Proceedings of National Seminar 2012 by timscdr timscdr

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It gives me immense pleasure to see yet another institute under the aegis of Thakur Education Group (TEG) launch on its maiden journey into the field of academic research. TIMSCDR’s National Seminar on ‘Enhancing Employability of IT Students through Academia-Industry Interaction’ is an effort to bridge the chasm between what is being taught in the classrooms and what is expected by the corporate. In today’s world, information gets outdated faster than its generated, people more ‘in-the-know’ are in demand and organisations are on the lookout for candidates who can get down to the brass tracks from the word go. All these trends make it imperative to bring the industry to the classroom so that students are not only conceptually sound but are also skilled at handling various situations at work from day one. This seminar has provided just such a platform to exchange and generate knowledge that can be constructively imparted to our students to further their employability. This endeavour of TIMSCDR into the sphere of research would not have been possible but for the academic zeal of the teaching fraternity who are driven by the passion of giving the very best to their students and the dedicated efforts of the organising committee to bring the event to fruition. I’m also very grateful to all the research scholars and delegates for sharing their research and making this seminar a success.

V.K. Singh (Chairman)

Our Institute’s continuous focus on research activities and placement of our students in the right organization with right position, has prompted us to enter into our maiden venture of national level Seminar on “Enhancing the Employability of IT students through Academia – Industry Interaction”. It is my privilege to invite authors and delegates to this national seminar that provides the right platform for people from educational institutions and industry to put forward their views, and creative ideas. It also offers a good platform for institution and industry interactions and an avenue for each one to express their opinions and what is expected of the other. It is an excellent forum for market researchers to put forward their findings for the benefit of the delegates. I express my sincere gratitude to all the dignitaries, government authorities, sponsors, reviewers, authors and all delegates from various premier institutes, industries and corporate houses for their participation and making this a memorable event. I, on behalf of the TIMSCDR members, also wish to honor the Thakur Educational Group (TEG) for continued support and guidance It is my privilege to thank all the members of the organizing committee and the editorial team for their continued effort and support in making this event a grand success. I and the whole fraternity of TIMSCDR look forward to meeting and welcoming you all to the National Seminar on 6th October, 2012.

Dr. Srikantha Rao Director, TIMSCDR

COMMITTEE Chief Patron Mr. V. K. Singh, Chairman, TEG Patrons Mr. Jitendra R. Singh, Secretary, TEG Mr. Karan V. Singh, CEO Advisory Committee Dr. Srikantha Rao, Director, TIMSCDR Dr. B. K. Mishra, Principal, TCET Dr. R. M. Kumar, Director, TIMSR Dr. (Mrs.) C. T. Chakraborty, Principal, TCSC Mr. V. N. Datta, Consultant Convener Dr. (Mrs.) Vinita Gaikwad Co-ordinators Mr. Pankaj K. Mudholkar Ms. Aparajita Singh Organizing Committee Ms. Sudeshna Sen Ms. Tanupriya Singh Ms. Pooja Gautam Ms. Shubhi Lall Agarwal Ms. Madhulika Bhelotkar Ms. Sonu Gupta Ms. Rashmi Vipat Ms. Ulka Pawar Ms. Priya Sinha Mr. Shirshendu Maitra Ms. Sreeja S.S. Ms. Rupali Jadhav Ms. Neelam Naik Ms. Puja Agarwal Ms. Mira Gohil

Mr. Sudarshan Sirsat Ms. Dipti Nashine Mr. Brijesh Kumar Pandey Mr. Alok Singh Ms. Kiran Dubey Review Committee Dr. Ajit Dinkar More, Professor and Head of Department of Computer Application and Systems Studies, Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship Development, Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune Dr. Priyadarshi Patni Professor, Lachoo Memorial College of Science and Technology, Jodhpur Dr. Riyaz A. Sheikh Assistant Professor, Tirpude College of Social Work, Nagpur Dr. Seema Purohit Associate Professor and Director (I/c), Navinchandra Mehta Institute of Technology and Development, Mumbai Dr. Sachin Anant Deshmukh Director, Saket College of Management, Mumbai Editorial Committee Dr. (Mrs.) Vinita Gaikwad Ms. Sonu Gupta Ms. Priya Sinha Mr. Shirshendu Maitra Mr. Sudarshan Sirsat Ms. Kiran Dubey

PREFACE Dear participants, I enjoy along with my colleagues, academic honor bestowed upon us by our institution, TIMSCDR, to organize this time honored National Seminar on the very topical theme of Employability in active association with TCET and TIMSR. I therefore, on behalf of TIMSCDR, its management, faculty members, students and on my own behalf extend a warm welcome to all the stakeholders to this one day National Seminar. I am sure that all the participants will come with genuine interest in the theme and with positive mind to think and work together for the theme’s beneficial outcome. There cannot be two opinions about the practical and social relevance of the deliberations and knowledge extraction on the live issue of employability through this National Seminar. University curriculum disposes explicit part of our youth career, but more significant is its implicit part in the form of employability. This implicit part of university curriculum and other academic exercises including examination is not attended to adequately. As a result, our graduates and post graduates finish their academic programs without properly and adequately becoming employable. Employers (IT and ITEs companies, industries, businesses and offices) find it difficult to recruit candidates without expected employability. The term employability highlights ‘readiness’ of the job seeking IT graduates and post graduates in terms of knowledge, skills and mind directly applicable to the job offered by the employers. ‘Productivity’ in IT, ITEs, manufacturing and other business fields is at stake without adequate supply of employable educated youth. University graduates and post graduates from IT, ITEs and other faculties of Higher Education are important part of nation’s human resource. Along with other resources (technological, material, financial and environmental) this educated human resource determines the level of productivity at micro level as well as macro level. However, without required employability (Firmwise, Industrywise and Fieldwise) educated human resource cannot make its contribution to the productivity and prosperity of the business units and that of national economy in the final analysis. Being so important, the subject of employability has remained the major concern that of ILO at world level, Governments at national level and of course for the employers of the individual business units operating in different sectors of the economy. Speakers and participating delegates will contribute their bit to make this academic seminar fruitful by evolving and suggesting some academic program to be undertaken on a regular basis to enhance employability of IT students in particular and graduates of other disciplines in general.

Dr. Vinita Gaikwad Deputy Director

Table of Contents Chief Patrons Message

iii

Directors Message Committees

iv v-vi

Preface

vii INDEX

S.N. Article 1.

Employability Perception of IT Faculty and Students on Post Graduate Programs in India Dr. Mahalaxmi Krishnan, Ms. Darshana Kadwadkar, Mrs. Usha Bhandare

Employability of IT graduates and Post Graduates required to be enhanced:

Page 1-8

9-14

The Role of concerned Stakeholders Dr. Vinita Gaikwad 3.

Enhancing Student Employability Ms. Sudeshna Sen, Ms. Shubhi Lall Agarwal

15-18

Enhancing Employability Skills of Engineering Students through Industrial Training Program Mr. Pankaj K. Mudholkar, Mr. Shirshendu Maitra, Ms. Sonu Gupta

19-23

Campus to Corporate Transition of IT Students: Gaps in Academic and

24-28

Corporate Perceptions Ms. Aprajita Singh, Ms. Tanupriya Singh 6.

Academic Industry Interaction: A Two Way Benefit Ms. Dipti Nashine, Mr. Pankaj K. Mudholkar, Mr. Brijesh Kumar Pandey

29-33

At the Speed of Ideas Mr. AT Kishore

34-37

Work Integrated Learning Ms. Sonu Gupta, Mr. Shirshendu Maitra, Mr. Pankaj K. Mudholkar

38-40

Enhancing Employability of Students through - Technical and Vocational

41-55

Education and Training [TVET] Dr. Nishikant Jha 10.

Employee Retention Strategies in IT Sector Mr. Pankaj K. Mudholkar, Ms. Megha Mudholkar, Ms. Dipti Nashine

56-60

11.

3-tier Architechture for Academic-Industry Interaction Mr. Sudarshan M. Sirsat, Mr. Alok B. Singh, Ms. Dipti R. Nashine

61-64

12.

Enhancing Employability of IT Students Through Academia-Industry Interaction Ms. Reeta Koshy

65-66

13.

Featuring Research and Training Group for Industry Academia Interaction Ms. Madhulika Bhelotkar, Mr. Srinidhi Lakshminarayan

67-71

14.

Employability: Linkage with Skills Ms. Ulka Pawar, Ms. Pooja Gautam, Ms. Rashmi Vipat

72-75

15.

An Integrated Approach of Bridging the Skill gap of Employability in Indian IT Industry Mr. Alok Singh, Ms. Kiran Dubey, Mr. Sudarshan M. Sirsat

76-79

16.

Employability in IT and Ites Industry- Role of Communication Skills Dr. Jyoti Maliwar

80-85

17.

Employability and Skill Set Requirements of Newly Graduated IT Students in

86-90

India: Bridging the Skill Gap Mr. Shirshendu Maitra, Mr. Pankaj K. Mudholkar, Ms. Sonu Gupta 18.

Key Factors for Enhancing Employability in IT Ms. Mira H Gohil

91-93

19.

An application of Integrated approach towards employability Mr. Brijesh Kumar Pandey, Ms. Dipti Nashine, Mr. Sudarshan M. Sirsat

94-97

20.

Technological Environment and Higher Education Dr. Prakash P. Joshi, Ms. Neeta Bhatt

21.

Significance of employability skills and solutions to enhance employability for students Ms. P.Isakki alias Devi

103-107

22.

Enhancing employability: The importance of industry and academia in improving

108-110

98-102

Basic Skills Ms. Sreeja S. S, Ms. Priya Sinha 23.

Enhancing Employability: Perspectives of Educator, Student and Employee Ms. Neelam Naik, Ms. Rupali Jadhav

111-113

24.

Psychological obstacle in e learning Ms. Baijul Mehta, Mr. Manojkumar Mishra

114-116

25.

Essential Skills for Enhancing Employability in IT Ms. Kiran Dubey, Mr. Pankaj K. Mudholkar

117-122

26.

Towards Enhancing the Employability in India â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Overcoming the barriers and issues between IT Industry, Students and Academia Ms. Puja Agarwal

123-128

27.

Enhancing employability: A long term challenge Ms. Rupali Jadhav, Ms. Neelam Naik

129-132

28.

Enhancing Employability of IT Students Through Academia-Industry Interaction Mr. Tejas R. Chavan, Ms. Priya H. Dagli

133-137

29.

Enhancing employability of IT students via tie ups of educational institutes with

138-142

S.M.E and planning their expansion at rural areas Mr. Bhaskar Mishra 30.

Recruitment: Factors in Consideration with Special Reference to IT Industry Mr. Pankaj K. Mudholkar, Ms. Kiran Dubey

143-146

31.

Enhancing Employability of IT Students Through Academia-Industry Interaction Ms. Nisha Maurya

147-149

32.

Rectruitment of Students in IT Industry Mr. Vishaldeep Jain and Ms. Varsha Nehra

150-152

33.

Constraints and Future aspects of the Industry-Academia Interaction Ajinkya Gavi and Swati Verma

153-156

34.

Computer Science Education in India

157-159

Mannur Neeleshkumar Srinivasan and Bhilwadikar Jatin

Employability Perception of IT Faculty and Students on Post Graduate Programs in India Mahalaxmi Krishnan Associate Professor, Commerce Department K J Somaiya College of Arts & Commerce, Mumbai PhD Guide in Management Studies, SNDT University kmahalaxmi@live.com Darshana Kadwadkar Assistant Professor of Accountancy, Department of Accountancy K B College of Arts and Commerce for Women, Thane dkarwadkar89@gmail.com Usha Bhandare Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce K B College of Arts and Commerce for Women, Thane (E) bhandareusha@gmail.com Abstract: The consternations in the Indian economy since 2008 in the after math of the global recession have brought great shifts in employability in India more particularly in the IT sector. Organizations are looking to prune their work force expecting their remaining employees to excel with increased productivity with multiple skills. There is a perceptible shift from jobs in manufacturing sector to jobs in services sector requiring different skill sets. Even in the manufacturing sector with automation of processes need for IT related skills is increasingly felt. Besides there is demand for knowledge workers leveraging information and communication technologies in all sectors. Students seeking jobs find that mere domain knowledge is not sufficient. They need work place skills such as professionalism, communication skills, IT skills, innovative thinking, teamwork, work ethics and social orientation. To be successful in finding a job, students have to convince prospective employer that they will bring value to their organization besides providing evidence of current knowledge in the area of specialization. Research study looks at the IT students and teachers perceptions on post graduate programs from the point of view of employability. It examines whether the curriculum takes into account industry requirement so that it is job oriented. The research is based on two sets of structured questionnaires given to a cross section of students and teachers on random sample basis across Mumbai and Thane Regions. The findings are based on statistical analysis of the data sourced from field surveys using various statistical tools. The study will be useful to the stakeholders’ viz., employers, educational institutes, Universities and the student community. Keywords: Employability, Quality enhancement, Educational system, Post graduate programs, Skill-sets, Information Technology component

meet the student demand. The demand for education from student community has grown by geometric proportions more so in the IT education. Educational institutions are unable to cope with the surging demand for education with higher education no exception. With increased number of job opportunities available to individuals with post graduation qualifications, graduates are at the cross roads whether to decide to enter full time employment or to pursue higher education. Graduates, who decide to pursue a post graduation education, will have to choose their career options and the skill-sets they would acquire. IT students’ aspirations have changed. No longer are they satisfied with being a front-line software developer or hardware engineer. They aspire to become project managers, team leaders, Client Acquisition managers, IT heads, CIOs, etc. These require multiple skills apart from IT knowledge. These career decisions thus impact their employment opportunities.

