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Information Technology - Indian IT Sector
Information Technology or IT refers to all forms of technology and engineering that deals with creating, storing and exchanging information through the use of computers and telecommunication.
India has entered the IT age with a bang! With tremendous growth in the Software as well as Hardware sectors, the Indian IT Industry is becoming one of the largest and fastest growing industries with valuable brand equity in the global markets.
With expansion in other Industries such as Retail, Banking & Finance, etc there has been a growing dependence on the IT sector to meet the demands of automation and value addition. To tap the full potential of the IT industry however, the need of the hour is to stimulate greater demand and usage of Information Technology in all walks of life in addition to improvements in IT infrastructure. The goal is to support the Indian IT firms in their quest to emerge strong as strategic partners on the global front.
From online banking to ATM cards, state-of-the-art technical help desks and other offshore services, hassle free online shopping and e-ticketing, the common man in India has adapted well to the influx of IT in all walks of life. This IT revolution in India has successfully covered even the smaller cities like Jaipur, Ahmedabad, and Chandigarh etc.
More and more Companies are now focusing on India with regard to investments and outsourcing. According to an IDC study, the Indian IT Industry will grow to Rs 247,000 crore (US$ 53 billion) by the end of calendar year 2008 from Rs 87,000 crore (US$ 18.7 billion) in 2003. It has also been estimated that the ITES / BPO Industry will register a 50% growth in the next couple of years.
ITES in India
IT Enabled Services or ITES is the fast growing outsourced section of the IT sector that provides varied services through the use of Information Technology including – Data Entry, Medical Transcription, Data Conversion, Call Center solutions, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), back office processes, Market Research, Content Development and Networking etc.
India is known for its low cost, highly efficient pool of talent with exposure to some of the best and latest technologies. This realization among Companies worldwide has prompted them to outsource businesses to India making it the most preferred destination for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). Though relatively new, the IT Enabled Services / (BPO) Industry have managed to become the guiding force behind every successful organization. It is this dependency on IT that has made it the biggest and most lucrative Industry in the country.
Projections for the future -
- According to NASSCOM figures, the Indian ITES-BPO industry is growing at over 50% per year contributing to almost 10% of total jobs in the country.
- According to The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), the Retail, IT & ITEs sectors will create 13.5 million job opportunities for skilled workforce by 2010.
The Government of India has been taking steps to promote and develop the Indian IT sector. The IT department aims at connecting the entire country through the internet so that the common man is able to enjoy the fruits of the IT boom. This includes easy access to digitized information, interconnectivity, greater PC usage etc.
IT & ITES Offers Great Career Options
The IT and ITES-BPO sectors are amongst the most sought after industries offering a multitude of employment opportunities thanks to its huge manpower requirements, what with a plethora of off shore Companies outsourcing work to India. There has been an increase in the demand for Computer or IT Specialists, Computer Engineers, Medical Transcription experts, Software Professionals, Technical staff, Call Center Executives etc and it has been predicted that jobs in these sectors will almost double with every passing year. The average increase in salary levels should be between 16 per cent and 18 per cent.
The Government has been promoting IT enabled education by setting up a number of specialized Institutes including IIT, IGNOU, IIS etc. A lot of fresh graduates with a degree in computer engineering and computer science enter the IT Industry and are able to move up the ladder with experience. Call Centers have been attracting a lot of fresh job seekers who are looking to gain experience while on the job. Those with an MBA degree and advanced degrees in computer science or computer engineering enjoy a competitive edge.
To pursue a career in the IT/ITES industry, you must have a strong technical knowledge in your chosen field along with good a good command over the English language and excellent communication skills, among other things.
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