NASSCOM launches National Skills Registry

NEW DELHI: NASSCOM has announced the launch of the first ever National Skills Registry for IT professionals at the India—US Information Security Summit 2006.

Minister of communications and IT Dayanidhi Maran launched the NSR at the inaugural session of the summit.

NASSCOM has engaged the services of NSDL Database Management Ltd (NDML) for creating, operating and maintaining this database. NDML is a subsidiary of National Securities Depository Ltd- the first depository in India.

NSR will also cover vendor employee database agencies hired by BPOs for transportation, catering, security and housekeeping activities. Unlike the IT professional's database, vendor employee database will be mandatory and vendor agencies will authorize BPOs to run background checks on staff.

The database of BPO employees will require authorization by the candidate himself. IT/BPO aspirants and existing industry employees can go and register themselves either online or through empanelled point of sales (PoS) and provide details like their name, educational qualification, professional qualification, previous employment information, photograph and fingerprint, on NSDL database.

NASSCOM president Kiran Karnik said, “NSR is a global first of its kind and this central repository will contain personal, professional and education information about employees of the IT and BPO industry. Independent verification of data and biometric identification will not only increase security for companies and customers, but will protect employees from criminal elements seeking to misuse their id. I feel that the smaller BPO companies would be the major beneficiaries of NSR.”

NDML MD and CEO Gagan Rai said, “There is a strong security mechanism in place for safeguarding the data. Companies are only allowed to access their own employee database. Digital signatures are used to access the data and access authorization is also given through digital signatures.”

Companies like TCS, MphasiS, CDM, Genpact, etc. have already signed up for NSR. Detailing the payment structure, Rai said, “Initial registration fee for employees would be Rs 250 + first year usage fees Rs 50 (plus service tax as applicable). An annual usage fee of Rs 50 (per financial year i.e. April to March) (plus service tax as applicable) would also be charged.”

He added, “NDML and NASSCOM have jointly selected six companies as Empanelled Background Checker (EBC). If employees want to have their background checked they would have to pay background check fee of Rs 1,500- Rs 2,000 to EBC. Companies accessing the database of their own employees can do it for free after paying the initial registration fee. For others, the employer has to pay a fee of Rs 300 per person to access the database.”