INTRODUCTION The opening up of the Indian economy in the nineteen nineties has brought profound transformations in the education sector as well. There has been a perceptible change in the expectations and attitudes of its stakeholder’s viz., employers, educational institutes, universities and student community. While students expect variety and quality education, industry expect education sector to give them well rounded employable resources. Path breaking developments in information and communication technology has resulted in need for different skill-sets in workforce. There is surge in the demand for knowledge workers. Organizations in both the services and manufacturing sectors demand students with multiple skill sets. Students seeking IT jobs find that apart from domain knowledge they need work place skills for upward mobility. Education sector has also grown in size and complexity. Many new colleges and educational institutions are opened in both rural and urban areas to 1

for post-graduates seeking employment is to understand what businesses value is. A survey of employers by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2008), found that the top five skills employers sought were professionalism, teamwork, oral communication, ethics and social responsibility, and reading comprehension. Its report concluded that business and community leaders, policy makers, and educators need to work together so that future workers will have the workplace skills necessary to succeed. Robinson & Garton (2007) concluded that students do not realize the importance of possessing transferable skills, and they assume that mastery of skills within their discipline is enough to get that all-important, post-graduation position. Still, according to many, people graduating from colleges and universities often lack the skills needed work place. This may be due to three factors - not listening to professors and advisors, lack of participation in class exercises, and an inability to transfer meaning from their experiences into choices that will impact their future. According to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2006) and American Management Association’s (AMA) 2010 survey, many employers believe that higher education is failing in its role to adequately develop needed skills in students. They conclude that in higher education, professors can influence students by promoting the skills businesses are seeking in future employees and helping students achieve these skills through course activities. Professors can also influence the choices students make through advising relationships. In another survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE, USA), observed that businesses are hiring fewer people and expecting them to do more and that employers have increased their expectations for potential employees. The employers do, however, continue to seek employees with certain skills. According to the NACE Research Report the top five skills sought by employers are communications skills, analytical skills, teamwork skills, technical skills and a strong work ethic. The AMA survey (2010) covered the skills necessary for entry-level jobs. In a survey of 2,115 managers and other executives, respondents indicated that not only do future workers need to be able to read, write, and perform arithmetic; but also they need the following skills: critical thinking (problem solving), communication, collaboration, and creativity (innovation), which will become even more important to organizations. These skills are referred to as the “4 C’s” (AMA, 2010). When compared, these studies appear to build upon and reinforce one another in addressing the entry-level skills desired by employers.

II.

RATIONALE OF THE STUDY More and more students desire to pursue higher education with a view to increasing their employability. They feel that higher education would help them acquire skills demanded by industries and services sectors such as analytical skills, technical skills, cross-cultural skills, business values, social responsibility issues, stress management, etc. besides giving them status and respectability in the society. To be successful in finding a job, students have to convince prospective employer that they will bring value to their organization besides providing evidence of current knowledge in the area of specialization. This research study examines the IT students and teachers employability perception of post graduate qualifications. III.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY To study the students perception of employability after higher education ii. To study the teachers employability perception of post graduation iii. To examine the correlation in the students and teachers perceptions i.

IV.

LITERATURE REVIEW According to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, a national organization founded in 2002 with help from several businesses and the U.S. Department of Education, “in an economy driven by innovation and knowledge . . . in marketplaces engaged in intense competition and constant renewal . . . in a world of tremendous opportunities and risks . . . in a society facing complex business, political, scientific, technological, health and environmental challenges. . . and in diverse workplaces and communities that hinge on challenges . . . and in diverse workplaces and communities that hinge on collaborative relationships and social networking . . . the ingenuity, agility and skills of the United States people are crucial to U.S. competitiveness”. (Partnership, 2008, p.1) Organizations spend enormous amounts to hire and train employees. They want workers who can help increase profitability by reducing costs associated with training, turnover, and production errors (Ferguson, 2007). Research by both Black and Lynch and Zoghi, Mohr, and Meyer (as cited by Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2008) detailed how companies have changed the way they do business and how workers have more responsibility contributed more to businesses in order to meet the demands of today’s competitive economy. According to Schuele and Madison, 2010, since employees must do more to help the company to be successful, students seeking jobs need skills that emphasize innovation and cultural competency, as well as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, teamwork, ethical and social responsibility, and foundational skills like reading and basic math. They found that, to be successful in finding a job, applicants must be able to convince prospective employers that, as employees, they will bring value to an organization. In addition, prospective employees must show evidence of current knowledge in the field. Thus, the important goal

V. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A. Coverage of Study From the literature review it is evident that employers look for work place skills besides domain knowledge. Students will have stunted growth if they lack people skills. This study examines IT students and teachers perceptions on post graduate programs from the point of view of 2

employability with the help of field surveys using structured questionnaires followed by interviews.

factor for pursuing PG programs is to increase domain knowledge and skills (72%). The other motivators are to improve employment opportunities (16%) and not able to get suitable job after graduation (8%).

B. Sampling Design, Sample Size and Data Sources Data and information were gathered from primary source by means of field survey using structured questionnaires containing dichotomous and multiple choice questions covering IT students and teachers on random sample basis in Mumbai and Thane and from secondary published sources. The sample size consisted of 25 student respondents and 25 teacher respondents on a random sample basis. Primary sources included personal interviews for open ended questions. The students and teachers were interviewed at their homes and colleges. Secondary sources included books, journals, newspapers, websites, and research studies. They are used for literature scanning and conceptual reference.

2) Consultation with Teachers by Students for doing PG programs

Table 2: Do you consult your college professor for deciding on doing PG programs? Resp % Yes 18 60 No 7 40 Total 25 100 Table 2: Do you consult your college professor for deciding on doing PG programs? Resp % Yes 18 60 No 7 40 Total 25 100

C. Data analysis A critical qualitative analysis of the data and information were made keeping the objectives of the study in mind. The collected primary data were classified, tabulated and analyzed using statistical techniques. Analytical tools like percentage, cross tabs, graphs and pie-charts were used for analyses and interpretations.

Fig 2: Cons ulting College Professor

VI. FINDINGS OF THE STUDY 1) Motivation Factors for pursuing Post Graduate Programs

No, 7, 28%

Table 1: Motivating Factors for pursuing PG programs Resp % Unable to get suitable job after graduation 2 8 To increase domain knowledge and skills 18 72 Desire to do post graduation To pursue doctoral research To improve employment opportunities 4 16 At the instance of parents 1 4 Others (Pl specify) Total 25 100

Ye s, 18, 72%

Majority of the student respondents said that they consult their teachers and take their advice on PG studies. There is a pronounced influence of the teachers on the students pursuing post graduation studies. 3) Influence of Friends / Relatives Table 3: Are your friends / relatives doing post graduate programs? Resp % Yes 20 80 No 5 20 Total 25 100

Fig 1: Students Motivating Factor for PG 4 , 16 %

1, 4 % , 0%

2, 8%

, 0%

Table 3: Influence of Friends / Relatives

Unab le t o get suit ab b aft 18le, jo72 % er g rad uatio n To increas e do main kno wled g e and s kills Desire to d o p o st g raduatio n

No , 5, 20%

To p ursue d octo ral research To imp ro ve emp lo yment o p po rtunities At the inst ance o f p arents Others (Pl sp ecify)

Motivating factors for pursuing PG programs by student respondents are given in Table 1 and Fig 1. According to the student respondents, the main motivating

Ye s , 20, 80%

From Table 3 and Fig. 3, it can be seen that 80% of the student respondents are positively influenced by their friends and relatives.

4) Employability Perception of PG Students 6) PG Course Activities Table 4: Do you think post graduates get better jobs than graduates? Resp % Yes 20 80 No 5 20 Total 25 100

Table 7: What are the courses comprise of? Resp Quizzes / surprise tests 10 Individual Project Work 7 Group Project work 11 Seminars / workshops 3 Field visit / Industry visit 11 Summer Placement 2 Debates / Discussions 4 Others (Pl specify) Total 25

Table 4: Do You think PGs get better jobs? 80

80 60

40 20

% 40 28 44 12 44 8 16 100

Resp

Fig 7: PG Course Activities

Yes

activities

No 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Overwhelming majority of students (80%) think that post graduates get better jobs than graduates. 5) Growth Velocity of Post Graduates

28 16 10

Quizzes / s urp ris e t est s

Table 5: Do you think post graduates grow faster than graduates? Resp % Yes 24 96 No 1 4 Total 25 100

7 3 Ind ivid ual Pro ject Wo rk

Gro up Pro ject wo rk

Seminars / wo rksho p s

8 4

2 Field visit / Ind us t ry vis it

Summer Placement

Deb at es / Dis cus s io ns

Student respondents opined that the course activities comprise of quizzes / surprise tests (40%), group project work (44%), individual project work (28%), field visits (44%), debates / discussions (16%), summer placement (8%).

Table 5: Do PGs grow faster

7) Perceived Skills in Initial PG Employment No 4

Table 8: What skill(s) do you perceive as important for initial post graduation employment? Resp % Subject / domain knowledge 14 56 Communication skills 11 44 Problem solving skills 8 32 Creativity / Innovation 4 16 Teamwork skills 3 12 Strong work ethic 2 8 Analytical skills 7 28 Others (Pl specify) Total 25 100

Yes 0

100

150

According to student respondents, post graduate qualifications help in acceleration of career growth path. This perception is based on the fact that their friends and relatives have got better jobs after doing post graduation. Table 6: Have your friends / relatives got better jobs after completing post graduation studies? Resp % Yes 25 100 No 0 Total 25 100

28 16

Teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Responses 1) Motivating Factors for pursuing Post Graduate Programs

Res p

Fig 8: Student's Percieved Shills in Initial Job 100

8 4

Table 10: What according to you is / are the motivating factors for students pursuing post graduate programs? Resp % Unable to get suitable job after graduation 4 16 To increase domain knowledge and skills 15 60 To improve employment opportunities 4 16 Parental influence 2 8 Desire to do post graduation To pursue doctoral research Others (Pl specify) Total 25 100

3 2

Skills perceived as important by students for initial job after post graduation are subject / domain knowledge (56%), communication skills (44%), problem solving skills (32%), Analytical skills (28%), creativity (16%), teamwork skills (12%) and work ethics (8%). 8) Course Activities Impact on Skills Table 9: Does the course the requisite skills? Resp Yes 23 No 2 Total 25 VII.

activities help achieve

The reasons ascribed by teachers on their students pursuing post gradation programs are to increase domain knowledge and skills (60%), to improve employment opportunities (16%), not able to get satisfactory job after graduation (16%).

% 92 8 100

2) Teacher Consultation

Fig 9: Cours e Activities help achieve requis ite s kills 92

Table 11: Did your students take your advice before deciding to do post graduation program? Resp % Yes 20 80 No 5 20 Total 25 100

100 80

Resp

60 40

20 0 Ye s

Fig 10: Motivating Factors for PG

P a re nt a l inf lu e n c e

To im p ro v e e m p lo y m e n t o p po rt u nit ie s T o in c re a s e d o m a in k no wle d g e a n d s kills Una ble t o g e t s u it a b le jo b a f t e r g ra d ua t io n

According to the teacher respondents, most of the students (80%) take their advice before deciding to do post graduation.

8 16

15 4

3) Employability Perception

Table 12: Do you think post graduates get better jobs than graduates? Resp % Yes 18 72 No 7 28 Total 25 100

Fig 12: Do you think PGs get better jobs? 72 28 %

72% of teachers opine that post graduate studies help students to get better jobs. 7

Resp

4) Yes

Long Term employment Perspective

Table 13: Do you think post graduate degrees help students in the long run? Resp % Yes 18 72 No 7 28 Total 25 100

72% of the students felt that the course activities help them achieve the requisite skills.

Course activities listed by teachers comprise of quizzes / surprise test (60%), individual project work (40%), Group Project work (48%), field visits (36%), debates / discussions (28%).

Yes

Fig 13: Do you think PG help in the long run?

15 18

5) Perceived Skills in Initial PG Job

Table 15: What skill(s) do you perceive as important for initial post graduation employment? Resp % Subject / domain knowledge 20 80 Communication skills 14 56 Problem solving skills 12 48 Analytical skills 7 28 Teamwork skills 8 32 Strong work ethic 18 72 Creativity / Innovation 14 56 Others (Pl specifiy) Total 25 100

0 Resp

Fig 14: Course Activities in PG D e ba te s / D is c u s s io n s Gro u p P ro je c t wo rk S u m m e r P la c e m e n t F ie ld / In d u s t ry v is it S e m in a rs / w o rk s h o p s In d iv id u a l P ro je c t Wo rk Qu izz e s / s urp ris e te s ts

7 12 3 12 9 2 8 10 15 0

28 48 36 40 60 20

VIII. Fig 11: Students taking advice of teachers for PG

Fig 15: Teachers perceived skills for initial job after 90 PG 80 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

80 60

Resp

Res p %

72 56

48 28

0 Yes

Fig 12: Do you think PGs get better jobs? 72 28

According to the teachers, the skills necessary for jobs after post graduation are subject knowledge (80%), work ethics (72%), communication skills (56%), creativity / innovation (56%), problem solving skills (48%), teamwork (32%), and analytical skills (28%).

Resp

6) Course Activities Impact on Skills Yes

Table 16: Does the course activities help achieve the requisite skills? Resp % Yes 18 72 No 7 28 Total 25 100

Like-wise, 72% of teacher respondents opine that post graduate programs help students in the long run in their career prospects. 1) Course Activities Table 14: What are the courses activities comprise of? Resp % Quizzes / surprise tests 15 60 Individual Project Work 10 40 Seminars/workshops 2 8 Field/Industry visit 9 36 Summer Placement 3 12 Group Project work 12 48 Debates / Discussions 7 28 Others (Pl specify) Total 25 100

Fig 16: Does course activities help achieve requisite skills?

7, 28% Yes No 18, 72%



Fig 17: Do you emphasise requisite skills

No, 5, 20%

Both students and teachers feel that apart from domain knowledge, skills such as communication skills, problem solving skills, teamwork, analytical skills, etc. help in initial PG employment. There is divergence of views when it comes to work ethics. While 72% of teachers feel that it is important, only 8% of students feel so. This may be because in this open era with pervading western influence the younger generation is impatient and wants to get rich fast and enjoy the material comforts. Students as well as teachers feel that course activities help students acquire the requisite skills for success in employment. Teachers do emphasis on acquiring different skills for all round development. Teachers opine that curriculum are dovetailed to the industry requirements and are job oriented.



Yes No Yes, 20, 80%



Emphasis on Skill development



Table 17: While teaching, do you emphasize on the necessary skills in the class? Resp % Yes 20 80 No 5 20 Total 25 100



Fig 18: Is the curriculum job oriented? 100 90

Teachers are affirmative (80%) that while teaching they emphasis on the need for acquiring different skills in students for their all round development. They help students develop the skills.

80 70 60 50 40 30

9) Curriculum Relevance

10 0 0

Table 18: Do you feel the curriculum takes into account industry requirement so that it becomes job oriented? Resp % Yes 20 80 No 5 20 Total 25 100

0.5

1.5

2.5

CONCLUSION Economic challenges in recent times have forced organizations to reduce their work force while business goals are stepped up or pegged at the same level. In other words, they want the people they hire to do more to realize the business goals and objectives. Economic liberalization has also brought about changes in the attitudes of the younger work force. They are impatient and want to grow fast. They want to acquire the required skills that would sustain their growth momentum in the career they pursue. It has therefore become imperative that the professors identify and know the skills needed for success in today’s work place. They need to emphasize and inculcate the necessary skills in the students while teaching. This requires constant dialogue between industry and academia. There is an increasing tendency among the students to pursue higher education with a view to increasing their employability. They feel that post graduate qualifications could help them acquire skills demanded by industries and services sectors such as analytical skills, technical skills, cross-cultural skills, business values, social responsibility issues, stress management, etc. besides giving them status and respectability in the society. Both students and teachers perceive post graduation studies help students to acquire better skill sets needed in workplace. The increase in the demand for higher education by the student community is evident from this research study.

