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Journalism of Courage
India, an IT superpower?
Over the last few years, there has been a steady increase in the adoption of technology in India. India Inc is taking unmatched strides in the global IT arena, with software companies giving their counterparts tough competition in the global market space. Internationally, it is an accepted fact that India has a huge pool of trained and educated intellectual resource. It is also true that institutions and companies all over the world are picking up trained professionals from India, at an ever-increasing pace.
The rule of demand and supply is slowly coming to the forefront. Today, Nasscom estimates that there are over 2,00,000 professionals in IT and user organisations, up from 1,60,000 the previous year. The existing demand is being met through alumni from the Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institute of Science, the Regional Engineering Colleges, degree and diploma colleges, and a network of professional training institutes including NIIT, Aptech, and others. It isan acknowledged fact that these institutions are producing qualified individuals who are building a niche for themselves in companies all around the world. While the caliber of these professionals is good, the restricted numbers that enter the work force each year are not able to meet the growing industry demand.
How can we ensure a continuoussupply of world class IT professionals to India and the world? The answer lies in IT percolation at the grass-roots level, with the adoption of IT and Internet at all levels in the community. India has an excellent system for higher education in place. What needs to be put in place is a mechanism that facilitates the use of IT across the spectrum.
IT percolation is the mantra that India has to chant, and, more importantly, act on. While the hurdles are many, and will be overcome in time, the necessary steps are already being taken. A ministry dedicated to facilitating ease in implementation and use of IT has been set up.
Government bodies are rallying all around to put in place an infrastructure backbone that will augment and support the latest technologies. Pioneering institutes like IGNOU and the Kendriya Vidyalaya are facilitating the adoption of IT amongst their students through state-of-the-art technology.
International IT majors are also looking at India as a major hub for business operations,and the current atmosphere is one of perceptible change. A conscious effort from the community as a whole is required to help attain the dream of India as an IT superpower.
For the future generations to think of IT as a part of their lives, it is imperative that the present generation consciously adopts IT as an inherent part of their lives. As IT moves away from being a novelty, and gets incorporated as an integral part of our daily lives, we will move from our current status to that of an IT superpower. The thrust will, however, have to come from the grass-roots.
The author is Director West of Microsoft Corporation India Ltd
