HEADLINES
JOBS
COM:PORT
POLICY POLICE
ARCHIVES

Training industry seeks 'IT services' status

T O D A Y

• Last mile jostling • 'Portable' numbers • ESOP regulation • Is 'training' 'services'?

The association has also sought representation in the National IT Task Force so that the training institutes' ideas and suggestions can be considered.

NACT President Suredh Bharwani said the term 'IT service' as defined by the National IT Task Force in its recommendations does not explicitly include computer training.

"We have asked for a suitable amendment to the definition so that computer training is included in the definition of IT Service," he said.

Bharwani has also asked for a representation from NACT in all future work to be undertaken by the task force.

"The last time when the task force was constituted for coming out with recommendations, our ideas and suggestions were not taken into consideration. We have urged that we be consulted by the task force in future before coming out with recommendations," he said.

The worth of the country's computer training market was pegged around Rs 8.56 billion last year. The total IT industry is estimated to be around Rs 150 billion, Bharwani said.

"We represent a large component of the total information technology market and should not be ignored," he added.

The private institutes, according to Bharwani, have trained about 90 per cent of all the IT professionals in the country and played a key role in spreading computer awareness in the country.

"At present, the country has about 20,000 trained hardware engineers and by 2002 there will be a need for 200,000 hardware engineers. We can go a long way in bridging this gap," he said.

NACT has also kicked off an initiative to come out with a code of conduct for its members, according to which they will be asked to fulfil all the promises made to the students during admission. "We are doing this in the interest of the students so that they don't get cheated," Bharwani said.

The association is also in talks with major software companies like Microsoft, Adobe and AutoDesk to get software at discounted prices for training purposes.

According to NACT, this will help the small training institutes reduce their cost of training and help curb software piracy.

- Compiled from the Indian media

Tell us what you think