Teachers felt that curriculum takes into account the industry requirements and are job oriented. IX.

DISCUSSIONS Closer examination of the responses of students and teachers to the questionnaires and personal interviews reveals the following:  ‘Increasing domain knowledge and skills’ is the prime determinant for pursuing post graduate programs according to both the students and teachers.  ‘Improving employment opportunities’ and ‘Not able to get satisfactory job after graduation’ (in that order) are the other factors for going for higher education as opined by both students and teachers.  Teachers play an important role in motivating students to do post graduation.  There is convergence of views between students and teachers as regards perception of employability. Both opined that student prospects improve with post graduate programs. It helps accelerate career progression and sustainability in the long run.  Course activities comprise of quizzes / surprise test, individual project work, Group Project work, field visits, debates / discussions, etc.

This research study underscores the fact that the student community is the fulcrum on which the academe – industry partnership works. For sustaining the partnership the aspirations of the students should remain paramount. The challenge before academia is making higher education collinear to the industry demands.

The research of this nature would help in strategizing and positioning higher education especially in the vast expanding townships where there is pronounced tilt towards higher education. XIII.

REFERENCES 1.

XI.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY The small sample size and sample design are limitations of this Study. The cost and time constraints are also limitations of this study. The study is confined to parts of Mumbai and Thane districts. So the generalization of conclusions of the study may not have universal applicability. But the findings give empirical insights for a larger study across states and management institutions.

3. XII.

SIGNIFICANCE AND SCOPE FOR FURTHER RESEARCH The findings and conclusions of the study provide an experiential insight in to students’ and teachers’ perception on post graduate qualifications from employability perspective in an economy that is in the midst of an upswing. Further the changing demography, socio-economic shifts and upwardly mobile younger generation signifies the importance of studies such as this to throw up the unexplained and unexplored aspects of student behaviour. Pan India research using SPSS and better statistical and sampling techniques would definitely help further understand the psyche of the students who are becoming increasingly ambitious.

4. 5. 6.

7. 8. 9.

Careers Service Unit and National Centre for Work Experience (CSU/NCWE), 1999, ‘What is work’, pp. 6–7, Focus on Work Experience. Manchester, CSU. Collective Enterprise Ltd (CEL), 2002, ‘The experience of recent graduates in IT, electronics and communications (ICET). Summary paper, prepare for a presentation at the Conference Centre, Victoria Street, London, 18 April, 2002. Harvey, L., Locke, W. and Morey, A., 2002, Enhancing Employability, Recognising Diversity. London, Universities UK. http://www.cisco.com/web/IN/about/network/enh ancing_employability.html http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/detail/2012/ 08_Jun_HEA_STEM_Employability_BCU http://www.pearsoned.co.in/web/books/97881317 73079_Enhancing-Employability--SoftSkills_Shalini-Verma.aspx http://www.p21.org http://www.enhancingemployability.org.uk/ http://www.modelfinishingschool.org/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=63:nation al-seminar-on-enhancingemployability&catid=39:tvm-events&Itemid=50

Employability of IT graduates and post graduates requires to be enhanced: The Role of Concerned Stakeholders Dr. Vinita N. Gaikwad Dy. Director, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India vinita.gaikwad@thakureducation.org Abstract: Total population of India is 1.22 billion. At any point of time it is estimated that five million Indians work abroad. India has demographic advantage and also a large pool of English speaking individuals. With this advantage India can very well provide a solution to its own and world’s skill shortage problem. However, a recent report published by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) indicates that India lacks more than five million skilled individuals since majority of the educational institutions do not impart employable skills. The report further claims a shortfall of 750,000 skilled workers over the next five years along with a surplus of 1.3 million unskilled and unqualified school dropouts and illiterates workforce. Skills and other attributes possessed by an individual decide his or her employability prospects. In the current age where more than 70% of the tasks in various fields such as medicine, education, banking, services, manufacturing etc. are performed using IT and ICT. Therefore the employability aspect of IT graduates and post graduates is found utmost important. It is thus necessary to probe into the fact as to what role the concerned stakeholders could play in increasing the employability of educated youth in general and that of IT graduates and post graduates in particular. Keywords: Employability, academics, skills, Academic-Industry linkage, Information Technology questionnaire were designed and administered for collecting data from the three sets of respondents. The survey was conducted in the city of Mumbai since it is the major hub of IT companies. Nearly 120 IT graduates and post graduates studying in various academic institutions in Mumbai were approached to fill up the questionnaire. Employability directly relates to acquiring job in the IT industry with the help of the placement department of the academic institution. Therefore, Placement Officers of 18 different institutes were requested to respond to the questionnaire. The tool of Interview Schedule was administered for the industry respondents. 5 IT industries were surveyed to get data from the Industry respondent. The data collected was analyzed and represented through tables and appropriate concepts.

INTRODUCTION According to an article published by SiliconIndia only 25% of graduates working in IT industry were readily employable. The chairman of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) Dr. Goverdhan Mehta quoted that in today’s competitive world only 10% of some lakhs students who pass degree examinations make themselves employable. It is necessary therefore, to enhance the employability of a large majority of graduate and post graduate students. The importance of enhancing employability requires to be understood not only by individual IT graduates and post graduates but also by the educational institutions that educate them. In the present age of Information Technology and the advent of Internet, the ease of acquiring information has improved the knowledge of individuals. How can educational institutes (academics) play a major role in enhancing the employability of the students whom they send out to the IT industry in the form of IT graduates and post graduates? For this, initially the academicians need to understand and accept that it is their prime responsibility to enhance employability of IT graduates and post graduates. Academics and academicians require to deliver much more than what is prescribed in the university syllabus. To impart knowledge and skills other than what is prescribed in the university syllabus, academicians have to move out of their comfort zone of chalk and duster and interact with the industry to whom their product is finally delivered.

III. EMPLOYABILITY Employability is the ability of a fresh graduate or post graduate to secure a job in the domain for which their academic efforts were focused. From the employers point of view employability is the attitude and work ability which is seen in the fresh graduates and post graduates to get employed. From the point of view of an IT graduates and post graduates, employability is to keep themselves abreast with the latest knowledge and equipped with the skills required to handle technology and work procedures to contribute to employers targets of production, income, profit and social responsibility. Employability is defined by the Enhancing Student Employability Coordination Team (ESECT) – “A set of achievements – skills, understandings and personal attributes that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations”. Thus, employability is a combined and coordinated efforts to make a person productively employable.

II. METHODOLOGY This piece of research followed the empirical method of investigation. To understand what efforts are made within academics for enhancing employability aspect, a survey was conducted. Data was collected from the desired respondents namely viz;– Students and Faculty and was further extended to Industry. Questionnaire was used as a research tool to collect the relevant data. Separate set of 9

Following bold details gathered through the survey of the student respondents indicate the awareness and importance about employability amongst them. 1. The 120 respondents of this research survey belonged to various disciplines i.e Engineering, MBA, MCA, M.Sc. and B.Sc. However their specialization was Computer Science or Information Technology. 2. Of the 120 graduates and post graduates 96 (80%) respondents agreed that their academic institution did organize various activities to enhance Industry Academic Interaction.

IV. PLACEMENT PROCESS Students irrespective of the course which they have joined have to go through the following placement process. Placement process is basically a filtering process wherein the best from the most are selected. [2]The first filtering mechanism comes into play where the major IT companies visit only selected institutions each year based on their ranking. Large size companies visit 50 to 60 campuses. Multinational corporations (MNCs) and Medium sized companies visit about 10 select campuses. During the actual placement process students with a certain cut-off percentage throughout their course or academic tenure (70 percent aggregate marks) are encouraged to apply for placements. The next stage of filtering occurs in the form of written test comprising of logical, analytical and problemsolving skills along with English and Maths. To evaluate communication skills, personality and spontaneous thinking abilities, Group Discussions are arranged. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed individually. Two type of interviews are conducted – technical and non-technical. The non-technical interview determines the attitude and values, personality, career aspirations and ‘soft skills’ thus evaluating whether the candidate will fit into the company culture. Communication skills is the most important ‘soft skill’ assessed by the HR. Service oriented software companies where ‘client-facing’ is part of the job, good communication skills are a must. Thus, if a candidate who is otherwise qualified may be rejected on the basis of poor communication skills. Graduates from IITs and other prime institutions get the best jobs in MNCs and more challenging technical jobs in reputed companies. Students from two and three tier colleges are offered more routine and low-end jobs. Many software service companies prefer to hire students from tier three institutes rather than top ranking institutions since talented students are not suitable for the kind of routine work that is offered by these companies. In the entire process of placement, academics can play a prime role in enhancing the employability of the students through the latter’s systematic preparation.

Note: Academic Institutions are making efforts to enhance employability through Academia-Industry linkages by various means. The following table displays the various means by which Academic Industry Linkages are achieved in colleges and institutions. Table 1: Industry Academic Interaction – Practiced by Academics Industry-Academic Interaction A B C D E F 40 9 4 25 7 13 A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H.

G 9

H 19

Seminars Projects Summer Interns Industrial Visit Videos Guest Lectures by Industry Personnel Case Study Workshops

Thus, students get a chance to interact with the industry through the above mentioned ways. However, the actual interaction with the industry is possible mainly through two of the above mentioned ways i.e. Projects (if they are live industry projects) and Summer Internship. The data in above table further reveals that though Projects and Summer Interns are the actual ways by which practical Industry interaction can be achieved, these two methods show only 9 and 4 responses respectively. As compared to them Seminars and Industrial Visits are more common ways of gaining industry interaction with the responses of 40 and 25 respectively. 3. 96 out of 120 (80%) student respondents are ready for working in the IT industry. And 82 out of 120 (68%) student respondents are aware about employability. For nearly 72% of the students the awareness about employability arose during college education. This could be due to the efforts of the HEIs or even interaction of the students amongst themselves. 4. Since nearly 72% of the students are aware about employability, they were further questioned about the efforts they make to enhance their employability.

V. EMPLOYABILITY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF STUDENT The fact that the number of IT graduates and post graduates from different faculties like Engineering (BE & ME), MBA, MCA, M.Sc (IT/Computer Sc) and B.Sc (IT/Computer Sc) moving out of the academics after completing their course are much more than the number of jobs that await them. Due to growing competition and the changing needs of the industry the students belonging to tier 1 institutes do not face the brunt of unemployability. However, students of tier 2 and 3 institutes have to compromise on the jobs that come their way. However students other than these face the most critical situation of unempoyability. This piece of research focused on the student respondents who were from tier 2 and 3 type of institutes. For these students employability and making oneself employable is a quite dire need.

Table 2: Enhancing Employability

receive from the industry. Thus, 85 % of the students agreed for a pay package that ranged between Rs.25,000/- and 50,000/-. The Industry stakeholders during the interviews, mentioned that IT graduates and post graduates who join the IT industry were required to have the right attitude at work. Which meant that they should be willing to work in the given conditions, i.e. late working hours, off shore assignments, new technology, etc? The following table reveals the responses given by the student stakeholders.

Efforts made for Enhancing Employability A B C D E F 9 40 36 43 1 7 A. B. C. D.

Enhancing Educational Qualification Improving Communication Skills Improving Technical Skills Knowledge (Specific / General) Enhancement E. Summer Interns F. Projects

Table 4: Willingness to work in non-comfort zone

To enhance employability students make most efforts in improving their communication Skills. Along with communication skills students also put in efforts for improving technical skills and enhancing their knowledge. The above table also shows that very few students responded to projects and summer interns as efforts for enhancing employability. Thus, for an individual student it is difficult to make independent effort for Summer Internship and Projects in companies to enhance employability. The HEIs require to help the students to acquire Summer Internships and Projects in Industry. For this HEIs must have continuous interaction with the industry. All the respondents were clear about the type of job they desired they would be doing after joining the IT industry. The following table displays data about the same.

Working in Non-comfort Zone

Late Working hours

Place of work away from home

For comfort zone only

Thus, through multiple responses, majority of the students are willing to adopt the non-comfort zone of work area / pattern. They are willing to go the extra mile and put efforts to deliver the task given to them. Finally, to find the actual motivation level amongst the students regarding enhancing of their employability they were asked if they are ready to design projects free of cost to improve their technical skills. The following table reveals their mind.

Table 3: Clarity about the Job Position Which Cadre / Position will you join? A

Table 5: Willingness to design free projects

Interested in designing free projects while studying Yes No

A. B. C. D. E. F.

Manager Programmer Administrator Tester System Analyst Others

Nearly 80% of the students are ready to design projects free of cost to improve their technical skills and hence increase their chances of enhancing employability.

