CHENNAI: Nasscom today predicted that the IT sector would face a shortage of five lakh professionals by 2010, and expressed grave concern over the non-availability of qualified manpower for the industry.

Delivering his key note address at the Nasscom HR Summit in Chennai, the industry body's President, Kiran Karnik, said that the shortage would not mean lack of manpower, but the 'employability' of those people who would be passing out by 2010, 'which is not too far.'

“The IT and ITeS companied require not only people with technical skills but also soft skills. For solving this problem, there needs to be an interaction between the Industry and the academia, which has already been initiated,” he said.

Stating that though the country had embarked upon economic reforms, thought was not given to "drastic educational reforms", leading to the present situation, he said, stressing on the fact that, academia should be reformed completely.

“Universities should be removed from "all clutches" and be given full autonomy in framing curriculum, paying for best faculties and charging the fees also,” he said blaming the 'Indian educational bureaucracy' for the present scenario.

"It is ridiculous that the universities should get the permission of University Grants Commission in New Delhi to start new courses. This attitude should be removed," he said further.

Karnik said that innovation and creativity would be the key leaders in driving the business in the coming years and they should also be the key for the research and development.

"Liberate the universities and give them freedom and autonomy. This will also bring foreign exchange to the tune of 3 billion dollars,” he said.

Karnik was also critical of the present education system. Only a few educational institutions are producing quality students, he said.

Expressing concern over the non-availability of quality teachers in the universities and colleges, he said the best of the students went to serve the industry. The industry should come out with innovative ideas to retain talent in the teaching profession, which alone could be an answer to the problems, he said.

"Centers of Excellence should be created in several parts of the country, where the students from abroad could pursue education. This would bring in lot of foreign exchange," he said adding right from the 1950s there were only 6 IIMs and 8 IITs for such a big country such as India.

Talking on the occasion, Tamil Nadu government IT secretary C Chandramouli said the state would soon come out with a new IT and ITeS policy.

"The industry should give inputs to the government for 'actionable plans' and incorporation in the new policy," he said, adding that unless it is done there was no point of talking about Chennai being made on the sidelines of the Silicon Valley.

© CyberMedia News

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