This comes in the backdrop of an estimated shortage of half a million skilled employees in the IT space by 2011. With export projections of $60 billion, an opportunity of almost $5 billion could be lost because of the estimate shortage.

Delivering the keynote address at International Symposium of Information Systems, Nasscom president Kiran Karnik said, "Soon you will see an opening up of the education system and there are no easy solutions to this. Private investment has to be allowed in," he said.

Nasscom is talking to the government to create a special education zone, full with incentives, where quality education is provided. This zone would have to be liberated from bureaucracy, he added.

It is necessary to encourage people to do their masters and create a close link between the industry and the academia. Nasscom is also speaking to the government to set up finishing schools. Almost 80% of the graduates do not know the subjects they are taught. There is also lack of soft skills.

However, this is not an intractable problem, he says. Nasscom is in the process of talking to the government to set up a finishing school, which would offer a four-month programme, to develop necessary skills for the industry.

There are very few people in India who do M.Tech and Ph.D and there is a need for people with research background. "If they do not do their M.Techs or Ph.Ds who will teach in future. Teaching is not attractive. There is no money for research in most academic institutions and there is no real social standing for teachers.

This is the state of bulk of the universities in the country. It is necessary to question the answers we are provided. Teamwork has to be taught. Questioning answers is the crux of innovation and the knowledge industry will only move forward if they innovate," he said.