Since the data collected after interviewing students from MBA faculty,15 respondents showed inclination towards working in the HR cadre. However, maximum students were keen on joining the IT industry as programmers since they knew that they were freshers and the industry would welcome them as Programmers. It was also found that the two main jobs where the IT industry prefers freshers are for the posts of programmer and tester. However, only 9 respondents showed inclination for joining the industry as software testers. This also shows the fact that students require to be motivated for the post of testers. The survey data also revealed that the students were quite aware about the pay package they would

VI. EMPLOYABILITY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF INDUSTRY NASSCOM mentions that 25% graduates working in IT are found readily employable, while roughly 15% are eligible for back-office jobs. Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outsourcing industry amounting to $60-billion is already spending nearly $1 billion per year to train IT graduates and post graduates who are selected from various campuses. NASSCOM has started two common assessment tests, which set a common benchmark for employability especially for students belonging to the 11

tier 2 and 3 colleges or institutes. These 45 minutes evaluation tests check the analytical, comprehension, writing and verbal skills of the employment seeking student or prospective candidate. Employers expect graduates to make positive contribution to the company from day one [Atkins, 1999]. SMEs categorically expressed that they cannot afford to bear the cost associated with training new recruits in generic employment skills. Thus it is prime responsibility of HEI’s to prepare the students with the necessary employment skills to ensure that they are ‘oven-ready.’[Atkins, 1999]. Based on the interaction with the IT industries where Interview Schedule was used to gather data, following responses were received: 3 of the 5 companies surveyed indicated that they did not expect the fresh candidates to be trained in a specific technology. All the companies expected that the students should possess basic IT knowledge. This would be evident from their academic score. Thus students with good academic background (first class throughout their academic career) were assumed to be sound in their basic IT knowledge. (academics effort) 3 of the 5 companies stated that they were more keen in employing students who had the right attitude, which included – Their eagerness to learn new technology. Their activeness in completing tasks given to them at a given point of time. Their promptness to work in a non-comfort zone, i.e. late hours, on duty tasks, working on projects which demand them to travel, off-shore projects, etc Qualities like Hard work, Humbleness and Sincerity were expected in every individual who desired to join the company. If a student is skilled in a particular technology which is desirable for the company then it becomes an added advantage for the industry. 2 of the 5 companies emphasized that fresher’s have to be trained not only in new technology but also to adjust to the culture of the company. The employer was more comfortable to work with students who were ready to accept whatever tasks had been handed over to them. All the 5 companies also accepted this fact that had there been initial interaction of the student with the industry it would be easier to train them on job. This industry interaction could be in the form of Summer Internship, Workshops or Guest lectures.

institutes to have an independent placement department along with independent staff to cater to the placement needs of their students. Though most institutions have independent staff to cater to the need of providing and enhancing employability, it is basically the responsibility of the faculty members in an educational institute to perform the role of enhancing the employability of their students. This is so because it is the teaching staff with whom the students interact most during the course. The way the faculty members motivate and bring an early realization in the students about the importance of employability matters when these students actually face the placement interviews. Table 6: Provision of TPO Independent TPO Qualification of TPO Yes No Engg. MBA MCA B.Sc. / M.Sc. 16 2 4 3 7 2 The data in the above table indicates that out of the 18 HEIs surveyed 16 had independent TPO (Training and Placement Officers). The data shows that HEIs have understood the importance of Employability and have taken it as a responsibility to ensure that their students are not only provided placements but also made aware about employability. The data also reveals that the TPOs are academically qualified. During the survey it was observed that the TPO of an engineering college possessed an engineering degree, TPO of an MCA institute possessed an MCA degree and the TPOs from MBA and B.Sc. (IT / Computer Science) possessed MBA and M.Sc. degrees respectively. Academically qualified TPO is able to ascertain the needs of the IT industry and also help enhance employability of the students who are to be placed. VIII. ENHANCING EMPLOYABILITY – EFFORTS MADE BY THE ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS Graduate employability has become a central issue for HE as successive governments have emphasized the role that universities and colleges should play in producing graduates who add value to the economy. [4] Employers during the selection process make sure that the candidate possesses skills in the required domain. They seek evidence of the skills possessed by the applicant through the applicant’s experiences at work, studies and extracurricular achievements. In most cases students are unable to get aware and develop their need felt skills during the courses of HE (Higher Education). Most students are unable to express and market their skills. Students do require help in this respect. Students require help to describe their skills clearly and confidently. Academics can help the students in attaining the necessary communication ability for expressing their skills. Skills and attributes associated with employability are often gained in placement and work experience situations. Students should be equipped with employability skills in their studies at graduate and post graduate levels. They should be encouraged to prepare themselves to manage the

VII. EMPLOYABILITY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS/COLLEGES The role played by academic institutions in enhancing the employability of graduates and post graduates is of prime importance. HEIs which are able to provide maximum placements are considered among the best of the breed. HEIs to increase their stake in the academic arena ensure that they are able to place maximum number of their students. The need for creating a market value not only for their product (students) but also for themselves forces these 12

recruitment situation better. They require be instructing and demonstrating in productive learning and not just lecturing for the syllabi prescribed by the University. Industry Interaction is one of the prime ways by which employability can be enhanced. The HEIs are required to make rigorous efforts to interact with the industry.

versa. It would bridge the skill gap”. The following observations were evident through this mini scale survey done for this piece of research. i. HEIs are aware about the fact that employability amongst their graduates and post graduates requires to be enhanced. ii. HEIs have made provision of independent TPO. However, the role of the TPO is limited to creating placements for their students. iii. Faculty members other than the TPO also visit the industry. However the purpose of the visit does not achieve the true motive of industry linkage.

Table 7: Interaction of Faculty with Industry No of Faculty 282

No of Faculty visiting Industry 27

No of IT companies visited 23

The survey data shown in the above table reveals that only 27 out of the 282 faculty members are visiting the industry. The number of industries visited is also less. The table indicates that there is lack of Industry-Academic interaction. Due to the lack of interaction with the industry, HEIs fall short of knowhow for enhancing the employability of their students. They are unable to convey the requirements of the industry to their students who as a result remain less equipped with knowledge and skills desired by the industry. During the survey it was found that some HEIs did make efforts to have Industry Interaction or Linkage.

iv.

The gap between academics and industry is evident such that, none of the industries seek consultancy from HEIs under study in this research work.

HEIs lack efforts in encouraging students in taking up ‘pet projects’ and ‘open source projects’ to enhance their skills.

X. SUGGESTIONS Academic institutions or HEIs can help enhance employability of their IT graduates and post graduates to make them ‘oven ready’ to work with IT industry. Following are a few suggestions:i. Academics can help enhance the Core Skills (which does not mean mastery of technology) i.e. Source Table 8: Purpose of Industry Interaction Control (capability to use and get acquainted to the technology in use) or Unit Testing (having written Purpose of visit of IT companies by Faculty Unit Tests using at least some framework) ii. Students should be encouraged to be smart, know Interaction Upgrading computers, code programming and work hard. Projects with FDP Consultancy Technology iii. Skill is the ability to learn and the ability to complete Industry tasks. This is best demonstrated through project work. 1 4 6 1 0 More the project work, better the results. HEIs can help IT graduates and post graduates to acquire projects or encourage them in getting engaged in ‘pet Table 8 shows the purpose of interaction with the Industry projects’ since potential employers expect that their by the HEIs. Out of the 18 institutes (2 Engineering, 6 applicant can code. MCA, 4 MBA and 6 B.Sc. IT) surveyed, only 6 institutes iv. HEIs can help students prepare resumes that are best. managed to organize Industry Interaction. v. The applicant should aspire for and get the job that he Faculty members visited IT companies to upgrade their or she wants. It is hard to be impressed by a candidate knowledge about latest technology. This knowledge who is undecided in what he or she wants to place upgradation was required to help the academics set up new himself or herself. HEIs should guide and motivate laboratory infrastructure as well as architecture as their students in self accessing the domain in which mentioned in the syllabus prescribed by the University. they are comfortable and skilled. In some cases purpose of the visits was to have vi. The IT employer looks for Social and Business skills Interaction with Industry by organizing Guest lectures, over and above technical skills in the prospective Seminars and workshops on latest technology for candidate to be employed. HEIs should make efforts knowledge enhancement of the students. to enhance the Social and Business skills of their Only 1 HEI out of the 18 approached the industry for students through the way of various interaction the purpose of projects. programs like Seminars, Group Discussions, and None of the HEIs were found to have interacted with Presentations on topics of latest technology. the industry for consultancy. This clearly indicated the vii. Students should be encouraged to work on ‘Open huge gap between academics and industry. The HEIs are Source projects’ to enhance their skills. not capable to provide consultancy to industry, as the viii. HEIs should also encourage their students to take up technology used in the industry nowhere matches the Certification courses which enhance their skills in a knowledge content possessed by the academics. specific domain. IX. CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS ix. HEIs should encourage and motivate their students to As an IT graduate rightly mentions “I wish our read technical books. This should be further followed institutes were situated inside these IT companies or vice by review presentation of the book gone through. 13

XII. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My sincere thanks to TIMSCDR for giving me this opportunity to do this mini scale research. I am thankful to Dr. A. L. Pathre for his support and guidance during this research. I am thankful to all the teaching staff members of TIMSCDR who took sincere efforts to visit educational institutes and collect data from the Academic and Student stakeholders required for this research.

XI. USEFULLNESS OF THIS RESEARCH This mini scale research revealed the gap between Industry and Academic stakeholders. This gap necessitates the fact that employability of IT graduates and postgraduates requires to be enhanced. The research also suggests various ways employability enhancement, if not totally but partly, can be achieved by way of Projects and Summer Internship, since these two methods actually bring the student close to the domain in which he or she has to work with the required knowledge and skills. The paper also suggests the efforts the Academic stakeholders (Faculty) require to put in to motivate their students towards enhancing employability. Also, the efforts to interact with the industry will deliver to their students the necessary technical skills which are used in the industry.

XIII. REFERENCES 1. 2.

3. 4.

SiliconIndia (2012). “Now Just 10 Percent Employable Grads in India”. Carol Upadhya, Economic and Political Weekly (2007), “Employment, Exclusion and ‘Merit’ in the Indian IT Industry” www.enhancingemployability.org.uk Moon, J (1999), Learning Journals a Handbook for Academics, Students and Professional Development, London: Kongan Page.

Enhancing Student Employability Sudeshna Sen Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India sudeshna.sen@thakureducation.org Shubhi Lall Agarwal Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India shubhi.lall@thakureducation.org Abstract: NASSCOM, the IT/ITES industry association has said that, “Of the general pool of graduates across all streams only 25 per cent have employable skills. When we look specifically at tech graduates then only 35-40 per cent are readily employable”. This paper describes an innovative process to stimulate debate and build consensus among providers, learners, employers, government, national agencies and others about the role of lifelong learning in enhancing employability. I conclude that enhancing learners’ employability requires a three-way partnership between learners, educators and employers: learners have to take responsibility for their learning and careers, but they need educators to help them, guide them and facilitate their learning. Learners and educators need employers to inform the curriculum, and to provide opportunities for learning from experiences at work. Keywords: Learners, Educators, Employers, Lifelong Learning manage their own careers should contribute to this public good. And most learners are seeking improved life chances through their learning. This is why Government of India should take interest in the contribution that education makes to employability. However, the policy debate about this issue tends to get confused, because we forget some of the realities about education and learning: learning is not something ‘done to’ people; education is not (just) passing on knowledge or facts; education is not (just) training in skills; employability is not (just) about careers advice or guidance; most people’s aspirations and careers are far more complex than the mental models we use often imply; and no matter how much we ‘know better’ than learners they stubbornly choose to study courses that they find interesting or valuable rather than the ones we assert would be better for the economy. We have consciously tried to shift our thinking about how universities and colleges could contribute to enhancing learners’ employability, using techniques to ‘surface’ some of the underlying assumptions and values and base our policies on models which are closer to what is really going on between learners and educators. We think that this leads to much more fruitful debate about how we can improve what we do, because it reframes the debate from ‘how can government manipulate funding and regulatory regimes to make institutions deliver more employable graduates’ towards ‘how can we (all) improve the service we provide to learners and society’.

INTRODUCTION The reasons cited for the employability of graduates is nothing new and has been known for quite sometime. The lack of ‘Job Ready’ skills in the course curriculum in majority of colleges and the assessment system with high weightage on theoretical competencies instead of practical know-how is definitely a cause of concern. One of the recent hiring trend in the IT industry has seen the companies looking beyond technology degree holders (B.Tech/B.E.) and considering fresh graduates (B.Sc, BCA). This clearly suggests that the companies are not looking for highly specialized technical skills but rather graduates who can be made job-ready with little or no training. Based on my personal experience, I think the gap that one needs to fill while transitioning from a college graduate and an IT fresher is not so much technical or job specific skill-set but more to do with soft skills. Soft skills here go beyond communication skills but also include presentability, professional conduct, timeliness and something that I personally think colleges seldom promote “Team Work”. I might be generalizing here but I think a lot of colleges fail miserably when it comes to imbibing these traits in students. In the end, I think blaming the system is not going to help the matters. No doubt the education system needs to radically transform but it is not going to happens overnight. Moreover, when it comes to employability the impetus is more on the students to do what it takes and become a qualified individual. The case for public investment in education is that it is in part a public good contributing to a better society, a better economy and better chances for all. Helping people to add value for their employers and to

II. WHAT TOOLS DID WE USE TO DEVELOP OUR THINKING ON EMPLOYABILITY? In India, with 100 Crore people (with at least 35% under 25 years of age) both parents and students mainly look for “better” opportunities and prospects. 15

Majority of them don’t want to worry too much about sports, extra-curricular activities and leadership skills etc. but just want to focus on getting a “good” job and hopefully settle abroad. With government jobs reducing in number people are increasingly looking at private companies especially at IT / ITES industry who hire truck loads of people with better salary and perks. Traditionally, a majority of the engineering & other professional degree colleges have been owned by people/institutions that enjoy money /caste / political influence rather than any vision for the youth (barring a few exceptions). It is a secure business with monopoly status with little or no competition because the inflow is humongous. That’s why none of these private institutions (with a very few exceptions) do any research or own intellectual capital. They hire lecturers paying very low salaries and get bad quality in the bargain who have neither motivation nor abilities. A lecturer mentioned to me that he joined because he didn’t get other jobs. The bottom line is that EDUCATION (as we know it) is BUSINESS. Today we hear about foreign universities coming to India in big numbers. Whatever be their “brochure talks” their objective is to tap into huge market opportunities. Some of these are really reputed institutions, of course. In spite of these issues, the cost of a professional degree in India is very low. A lot of NRIs give “lectures” on how bad higher education system is in India but without that “low cost” degree they would not be here in the first place! The main problem in the system is lack of STANDARDIZATION and PARITY in terms of curriculum, evaluation and gradation. Therefore, even if some institutions do a great job, their “products” (students) get mixed and diluted with those who cheat the system. The syllabus, examinations and evaluations are managed by universities under UGC guidelines. There is a plethora of problems, corruption and inefficiency by the university administration. There is also a “slow-to-market” approach. Students study C or C++ when the market is blazing ahead with Java and newer technologies (just mentioned as an example). Coming to the question of “employability”; it is a loosely defined term. Certainly educational environment is not adequate to prepare a student to take up the challenges of the industry. Team work should be emphasized in schools and colleges while they do exactly the opposite. They promote individual academic excellence. Lecturers would have not worked in any industry, so their vision is totally different. However, an educational institution can do only “so much” and expecting too much is also not right. The government must pass legislation on private sector to intake interns for at least 6months with a small stipend or at least on “No-Pay-No-Fee” basis. A few decades back, employers thought it was their responsibility to train and orient freshmen but today (particularly) IT companies want “off the shelf” finished products partly because IT is a fast moving industry and secondly these companies are plain greedy. “Why grow crops, cook and eat when we can cut flesh and feast (that’s

the motto although there are many companies who invest in training)”. Finally, the good news is that in future (by Year 2020 or so) 20% of the English speaking technology professionals globally will be Indian. This is a dream-cumtrue for many middle-class families who aspire that their children will be globe trotters one day! In the words of Dilip Saraf (Top notch Career coach, Speaker and Writer) “the first 5 years in a career evolution after the degree (the 1st stint) is very important in setting the personal brand as a subject matter expert in a particular area be it electronic circuit designer, copywriter or layer. By the time a professional is around 30 years of age s/he should have enough hands-on individual contributors experience to call oneself an expert in it. Then s/he can move towards management of teams (depending on his/her aptitude for it)”. This is the beginning of career life cycle. However, there are a number of exceptions and variations to it. There is another school of thought which states that we live in “post career” age. III.

