The Hindu Business Line : Revamp engg education to suit IT: Karnik

The Nasscom President, Mr Kiran Karnik, flanked by the IT Secretary, Ms K. Ratna Prabha, and the APSCHE Chairman, Mr K.C. Reddy, at an `IT industry-academia' workshop in Visakhapatnam on Monday. - K.R. Deepak

Visakhapatnam , May 30

ENGINEERING education has to be revamped to suit the IT industry and the numerous colleges in the country should not only focus on imparting particular skills, but also on innovation, Mr Kiran Karnik, President of the National Association of Software Companies and Services (Nasscom), has said.

He was speaking at a seminar organised by the Nasscom here on Monday to interact with academic institutions. He said that skills are getting obsolete very fast in the IT sector and therefore, "We should teach our students how to adapt, innovate, articulate and survive in a fast-changing world. It is not enough if they learn a particular skill, they must learn how to learn all the time," he said.

He said India could hope to stay ahead in the IT sector only if it meets the ever-growing demand for quality-oriented and articulate IT professionals. The industry, institutions and the Government must work together to build up such a talent pool.

He complimented the Andhra Pradesh Government for "creating the right kind of atmosphere and infrastructure in Hyderabad for the industry and then moving onto the smaller cities such as Vizag." Lower costs would attract the industry to smaller cities, but "the air connectivity would have to improve. There would have to be more flights."

Ms Ratna Prabha, the recently-appointed IT Secretary to the Government of Andhra Pradesh, said that Mangalore is in the first position among the smaller cities in the IT sector with exports of Rs 500 crore, and Vizag is in the seventh with exports of Rs 70 crore. "Our endeavour will be to overtake Mangalore in two or three years at least," she said.

She said the State Government would make all efforts to develop the industry at Vijayawada, Tirupati and Warangal. Prof K. C. Reddy, Chairman of the AP State Council for Higher Education, said it is a matter of concern that only 10 per cent of the graduates are found employable straightaway and the rest have to be given training again.

He said the State Government is giving incentives to select academic institutions for preparing students for the purpose.

Prof L. Venugopala Reddy, the Vice-Chancellor of the Andhra University, and Prof Bala Mohana Das, the Vice-Chancellor of the Nagarjuna University, said the curriculum is being revised to suit the industry.

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