WHAT ARE THE GAPS? In the final analysis, the gaps are (1) Learning soft skills, communication skills, marketable employment skills and communication skills, (2) Learning professionalism and the importance of team work (3) Being able to understand what one’s strengths, nonstrengths and motivational triggers are so they can choose and focus on the right career path early on. By the way there is no need to teach today’s generation on blogging, and using Twitter or Facebook which are all fads. Another important observation of mine has been that colleges (educational institutions) are all too eager to push students to campus placements to show good numbers. They hardly give any opportunity to kindle entrepreneurial spirit in them or help them explore it (except in business schools perhaps). This is the right age to bring out young “Dhirubhais” and it requires special programs to be deployed by educational institutions. There is definitely good opportunity for career “finishing” schools and there are several of them in major cities. One has to watch and see how the Indian society (well known for its reliance and ability to learn quickly) adapts to changing world. I based my work on testing one hypothesis:  there are many different perspectives about what employability is and why it is important, and there are tensions inherent in those interests; The approach that I took included:  one-to-one discussions with a range of stakeholders and  a review of what current research and literature tells us about employability. IV. HYPOTHESIS: DIFFERENT GROUPS DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ABOUT EMPLOYABILITY IS AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT

HAVE WHAT

We focused on the perspectives of four groups: ‘learners’, ‘educators’ (including institutional managers, 16

teaching and support staff), ‘employers’ and ‘government’. There was common agreement that employability is about an individual’s chances of progressing into and through the labour market successfully, and that these chances are determined by a wide range of factors which relate to the abilities of the individual as well as circumstances and the wider economic and social environment. But a closer look at the interests of each group led us to identify several points of tension. Understanding these points of tension is important if the debate about employability is to move forward constructively. We summarise the interests of each group, as we interpret them.

However, the evidence suggests that, irrespective of occupational sector, employers are often more concerned about a person’s broader capability and potential. For example, how effective is the person as a team-player? How well does he/she communicate? Does he/she have the ability to learn? Or creativity? Or initiative? How motivated is he/she? Employers are likely to be more willing to train workers in the specific needs of their job than in these broader aspects of a person’s capability, which tend to be longer-term personal development issues. D. GOVERNMENT Government’s interest in employability relates to two connected strands of policy: social justice and economic prosperity. At one level, employability initiatives tend to focus on groups of people in society with employability ‘problems’: those who find it difficult to find, and sustain, employment. At another level, government has an interest in ensuring that the public funds used for education bring value to learners, the economy and society.

A. Learners There are many reasons why learners take up education and training, from the personal to the academic to the vocational. For many, it is a combination. However, most learners take up learning in the expectation that it will improve their prospects, economic or otherwise, in the short and the longer term. For some learners, career development is the primary focus for their learning. For others, it may only be in retrospect that they appreciate the contribution that learning can make, or has made, to this. For a small minority, career development will not figure at all as a motive for learning.

V. 

 B. EDUCATORS For educators in vocational disciplines, employability is closely equated with their core mission, and therefore there is a general view among this group that it needs no special consideration. In the ‘non-vocational’ disciplines it becomes more complex. Some practitioners claim that traditional academic programmes naturally develop learners in ways that enhance their employability, and always have done; others believe that it is important to help learners recognise the abilities that they are developing through their studies and develop the ability to apply those abilities in other contexts; while others prefer to concentrate on their subject and leave employability concerns to learners, with help from the institution’s careers advisers.



C. EMPLOYERS On one level, employers’ interests are relatively simple: employers want to be able to select from a pool of ‘work ready’ applicants. But what this means, in practice, is far from simple. In some occupations (for example, engineering), the ‘technical’ knowledge and skills required for specific jobs are consistent and well understood. Where there are training programmes aligned to these requirements, which are up to date with industry needs, individuals and employers can be fairly confident that there is a good match between what the individual’s qualification represents and employers’ needs in relation to technical knowledge and skills. In this respect, employers are concerned that there is a good fit between their needs and the design of education and training provision.



CHALLANGES We need to consider: The way in which employers contribute to the specification of skills needs in the curriculum design process; The particular challenges for ‘non-vocational’ subjects, for which there is no single or obvious employer body to act as a reference point; The implications for curriculum design and assessment – how do we identify, assess and credit rate relevant forms of skills development and link them to specified learning outcomes within the curriculum; How we educate learners to be better able to manage their own learning and career development – not through ‘add ons’ but through core programmes and recognising that learning takes place in all aspects of life; Professional updating and development for teaching staff: ensuring that staff in vocational areas have an up-to-date understanding of their subject, in relation to professional practice, and ensuring that all staff are equipped to meet the challenges involved in helping their learners to develop the capabilities they need; Meeting the different needs of learners effectively – in particular, managing the different needs of lifelong learners and young people/school leavers; Promoting greater opportunities for learners to engage in challenging work-related experience, and exploring opportunities to credit-rate the skills acquired through extra-curricular experience; and Measuring improvement and success – both internally in institutions and through external quality review procedures.

particular, I propose that learner-centred approaches to learning, which help learners, develop self-confidence and motivation, and which encourage learners to evaluate their own achievements and take responsibility for their own personal and professional development, can contribute very effectively to employability. Other activities, such as work-related experience, student representation and enterprising initiatives, are equally important in enhancing a person’s employability. This should be integrated within the whole learning experience wherever possible. We conclude that, while the primary responsibility for enhancing employability must rest with the individual, learning providers and employers also have significant responsibilities.

VI.

CONCLUSIONS We conclude that employability is about an individual’s chances of progressing into and through the labour market successfully, according to what they choose to do. A person’s employability at any one time depends on (i) a combination of their own skills, understandings and attributes and (ii) external factors and circumstances, such as the state of the labour market. Education should focus its efforts in relation to employability where they have most influence: on (i). Similarly, institutions should measure their success in meeting this objective in qualitative terms, not simply by employment statistics that reflect outcomes. Learners are the main stakeholder in education, and for most learners, employability is one of their objectives. So it follows that one of the primary objectives of learning providers must be to design the curriculum and the learning experience in ways that can help learners enhance their employability, building on their previous experience in school, work and life. There is a common perception which equates employability with vocational training: in other words, with making available learning provision which meets the specific training needs of employers and industry. But we argue that it is far more than that. It is also about developing capable people who can manage their own career development and who will be effective in their chosen occupation or occupations – as employers, employees or entrepreneurs. This is as much about skills and attitudes and values as it is about knowledge and understanding, and helping learners to develop in these ways should be a key part of the mission for all subject disciplines. Many of the skills and attributes that make for effectiveness in the workplace such as vision, motivation, creativity, critical thinking and initiative – cannot be taught (in the traditional sense of the word), but they can be learned, with the right kind of support. I do not propose that more needs to be ‘added’ to the curriculum, but rather that reflection on how the curriculum and assessment are designed, learning outcomes and how learning takes place can make a difference to how effective programmes are in enhancing employability. In

VII. REFERENCES 1.

Critical Thinking, policyworks and Scottish Council Foundation (2003): Higher Education: Higher Ambitions? www.criticalthinking.co.uk/higheredhigheramb.p df Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) Generic Centre and Enhancing Student Employability Co-ordination Team (ESECT): Learning and Employability Guides www.ltsn.ac.uk/genericcentre/index.asp?docid=1 8968 Learning to Work: enhancing employability and enterprise in Scottish further and higher education www.shefc.ac.uk/publications/other/Learning_to _Work.pdf Life through Learning: Learning through Life www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/lifelong/llsm00.asp Scottish Parliament (2002): Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee, 9th report 2002, Final Report on Lifelong Learning www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees /historic/x-enterprise/reports-02/elr02-09-01.htm

Enhancing Employability Skills of Engineering Students through Industrial Training Programme Pankaj K. Mudholkar Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India mudholkarpankaj@gmail.com Shirshendu Maitra Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India slm2007@gmail.com Sonu Gupta Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India sonu.gupta@thakureducation.org Abstract: Employers nowadays consider the academic achievement alone is not sufficient for hiring the employees. They sometimes find achievement other than academic such as employability skills to be important in the recruitment process. Hence, the purpose of this study is to examine the employers’ perceptions on the performance of students and interns as an effort from the Institutions providing IT education to meet the job market demands. A questionnaire is distributed for the collection of data on the employers’ perceptions on skills possessed by new engineers in their workforce. The study reveals that attributes exposed in industrial training programme fulfil the attributes required by employers. It shows that the industrial training programme is an essential component of engineering curricula. The programme develops students’ employability skills through activities that gave the interns an exposure to industry practices. The industrial training also strengthens employability skills of engineering students through relevant work experience. Keywords: Employers, Employability Skills, Interns, Industrial Training Programmes, Performance certain courses [6]. Although professional education, skills and training expected to be exposed by employers, rather than by universities, employers still concerned about soft skills own by graduates, in addition to, academic achievement when they recruit new engineers. Engineering education has long been considered as a process of refining characters and skills for employment in the workplace. With the tremendous changing in the employment system, the tertiary education must take more responsibility in developing their students’ personal qualities in terms of employability, and implement appropriate programs to meet the changing needs in industry. One approach to help increase the employability skills are through an industrial training or internship programme for engineering undergraduates’ students.

INTRODUCTION The importance of employability skills is now greater than ever in engineering sectors. Most engineering industries are now using highly developed equipment, systems, and systematic processes, requiring highly trained, integrated and multi-skilled engineers. As a result, employers place main concern on employability skills in hiring new engineers causing a significant increase on demand for skilled engineering graduates. Yet, previous studies indicate that the supply of entry level engineers does not meet current demands, and future expectations in engineering sectors. One of the key factors is the graduates are not ready to enter the workforce [9]. They lack employability skills needed by employers [5], competencies or capabilities of personal skills [7] and not equipped with the relevant skills [6]. Therefore, employers’ perceptions and expectations have its influential in determining the employability skills needed. Several universities have conducted a study to obtain their perceptions and expectations in various disciplines. The best universities require engineering students to obtain excellence academic achievements, however, common queries still on: “who they will be; what they will do; where they will do it; why they will do it …” . Employers feel it is a beneficial for a new engineer to have acquired certain employability skills than just studied

II. ENHANCING EMPLOYABILITY IN THE CURRICULUM The close relationship between employability skills and those attributes needed to be an effective learner means that many courses and study pathways will already support employability through a range of learning activities and assessments. Enhancing employability within the curriculum is about adding value by making explicit what we do already and drawing students’ attention to the skills they are developing as part of their study. 19

Personal development planning can be integrated into the curriculum as part of assessed activities. Students should be encouraged to identify the skills they are developing and to understand how these relate not only to their course but also to their employability.

A. Using course and award learning outcomes The institutes can add value to its provision by making explicit how the learning outcomes of courses and qualifications are related to the skills and attributes employers are looking for. For learning outcomes to be linked to employability:  course outcomes need to be well aligned with award outcomes;  course teams, associate lecturers and students need to be aware of how study at each level contributes to the development of employability skills. One way to check is by auditing study pathways to gain an overview of where students are developing their employability skills. Given the learning outcomes for a course or award, the tool is intended to prompt academic discussion about the employability skills that emerge from study in their subject area. Institutes using this simple tool have found that it can help identify:  employability skills that are supported and developed as part of the learning outcomes; employability skills that are supported and developed but are not explicitly included in the learning outcomes;  opportunities and language for talking about employability skills;  skills gaps. The results from such an audit can be used to tell students and about the employability skills that are already embedded, as well as informing course teams and programme committees involved in curriculum development.

D. Enhancing Employability in Curriculum  Employability skills are not new, rather they are a new way of describing many of the skills and attributes that students develop from studying with the OU. Employability can be enhanced in curriculum development, design or delivery by: explaining where course or award learning outcomes are also relevant to career development;  helping students identify and record evidence of their achievements;  helping students recognise the learning outcomes give them a language to communicate their skills and achievements to others, including employers;  helping students recognise that employability, like building self-confidence and a sense of achievement, is part of a wider group of benefits of higher education. III. ENGINEERING PROGRAMME

AND

INDUSTRIAL

TRAINING

Unstable economic environment and globalization influenced the recruitment practice, which also affect to higher education system. This can be seen in the advertisement that stated clearly the criteria required for engineering post nowadays. The engineering graduates have strong basic engineering knowledge and sufficient technical competency [5; 9], but employers complaint on the entry level job applicants still lacking of generic skills [5] such as communication skills, decision making and interpersonal skills [9; 5]. Employers need an engineer with a solid theoretical background and equipped with essential soft skills and employability skills [9]. Robinson (2000) defined employability skills as “those basic skills necessary for getting, keeping, and doing well on a job.” Engineering employability skills are highly related to nontechnical skills or abilities. These nontechnical skills not only help graduates to succeed in getting employed but also doing well in the workplace [3]. Obviously, engineering graduates should have employability skills to apply and practice the knowledge in the workplace. Most engineering companies today expect higher education providers (HEP) prepare for “work-ready” graduates, who have sufficient skills and abilities to work immediately [9; 6]. Industrial training is one of approaches to help students to prepare for “workready” graduates. It is part of the learning process to apply theories learned in college and to develop technical skills and employability skills. Industrial training programme helps students to discover different roles and activities that give them an opportunity to experience different challenges in a real workplace. The activities provide exposure to realities of the working environment and an opportunity to gain ‘hands-on’ working experience in related industry. The industrial training programme is part of curriculum in engineering programme. Duration of the industrial training

B. Using the levels framework Many students spread their study over several years. If they are studying to enhance their career, then opportunities for new jobs or new positions may arise before they have completed their studies. It is important, therefore, that students part way through their studies are still able to recognise how their skills are developing as they move from course to course and level to level, and are able to describe this clearly to others. The course framework is a set of statements indicating the generic skills and abilities students should be able to demonstrate at each level of study. Programme committees should use the framework to help identify employability skills and attributes, and relate these to the learning outcomes at each level. Being clear about what is gained from study helps students recognise what they can do and what progress they are making – something that is as relevant to those studying purely for interest as it is for those wanting career development. C. Personality Development Plans (PDP) There is a close relationship between personal development planning and employability. The PDP may involve planning their study pathway to support their career as well as their personal interests, reflecting on progress and identifying strengths as well as gaps to be addressed. A PDP can help the student develop as a learner and understand how their learning relates to a wider context. 20

is between 2 to 6 months, subject to the requirements of the degree programme. Even though the educational background is significant to employers, it is also necessary to have real-world experience in the area before entering the workforce. Therefore, industrial training programme is one way of providing experience by which these skills can be attained. Upon completing the training, the students have to submit a technical report as part of the assessment of their performance in industrial training. The assessment also includes the input by the employers on the soft skills and knowledge as showed by the students during the training. This input allows the faculty to assess the students’ abilities as well as to ascertain whether they have met the objectives of the industrial training set by accreditation requirement. The industrial training supposes to provide the interns an exposure to professional practice in an engineering practice environment. It is essential for the interns to familiarize themselves with common engineering processes and practices and to expose themselves to a wide variety of processes required at a level appropriate to them. Therefore, the interns of an engineering programme are expected to attain programme outcomes (PO) specified for industrial training programme. The industrial training programme outcomes for industrial training describe the expectation of knowledge and abilities should be attained after completing the programme. Therefore, it is necessary to have feedback from employers on the performance of interns, to see whether the objectives of industrial training programme have been achieved. This feedback also will provide information on how the outcomes meet the employers’ requirement. Parts of an effort to achieve this, a study to obtain information on the perceptions of employers regarding to employability skills through interns and graduates need to be done. The Institutes has to take initiative to conduct industrial training programme which provides the following outcomes from such programmes as shown in the following table:

IV. METHODOLOGY This study examines the employers perceptions after recruiting engineering graduates without inters and engineering graduates with interns. A. Survey on Engineering Graduates Directly Recruited The selection of the respondents employed a random sampling method. The questionnaires developed to gather information on the performances of engineering graduates on adopted fifteen employability skills. These 15 employability skills listed in Table II required employers. The questionnaires sought to collect data on the perception of the employers towards performance of new engineers in their organisation using a five point scale. The employers responded to level of satisfactory on knowledge, skills and experience owned by engineering graduates in their work place. The responses “1” indicated “Not Satisfactory at all” and “5” indicated “Most Satisfactory”. The researchers had targeted about 25 employers with sample limited to engineering employers in a limited geographical area of Mumbai. Data collected through face-to-face interview, telephone interview, online survey and snow-ball sampling using a set of questionnaires. In the end, 20 engineering employers responded out of 25 questionnaires given out and only 15 usable responses were analysed. Table II.

List of Employability Skills

Attributes A1 Have adequate background knowledge A2 Ability to apply knowledge A3 Ability to function effectively in group A4 Capability to function as a leader in group A5 Ability to carry out leader/ manager's instruction A6 Behave professionally and practice good ethics A7 Appreciate social and cultural responsibilities A8 Awareness on environmental responsibility A9 Recognize the needs of lifelong learning A10 Ability to extract information A11 Ability to practice listening skills and giving feedback A12 Ability to communicate in public or with community at large A13 Ability to express ideas verbally A14 Ability to make decision A15 Ability to work independently

Table I. The relevant programme outcomes for Industrial Training Programme

Programme Outcomes PO1 Ability to acquire and apply knowledge of science and engineering fundamentals. PO2 Ability to communicate effectively, not only with engineers but also with the community at large. PO3 Ability to function effectively as an individual and in a group with the capacity to be a leader or manager as well as an effective team member. PO4 Understand the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of an engineer, and the need for sustainable development. PO5 Ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as analysing and interpreting data. PO6 Ability to function in multi-disciplinary groups. PO7 Having the knowledge of contemporary issues.

B. Survey on InternshipStudents Recruited The research study was an empirical nature, with a set of questionnaires handed to employers of interns at the end of two months of the industrial training. The internship programme is part of the curriculum where third year MCA (Master of Computer Applications) and forth year engineering students undergo a 24-week training after successfully completed five semesters and seven semesters respectively of their studies. A set of questionnaires were delivered to a total of 25 employers to assess the interns under their charge, of which 20 usable responses were obtained, resulting in a response rate of 80 percent. The questionnaires use a five-point scale to the attributes/skills 21

measured. In the assessment, fifteen employability skills listed with scale “1” indicates “extremely weak” and “5” indicates “excellent”. A brief description of each of the attribute/skill is included in the questionnaire to avoid misunderstanding.

in the group and work independently (95%). The other skills also assessed as well-performed skills by interns are: Recognize the needs of lifelong learning, Ability to practice listening skills and giving feedback, Awareness on environmental responsibility, Ability to extract information, Ability to apply knowledge, Act professionally and practice ethical ethics, and Ability to express ideas verbally. The skills that employers agreed not well-performed by interns are ability to communicate in public or with community at large (77%); ability to apply knowledge (87%) ability to make decision (75%); have adequate background knowledge (79%) behave professionally (84%) and capability to function as a leader in group (77%). This situation is perhaps due to the interns lack of experience. Therefore, the students need to involve actively in various activities to gain experiences, in order to enhance their communication skills, leadership skills and the level of confident to make a decision. The analysis of data on both graduates and interns shows they have a similar pattern on the level of satisfactory of all skill assessed in the survey. Figure 1 shows that the trend of the graph is similar except for the attribute of “appreciate social and cultural responsibilities”. The interns were evaluated as 95% by their employers/supervisor as well-performed whereas the graduates only scored a mere 76% on this attribute. This does not imply interns and graduates are skilful enough to enter the workforce. The assessment done on graduates and interns has shown that both are lack of employability skills particularly in decision making, leadership and communication skills. The students need to equip themselves with these critical skills to better prepare themselves before entering the market. The universities also perhaps need to provide more opportunities for the students to gain more industrial experience, and likewise, the industries to be more open and supportive with such programmes.

V. RESULT AND DISCUSSION The responses on scale 4 represent “satisfactory” and 5 represent “most satisfactory” take into account as “wellperformed” skills by graduates. Meanwhile, the responses on scale 4 represent “good” and 5 represent “excellent” take into account as “well-performed” skills by interns. The statistical results demonstrate that the employer’s assessment on performance of the skills owned by engineering graduates and engineering interns are satisfactory. Figure 1 illustrates the percentage of agreement on well-performed employability skills as identified by employers on engineering graduates and interns. The three highest percentage of employers agreed that the well-performed skills by graduates were the ability to function effectively in group (93%), ability to carry out leader/ manager's instruction (92%) and ability to express ideas verbally (92%). The last three skills that are not substantially performed by graduates are the capability to function as a leader in group (74%), have adequate background knowledge (72%), appreciate social and cultural responsibilities (77%); and behave professionally (79%) and ability to communicate in public or with community at large (71%). The employer’s perception on employability skills apparently shows that the employers recognised all the skills performed by graduates as being, at least “satisfactory”. They were quite satisfied on skills performed by graduates but still emphasis on the lacking of ability to communicate in public or with community at large among graduates. This study also agreed with some other previous work in that employers quite disappointed with various generic skills of engineering graduates such as communication skills, leadership skills and decision making [9; 6]. However, surprisingly, this study shows that only 72% of employers agreed that graduates have adequate background knowledge of engineering. Graduates demonstrate a high level of satisfactory on teamwork, follow instruction, express ideas verbally, provide feedback and work independently. However, they appear not wellperformed in communicating in public or with community at large, having sufficient background knowledge, demonstrating their potential as a leader in a group, having appreciation social and cultural responsibilities and making a decision. Out of 15 skills surveyed, only 5 skills obtained more than 80% agreement from the employers that they were well-performed by the graduates. To obtain the feedbacks on employability skills owned by students, the employers perceived positively on the performance of interns. The graph shows that percentage of employers agreed on the performance of 11 skills out of 15 exceeded 80%. This implies that the interns of students at their final year are "Good" and meet their criteria. The employers satisfied with the performance of the students particularly in an ability to carry out leader/ manager's instruction (96%); appreciate social and cultural responsibilities (95%); and Ability to function effectively

Percentage of Employers satisfied with the perfromance of Engineering Graduates directly recruited and Engineering Graduates after interns recruited. Figure 1.

VI. CONCLUSION The survey invited views on the performance in fifteen different employability attributes/skills based on previous studies and accreditation requirement. The employers’ percentage of agreement on well performed skills shown by graduates and interns have similar trend, although they were from different cohort and were evaluated in different situations and job scope. This shows that industrial training is an essential component of engineering curricula to 22

prepare for “work-ready” graduates for industries. An exposure to industry practice is vital for students to acquire employability skills through industrial experience. The similar trend on percentage of agreement by employers also indicates that the attributes attained by students in industrial training have met with the criteria as required by employers.

VII. REFERENCES 6. 1.

Abdullah, S, Zaharim, A, Harris, S M, Omar, M Z, Basri, H, Nik Mohamed, N A, Engineering Education: Using Technical. Attributes to Analyse the Employers'. Expectation of Future Engineering Graduates in Malaysia. In Proceedings of the 4th IASME/WSEAS International Conference on Engineering Education(EE'07) Buku Panduan Siswazah Fakulti Kejuruteraan, Sesi Academik 2007-2008. Pusat Penerbitan Dan Percetakan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor Malaysia. DEST, Employability skills from framework to practice, an introductory guide for trainers and assessors, a report by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Business Council of Australia for the Department of Education, Science and Training, Canberra. 2006. Hassan, B., Mohd Zaidi, O., Zainal, M., Abang Abdullah, A.A., Badrulhisham A.A, Abdul Hamid, H, Nik Abdullah, N.M, Azmi, H, &

Zaidi, M.R.,. “The Future of Engineering Education in Malaysia”, report by the Department if Institutions of Higher Education Management, Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia. 2007 Kamsah, M. Z. 2004. Developing Generic Skills in Classroom Environment Engineering Students’ Perspective. In: Conference On Engineering Education (CEE 2004), 14-15 December 2004, Kuala Lumpur. Lee Fui Tong, Identifying essential learning skills in students’ Engineering Education, Monash University Malaysia. Mohammad, Shahrin and Md. Nor, Hasanan and Omar, Wahid and Mohamed, Danial, Enhancing Teaching and Learning through the Incorporation of Generic Skills for Civil Engineering Undergraduates. In: Conference on Engineering Education (CEE 2004), Kuala Lumpur. pp 14-15 Zaharim A, Md Yusoff Y, Omar M.Z. Mohamed A., Muhamad N., Mustapha. Practical Framework of Employability Skills for Engineering Graduate in Malaysia. IEEE Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON 2010). Madrid. 14-16 April 2010 in Madrid/Spain.. Zaharim A, Md Yusoff Y, Omar M.Z., Mohamed A., Muhamad N., Mustapha R., Engineering Employability Skills Required By Employers In Asia. 6th WSEAS International Conference on ENGINEERING EDUCATION (EE ’09), Rodos, Greece, July 22-24, 2009. Pp195-201.

Campus to Corporate Transition of IT Students: Gaps in Academic and Corporate Perceptions Aprajita Singh Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India aprashy@hotmail.com Tanupriya Singh Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India tanupriyas@gmail.com Abstract: There is a huge debate about how institutions are producing information technology students who are actually not employable. A lot of effort is put forth by academician and students together to reduce this gap. The question that intrigues is “How do we make our students employable?” We are investigating various parameters where in a fresher is evaluated for recruitment so as to find where is the gap and where more effort has to be put so as to make more and more students employable. We endeavour to identify areas where academic institutions include industry participation and vice versa. We are investigating, is there a gap in perception of academicians and industry who recruits IT students. The identification of areas where there exists a gap in perception leads us to put more emphasis on efforts which may lead to make our students employable. Keywords: Academicians, Students, information technology, employability, corporate transition, recruitment, perception. communication while developing their leadership, management, and people skills. The relationship between academia and industry covers a wide spectrum from college recruitment to doing joint research projects. Collaboration between industry and academia supports improvement and innovation in industry and helps to ensure industrial relevance in academic research. Universities are critical actors in innovation systems of both developed and developing countries. In the context of developing countries, universities can play an important role as an indigenous knowledge source. Fruitful university-industry linkages help local firms to import, modify, and diffuse technology. At the same time, universities can improve their academic capabilities if they interact with the private sector. "Collaboration between industry and academia is crucial for the future of technology and education, Microsoft remains committed to deepening its relationship with academia, because only by working together can we create the next generation of computing technology." said Bill Gates.[1] It is now widely accepted that universities and public research institutes played a substantial role in the development of many high-technology regions in the U.S. and other developed countries. Enhancing employability and access to a skilled talent pool is a critical enabler for India’s competitiveness. NASSCOM is engaged across a broad spectrum of academia, industry and governments to devise policies, curriculum and assessments to achieve the above objective [2]. “Traditionally, academia and industry had a mere producer-consumer relationship wherein the former produces knowledge and trained human capacity for consumption of the later. However with the advent of the

INTRODUCTION Fresh graduates from any institution are supposed to have all qualities necessary to be absorbed by the industry. There are a huge number of graduates that are propelled into the recruitment space. Are the graduates employable, have they got the kind of qualities one requires to be in the information Technology (IT) industry? There is an ongoing debate about how institutions are producing information technology students who are actually not employable. A lot of effort is put forth by academician and students together to reduce this gap that exists. The question that intrigues is “How do we make our students employable?” We are investigating various parameters where in a fresher is evaluated for recruitment so as to find where is the gap and where more effort has to be put so as to make more and more students employable. We are investigating, is there a gap in perception of academicians and industry who recruits IT students. The identification of areas where there exists a gap in perception leads us to put more emphasis on efforts which may lead to make our students employable. We want to identify areas where academic institutions include industry participation and vice versa and how it can be enhanced. Academia- Industry interaction could be defined as interactive and collaborative arrangement between academic institutions and corporate for the achievement of certain mutually inclusive goals and objectives. Industry needs bright, talented, well-prepared graduates to join the workforce, while academia requires insight into industry’s needs to ensure that it can develop a future workforce that is prepared to meet those needs. A collaborative partnership between industry and the university, this program gives students the opportunity to work in small, multidisciplinary project teams, where they gain important practical experience in teamwork and 24

industrial era and its rapid proliferation across the world needs of the industry , both in terms of type of new knowledge creation and kind of manpower requirement started shifting gear”.[3] We started by asking questions about what kind of collaboration is sought by a survey having similar question for both industry and academicians. We wanted to investigate what are the areas wherein the institutions and industry are currently collaborating and what are the aspects which industry finds are important for the students to be groomed so as to become more employable. We have included in our survey questionnaire all these aspects, though in this paper we just want to focus on perspectives of academicians and industry on the issue of employability alone.

talks, sponsoring student projects, and conducting mock interviews, to name a few [5]. It is also common for schools to proactively approach industry with surveys and working groups to gain additional perspective and input. The best way for universities to meet industry’s needs is to be engaged with industry and vice versa. Primary data has been collected from academicians from the information technology and computer science field. Structured questionnaire was sent across to different academicians across India. They were asked various questions which were to be answered on a scale of 0-5. Two different questionnaires were designed for industry and academicians. A total of 72 questionnaires were collected and analyzed.

II. RESEARCH STUDY The research study includes an online survey carried out for industry as well as academicians on issues of employability of information technology students. Around ten questions on similar line were asked to both types of participants. Respondents were from around various places in India. We asked the years of experience from the respondents so that we can even put weight age to certain respondents and analyze the data .Online survey was conducted so that respondents can give their view with ease and in leisure time, which is very important for the study to be authentic.

C. Analysis and Discussion Companies use several methods to create visibility on campus and to reach students, including engaging with student organizations, providing lectures or industry talks, sponsoring student projects, and conducting mock interviews, to name a few. Survey questions put to both the academicians and industry people are discussed below. The results are put in a graphical representation where ever necessary. Question 1: Is it advantageous to interact with the industry/institutions?

A. Objectives The primary research has been taken up with the following objectives:  To identify areas where academic institutions include industry participation and vice versa.  To identify the gap in perceptions and expectations of academicians and industry. B. Methodolgy Secondary data was collected from the internet and NASSCOM reports. Various research papers on the same lines were also consulted. Findings from them have been listed in the following paragraph. “The common interaction model between academia and industry is that of producer-consumer – a relationship that has existed for long between the two sides. This relationship necessitates some collaboration as the consumer has to ensure that the output of the producer satisfies the needs to a large extent. Hence, one form of collaboration, which is more in the nature of a feedback loop, is for the industry to provide inputs back to the academic institutions regarding their perception or evaluation of their products. Interestingly, even this rather obvious kind of interaction does not occur in a structured manner, as both the sides maintain a distant relationship. Though there are many reasons for this (for example, the academia not taking kindly to the often self-serving suggestions of a company), the main reason is lack of suitable forums and platforms to facilitate this.”[4] Companies use several methods to create visibility on campus and to reach students, including engaging with student organizations, providing lectures or industry

Response of Academicians

Response of the Industry The above responses from the participants show a clear indication that academicians think it is very advantageous but industry finds it moderately advantageous to interact. Academia requires insight into industry’s needs to ensure that it can develop a future interaction which industry finds beneficial and should prepare workforce that is prepared to meet those needs. 25

Question 2: How do you grade students as per industry need?

Question 3: how does industry interact with your institution?

Response of Academicians

Response of Industry We found that the perception of the industry and academicians are almost same as 45% of the respondents in both the cases grade student on a scale of 3.Thus both grade students moderately. Question 5: How relevant do you think is the academic curriculum?

Response of Industry From the response to the above question we find that most of the interaction between industry and academic happen in recruitment process. Student projects and students training is next area where interaction happens. This aspect is quiet important as it will lead to filling the gap that exist in curriculum. Educational institutions are reaching out to the industry for guest lecturers in a big way. Other areas that institutions are looking out for is refresher course or outsourcing projects for faculty members. In this aspect at least the 38 industry respondents have declared that they do not have such interaction at all. We find that industry has to explore opportunities in this aspect. The industry need to interact with the faculty of an institution at a regular basis so as to identify areas where they can collaborate and even add some value. Government need to incentivize the industry so that this kind of interaction can be increased. Faculty members should be abreast to new wants of the industry so as to let their students become more aware.

Response of Academicians

Response of Industry

Both types of respondents grade the syllabus moderately. There is less difference in perception as regards to the curriculum that is taught in the institutions from the academia as well as the industry.

Question 4: How important are the following criteria for new recruits?

come every now and then but the syllabus cannot be changed every year and therefore a major divide exists in this area. The survey results clearly show major training is imparted in advanced and new technologies, both types of respondents are aware of the same. NSDC (National Skills Development Corporation) NASSCOM has become a member of the NSDC with a 5.1 percent equity stake. NSDCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to facilitate the skilling/up-skilling of 500 million people by 2022, mainly by fostering private sector initiatives in skills development. NSDCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s target is to skill 150 million people across the 21 sectors, for employability by 2012-2015.[2] One more area where the divide is seen is in the area of soft skills development where training is given after recruitment. Academicians feel more training is imparted to develop IQ whereas industry comparatively has to say that less training is given for the same. More training is given on developing soft skills. Training to inculcate good habits, values and attitude is given to an extent, as these are important ingredients of a good employee. Training may make people aware about the right way of doing things by grooming the candidate. But to an extent soft skills can be developed but values and attitude are ingrained in a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personality. Sincere effort by the candidate can only change these aspects; training can only help a person to an extent.

Views of industry and academia were taken to find out the most important constituents of an IT recruit. At various points it was found that the perspective of industry and academics collide. According to the survey conducted it was found that what a fresh recruit must have is a right attitude. All the fresh IT recruits in the market have the basic curriculum knowledge but a winner is the one who has the right attitude to be coachable and the one who wants to learn more and adapt him to the ever changing volatile IT industry. The data analysis of the survey also brought out that people from the industry that have over 9 years of experience, in 100% cases, have rated attitude as the most important constituent. The next important attribute is to posses the right values and adapt to the values of the company. Today every organization has its own core values and they recruit only those people who either identify with those values or show the potential to adapt themselves to it. It was also found that a lot of weightage is given on those recruits who have the capability to take initiative. Taking initiative and doing more than what is asked for. After those softer sides of the personality comes the more commonly trained areas like technical knowledge, general awareness, goal orientation etc, this brings out an important factor here that during the academic tenure of a student adequate training should be provided in order to develop the softer side of the personality with their curriculum. It is also observed that in spite of the fact that the academicians are aware about the importance of inculcating right attitude, values and the spirit of taking initiatives etc. not much is done at the institute level to develop those skills.

Response of Academicians Academicians Advanced /New Technology IQ Soft skills Attitude Values Habits

Least 0%

1 0%

2 3%

3 15%

4 24%

most 59%

12% 3% 6% 9% 12%

3% 3% 3% 9% 6%

21% 15% 15% 12% 21%

21% 36% 24% 18% 26%

41% 18% 26% 32% 24%

3% 24% 26% 21% 12%

Response of Industry Industry Advanced/New technologies IQ Soft skills Attitude Values Habits

Question 5: Which are the areas wherein a fresher is trained after recruitment?

Least 6%

1 0%

2 8%

3 14%

4 31%

most 42%

23% 6% 3% 6% 12%

6% 9% 17% 11% 15%

20% 6% 14% 11% 21%

31% 35% 36% 36% 29%

17% 35% 17% 19% 15%

3% 9% 14% 17% 9%

The survey shows that attitude is the most important aspect which is the most sought after but extensive training cannot be given to a candidate to improve upon the same. This aspect has to be dealt with by the academic institutions, as the students stay with the institutions for long; they can become a change agent for the students. This important finding goes to say that holistic education has to be imparted to the students so as to imbibe in them the right attitude and values.

Once a fresher is recruited in the industry he is trained for the next 3-4 months and then he becomes deployable as per the industry. This clearly shows that there is a divide between what is taught at the university level and what is required to do at their jobs in the industry. In our survey we have tried to analyze the major areas of this divide and it is found that here again the views of the industry and academicians coincide. The area of major divide is the advanced and new technology. According to the survey result IT industry is ever changing and new technologies 27

enough interaction occurs during this visit for the visitor to get an understanding of the problems. There exist a divide as far as technical knowledge is concerned. The above mentioned divide can be narrowed by keeping one or two elective subjects which can be changed as per the industry needs. Projects can be given to the students which will give them hands on experience of working in a live environment. Workshops and seminars will also give a sneak peek in the area of new development and advanced technologies and provide them the right exposure. Maximum learning happens by doing and therefore highly evolved events should be organized to help students apply their knowledge in a simulated environment. These exercise will give them confidence and will help them hone their communication and other soft skills. Holistic education has to be imparted in the institutions to the students so as to imbibe in them the right attitude and values. All these efforts from both the parties will make the transition of an IT student to the Industry, smooth and they can be deployable soon after joining.

III. FINDINGS The survey brought to the forefront the following: 1) The area of major divide is the advanced and new technology.The Indian IT industry needs to address the demand-supply mismatch of skilled world-class manpower and come out with an appropriate strategy. A close relationship between the IT industry and the Academia which trains and hones up the skills to make students industry ready; will be a crucial and a necessary step in this direction. IT industry is ever changing and new technologies come every now and then but the syllabus cannot be change every year and therefore a major divide exists in this area. The survey results clearly show major training is imparted in advanced and new technologies 2) The survey shows that attitude is the most important aspect which is the most sought after but extensive training cannot be given to a candidate to improve upon the same. This aspect has to be dealt with by the academic institutions, as the students stay with the institutions for long; they can become a change agent for the students. This important finding goes to say that holistic education has to be imparted to the students so as to imbibe in them the right attitude and values. 3) Industry academic interaction has only begun and has a long way to go. Outsourcing projects to faculty members and having research projects are important areas where interaction has not yet caught up.

V. ACKNOWLEDGMENT We thank academicians and corporate who took time out for filling in the survey questions. We also thank www.fluidsurveys.com for making the survey questionnaire collection very convenient for us. VI.

IV. CONCLUSION What academicians and industry have to realize is that bringing the two together requires a great deal of solid interaction as communication gaps exist. Not a lot of interaction takes place as far as research is concerned. And there is no easy way to bridge this gap – both sides must simply spend time together to understand each others context and develop a common language. So, in the end, for the research interaction to be given an impetus, the starting step is quite simple– concerned people from the two sides need to start spending reasonable time with each other. This is best done by hosting faculty visits during summer and other such times. We should ensure that

REFERENCES 1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

REDMOND, Wash., July 29, 2002 — at the third annual Microsoft Research Faculty Summit Nasscom annual report 2011-12 Dr. Rajiv Kumar India R&D 2011 FICCI Battelle India “Industry Academic linkage” Nov 2-3 2011 New Delhi Pankaj Jalote, Dept of CSE, IIT Kanpur “ Challenges in Industry-Academia Collaboration” Neil Ferguson, Harris Corp. “Achieving Synergy in the Industry-Academia Relationship” Published by the IEEE Computer Society 00189162/11/$26.00 © 2011 IEEE

Acedemic Industry Interaction: A Two Way Benefit Dipti Nashine Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India dipti.nashine@gmail.com Pankaj K. Mudholkar Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India mudholkarpankaj@gmail.com Brijesh Kumar Pandey Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India brijambitious@gmail.com Abstract: Through participation in various activities, industry can influence the curriculum of IT graduates, provide feedback on how well students are prepared for careers in industry, and find well-prepared candidates for positions within the company. This paper summarises the importance of academic industry interaction, statistical report by Nasscom and World Bank and the ways by which both industry and academia is benefitted by this interaction. This paper also gives brief about the student attentiveness and seriousness about oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career. Institution also plays a major role in shaping one career. Industry academic interaction is one of the ways by which student can concentrate in making firm decision about his/her liking career. We will see in this paper various issues and challenges associated with increasing employability. Skills, knowledge and psychological features required by students to characterized them as good professionals. Academic Industry interaction strategy like workshop, seminar, guest lectures, internship could be the solution to bridge the gap. Keywords: Institutions strategy; benefits of interaction; needs and expectation; current issues interconnected workplace. They are not a substitute for specific knowledge and technical skills: but they make the difference between being good at a subject and being good at doing a job. We want every school, college, university and training provider to treat the employability of their learners as part of their core business. We want a unified and coherent policy, assessment and funding framework that empower teaching and training professionals to develop employability. They call for fundamental changes in attitude: to give employability parity of esteem with academic skills, to build the ability of learning providers to work with business, to come up with assessment methods that drive funding in support of the work that needs to be done.[12]

INTRODUCTION Academic- industry interaction has evolved over the years as a strong bridge for candidates to cross over from Campus to Corporate and fit into challenging work profiles. The connection between the employable and the employer is very well taken care of by the synchronized and methodical interfaces with the key decision makers of the industry. To ensure that our candidates are equipped with the latest information about the trends of the industry there has to be direct interface with industry professionals with multiple disciplinary exposure and dependable experiential learning. This pays off in acclimatizing our candidates to the practical demands of the dynamic industry. There are few more satisfying ways to spend eight hours than working with colleagues and classmates to solve problems and make things happen. Work should be, and often is, much more than a way to earn a living. By working together well, individuals contribute to the productivity of the economy and success of society, improve the lives of colleagues and classmates, and realize their own creative potential. This is enabled by everyone coming out of the public employment and skills system being able to work in a team, communicate clearly, listen well, and be interested, keen to learn, take criticism, solve problems, read, write and add. These employability skills are the lubricant of our increasingly complex and

OBJECTIVES OF INSTITUTION The objectives of the institution are to develop personal and professional skills in students, enabling them to become enlightened individuals. To provide an environment that promotes and enhances the creativity of the students, enabling them to face the changing and challenging learning conditions. To develop self-reliant learning habits, To inculcate the spirit of harmony and national integration. To develop symbiotic associations with various corporate entities and reach a level of productivity wherein good final placement as well as 29

summer internships are made available for the budding IT professionals. For academicians, the primary focus of interest is invariably a problem that throws up an intellectual challenge. Technology development initiatives which involve understanding/ exploration of a concept/phenomenon and alternative methodologies, etc., related to process and design improvement could be of considerable interest. Academic environments value the autonomy of the individual researcher and there is a strong preference for working towards creation of knowledge in specialized domains. Typically, academic interest in the multidimensionality of a problem leads to a tendency to explore a variety of options to arrive at a solution. Such activity consumes both time and effort and the result may often be inimical to what the industry would regard as a wholesome solution.

C) Benefits of Academic- Industry interaction to Acedemia  Helping academic institutions tune-up their syllabus and academic practices as per the requirement of the industry and make students industry ready.  Widening & deepening of the curricula & bright future  Students will be getting familiar working environment as they had already acquainted to.  Better employment ability to the students in India as well as abroad.  Securing of training & final placements for students  This collaboration will result in dual utilization of the research being done in academics; also the academic research would generate revenue and become more realistic.  During the studies, the students would be able to work on industrial project. This will help the student fund his/ her studies and the industry monitor the student as a prospective recruit in tandem.  Earning of additional resources for R&D

ACEDEMIC INDUSTRY INTERACTION- NEW ERA Stepping in new era Employability is becoming the main criteria of the contemporary education. And it is not just about getting a job [Harvey, 2003]. Employability is the acquisition of attributes (knowledge, skills, and abilities) that make graduates more likely to be successful in their chosen occupations (whether paid employment or not) [Harvey, 2004–9][13]. The emerging era of science-based collaborations between academia and industry offers advantages to both entities and a means by which academic institutions and industry can address global challenges to their mutual benefit and the well-being of society. When academia-industry partnerships work well, they can facilitate research discoveries reaching the people who need them and serving the purposes for which they are required, at affordable prices. Additionally, the combined credibility and influence of academia and industry can achieve beneficial results for society more readily than when the sectors work in isolation. Governments and international organizations can encourage, embrace, and actively facilitate such partnerships [3]. Clearly, partnerships need careful design, implementation, and monitoring to meet local, regional, and global needs, and to ensure that science benefits society. In considering new ways in which academia and industry might work together.

D) Benefits of Academic- Industry interaction to Industry  Industry will get the just-graduated manpower in almost ready-to-use mode.  Industry and Academia in collaborating with each other for research projects. The database to be developed would serve as a ready reference for the industry in finding the right kind of researcher/ collaborator from the academia and the vice versa.  Reduction of dependence on foreign know-how  Respect from society and industry.  Time required to provide training to student by the industrialist is saved, as students are industry ready and they are already trained.  Reduction in industrial costs, improvement in quality & competitive dimensions in products.  Students are well acquainted with the industry environment, as they had gain experience during internship and interaction process.  Getting of high caliber professional graduates to man industry.  Intangible benefits to industry like goodwill, loyalty from employee. Every industry needs

B) Benefits of interaction No organization gets involved in any type of collaboration or interaction unless and until one is benefitted. Academic- Industry interaction is considered as mutual benefit for both academic and industry as well. As per the saying “as you sow, so shall you reap”, It is well understood that the quality of education you will provide to the students that quality of product they will become. The ultimate aim of an It industry is to development for the very same reason they will require employee. The most energetic, enthusiastic readily adaptable employee an IT industry can get is from Academic institutes only, so an initiative has to be taken from industry to provide quality input to academic. Figure 1 shows the benefits of this interaction. Here both academic and industry are mutually benefitted. 30

   

Two interaction Figure 1.

way

benefits

acedemic-

Industry participation in technology development involving some exploratory work Academic intervention in solving specific industry problems Laboratory utilization by industry Continuing education programme

Of the above, interaction at the level of industry support to basic research is virtually non-existent, whereas at the level of industry participation in technology development, some interaction, particularly with large public sector enterprises, has been witnessed. Industrial problem solving constitutes, by and large, a successful initiative, though not actualized to its full potential, since interaction in this domain is largely contingent upon the presence of a strong industrial base in the region. One might, however, add that such a constraint is of little consequence if the interaction is in areas where the Institute has recognized expertise. Laboratory utilization by industry for developmental purposes and for material and product testing has seen relatively greater success. Continuing education programme has been a time tested platform for interaction, with participation from industry gradually on the increase.

industry

NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS OF INDUSTRY Industry's enduring interest lies in targeted development. Large scale industry has the resources to invest in new technology development initiatives, but it often tends to rely on bought out technologies, generally from the overseas. Academic intervention may be required in minor technological innovation/modification aimed at technology absorption/implementation. In the case of medium and small scale industry, the needs are primarily oriented towards problem solving, with support required in the areas of design, process improvement and plant and machinery performance, etc. This industry segment may also need academic intervention in reverse engineering where the product exists and what is sought to be developed is a process to yield it. There may be some appreciation, specifically in the case of medium scale industry, of the need for parallel exploration of a new product line triggering a focused developmental activity, which might be carried out in-house or in collaboration with the academia. Small scale industry dealing with specific products acts as feeders to medium or large scale industry do not generally seem to have development driven needs. In this case, problem solving may simply amount to product testing and production enhancement in terms of quantity and quality [11]. In its interaction with the academia, industry's expected time frames are immediate, and investment is directed towards efforts that promise result-oriented solutions. The costing frames are typically guided by a reluctance to invest in technology R&D which has either long term or unclear outcomes.

III. ACEDEMIC INDUSTRY- GAP The academia-industry interaction does not appear to be resting on very firm grounds. Moreover, there appears to be a critical mismatch in relative perceptions of the two on the issue of how technology development is to be achieved. For academia, technology development amounts to conceptualization and execution coupled with validation at the laboratory level. For industry, the interest lies in translating the laboratory validated concept into a commercial proposition, where the most important considerations are those of economic viability. The industrial R&D in the country should actually be focused on this phase of technology development where laboratory models are scaled up and converted into commercially viable products/processes. Evolving a laboratory-proven idea into an implementable technology is a kind of effort which the academic community does not appear to be fully geared towards, at least at present. IV. PRODUCER-CONSUMER INTERACTION The common interaction model between academia and industry is that of producer-consumer – a relationship that has existed for long between the two sides. This relationship necessitates some collaboration as the consumer has to ensure that the output of the producer satisfies the needs to a large extent. Hence, one form of collaboration, which is more in the nature of a feedback loop, is for the industry to provide inputs back to the academic institutions regarding their perception or evaluation of their products. Interestingly, even this rather obvious kind of interaction does not occur in a structured manner, as both the sides maintain a distant relationship. Though there are many reasons for this (for example, the academia not taking kindly to the often self-serving suggestions of a company), the main reason is lack of suitable forums and platforms to facilitate this. Note that though general forums covering the issue at a broad level

II. CRITICAL AREA FOR I NTERACTION The domains in which interaction is theoretically possible are:  Internship programs for students  Lectures, Workshop, Seminar regarding new technologies, new patents by industrialist.  Industry support to basic research for knowledge creation. 31

are useful, to implement this collaboration in any meaningful way, forums at institute level are necessary. In India, currently due to shortage of high quality trained manpower, there is another possible area of collaboration. It is clear that the engineering education system, the way it has evolved, is currently not in best of shape, and will require a lot of help to improve. And it is also clear that, though traditionally the Government was responsible for higher education, relying on the Govt alone will not solve the problem fast enough. So, the industry and the established education players will have to pitch in. Some companies and institutes have started some initiatives of their own on this front. But this seems like a very viable area for collaboration, where joint programs have a better chance of success. However, not much seems to be happening in this area, even though both sides can gain substantially from it.

generic trend resulting in a third major issue ‘Lack of skill alignment’. VI.

CURRENT SENARIO OF EMPLOYABILITY Nasscom Reoprt As per Nasscom Report only 25% of graduates working in IT are readily employable, while it is roughly 15% for back-office jobs. Growing gaps in skills needed for computer science graduates to start coding at the earliest is nothing new, but India Inc's modest progress in dealing with the problem is what marks the seriousness of the issue. India's $60-billion outsourcing industry is already spending almost $1 billion a year on readying these IT graduates, picked up from different campuses. But only marginal headway has been made with the percentage of employable engineering graduates moving up by just a per cent over the past six years to 25%. While Nasscom believes a quarter of the engineering graduates are unemployable. In an employability study conducted last August, the firm found that merely 4.22% of engineering graduates are employable in product companies and only 17% in IT services. On its part, Nasscom says India's large pool of engineers makes the employability percentage look even more daunting.

V. ISSUES WITH CURRENT SYSTEM There are many issues associated with the low employability rate. Some of these are:  Lack of basic knowledge is considered one of the weakest area because of which students are not able to crack technical interview and if they somehow manage to clear it they are not proved to be smart professionals.  Lack of communication skills.  Lack of Confidence.  Rapid change in technology.  Improper motivation  Lack of interest.  Poor percentage in HSC, SSC & Graduation

World BankReport A recent report by the World Bank looked at the employability and skills gap of Indian engineering graduates. 64% of employers were dissatisfied or somewhat satisfied by the skills of graduates. What skills are missing? Interestingly, not technical skills – it is the professional skills and the soft skills that show the greatest disconnect for employers. Among the most important skills sought after by Indian employers are: integrity, reliability, teamwork, willingness to learn, entrepreneurship, and communication skills. Employers are reporting a significant skills gap on those dimensions. The report also points to a gap in higher-order analytical and creative skills. These gaps cannot be filled one person at a time. They will require large-scale partnerships between academia, industry women, executives, government, and professional associations.

‘Lack of professionalism’ and ‘Lack of skill expected by industry requirements’ are two major weaknesses in Indian Engineering graduates. Due to the IT boom, India had to catch up with computing and IT advancements made in the west over decades, in a short period. As a result college syllabus is organized around producing large number of work force in programming, in a short time span. Goal of producing programmers has ended up in lack of giving importance to other required skills like imagining the big picture and do designing and architecture and influence individuals in understanding the right career paths like programming, designing, architecture, management, sales, marketing, field, services, production etc. and align themselves continuously with the growth of the industry. Goal of catching up in a short span of time has ended up in lack of importance in teaching ‘professionalism’ at college in one hand and lowering the standards of overall syllabus to make it easy for students to pass and score high on the other hand. Today there is big gap between Industry requirements. This could be bridged by bringing closer Industry-College collaboration through involving industry professionals to design the syllabus and take part in teaching. Industry professionals participating in college education could bring more professionalism and required computing knowledge to students. Recruiting any engineering discipline graduates and hope that they could learn any IT skill on the job is a

Best Practice The best practice would be to let students learn from the industry and have strong university programs. Several of our senior technical team goes to colleges as guest faculty and students come for internships that help a lot. As a result of most colleges not being in touch with the actual requirements, companies have to make a lot of additional investments in training which can be avoided VII. CONCLUSION In this paper we have discussed the objectives of academic, importance of academic- industry interaction, benefits of the academic- industry interaction. We have seen the reasons for less employability, issues related with academic- industry interaction. From this discussion and employability report by Nasscom and World Bank we can conclude in India employability for IT graduates is very low. There are many reasons for it. One of the way by 32

which we can increase the employability is through academic industry interaction. Initiative is to be taken from both the ends that is from industry and academic as well. Through academic industry interaction both industry and academia are benefitted.

7. VIII. REFERENCES 1.

Julie Hermans and Annick Castiaux “Knowledge Creation through University-Industry Collaborative” Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management Volume 5 Issue 1 2007(43 - 54)at Academic Conferences Ltd ISSN 1479-4411 Hermans J and Castiaux A (2007) “Knowledge Creation through University-Industry Collaborative Research Projects”The Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management Volume 5 Issue 1, pp 43 – 54. Scientific Relations Between Academia and Industry: Building on a New Era of Interactions for the Benefit of Society in Scientific Relations Between Academia and Industry: Building on a New Era of Interactions for the Benefit of Society. Agrawal, A. (2001) ‘University-to-industry knowledge transfer: literature review and unanswered questions’. International Journal of Management reviews, 3 (4), 285-302. Amesse, F. and Cohendet, P. (2001) ‘Technology transfer revisited from the perspective of the

9. 10.

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knowledge-based economy’. Research Policy, 30, 1459-1478. Autant-Bernard, C. (2001) ‘Science and knowledge flows: evidence from the French case’. Research policy, 30, 1069-1078. Barnes, T., Pashby, I. and Gibbons, A. (2002) “Effective University-Industry Interaction : A Multi-Case Evaluation of Collaborative RandD Projects”. European Management Journal, 20 (3), 272-285. Bozeman, B. (2000) ‘Technology transfer and public policy: a review of research and theory’. Research Policy, 29, 627-655. Pankaj Jalote “Challenges in Industry-Academia Collaboration” Joaquín M. Azagra Caro*, Fragiskos Archontakis, Antonio Gutiérrez Gracia, Ignacio Fernández de Lucio “University-industry interaction: support to cooperation versus actual cooperation in peripheral regions”. Sachchidanand “Academia-Industry Interaction: Hopes and Promises” Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. Mike Rake “The Employability Challenge UK Commission for Employment and Skills”. Jolanta Kowal*, Aleksandra Kwiatkowska ”Employability as a challenge Contemporary Education”.

At the Speed of Ideas AT Kishore annam_thyagaraja.kishore@alcatel-lucent.com Abstract: strategy to continue to focus on the services and paradigm shift to innovate and venture into manufacturing to enable india to cater to its ict skilled manpower employability and sustainability. Keywords: strategy; manpower; employability; act I.

INTRODUCTION Youth orientation: planning long term for 2020 & 2050 [think beyond mere employment to becoming employers themselves:Enterprenurism].Be it in Solar or other alternative sources of energy such as biogas,geothermal or ethanol and wind energy for addressing the pressing needs of the planet, global warming and eco-sustainability is primary pre-requisite for our sustainability of all other kinds. Innovation in computer skills, training and educating India right from upper primary to higher schooling levels with a focus on pan indian coverage of skills and awareness;for instance android and ios application creation than just be users.Recent quest from Nasscom with select industry body on what best can we do to modify our engineeing curriculum has a highlight on motivating young engineeing grads to start considering wikipedia and like sources more seriously than lagGing with google search which even an uneducated could do.We also need Basic Math and sciences strong in foundation stages like primary school onwards. embedded systems, realtime operating systems based products to address the global and national needs to be indeginously be made to serve domestic and international markets.With the emergence of Nano based technologies, arenas such as space, nuclear and sesnsors got much new avenues to contribute to newer products and services going forward.The key is innovation and value add in everything and anything we do. building infrastructure to pave the way for rapid industrialisation and job creation across the nation and gainfully employ the manpower which is already suffering from mounting unemployment and resulting perils of poverty and underemployment

II. FACTOR OF IT INDUSTRY By leveraging the multitude of engineering graduates in various disciplines such as M.C.A, B.E CS, B.TECH in information systems or B.E ECE, an emerging economy in the world and Asian giant like India can offer brand new services such as cloud based networks, network management and distributed services to globe, such as ‘IAAS, SAAS, PAAS’ and network operations by software defined robots. High stakes on our nation’s core agricultural base to spearhead a new employment drive to cater to the needs of rural India with data warehousing, data mining applications to serve the farmers with right and appropriate guidance on the seeds, crops and fertilizers and pesticides on time any time in more than 593,731 Indian villages. . There are at least one lakh schools with good infrastructure to boost computer education to induct four new engineer-trainers per school who volunteer and add value to help build better foundation for next generation in their computer skills. A QUICK LOOK INTO FINDINGS FROM 2011 CENSUS ON TOTAL NUMBERS OF SCHOOLS/COLLEGES AND AVAILABILITY OF COMPUTERS AND INTERNET AND TELEPHONY:

State Literacy rate latest from 2011 census: A select few states to illustrate Rajasthan 60 Uttar Pradesh 57 Bihar 47 Jharkhand 54 Chhattisgarh 65 Madhya Pradesh 64 Andhra Pradesh 61

Ease the nation from burden resulting from china dumping in almost all products that world already started to feel repulsive to. Apart from stregthening our manufacturing capabilities, also to enhance our software reengineering competences to cope up with the market capitalization

Question: Can India plan to keep its 2021 census score card for 100%? How?

Item No. House list Item

1 2 3 4

Absolute number Total Rural Urban 2 3 4 5 Schools/Colleges 2,106,530 1,702,048 404,482 Computer/Laptop - With Internet 7,708,521 1,189,627 6,518,894 Computer/Laptop - Without Internet 15,654,325 7,453,608 8,200,717 Telephone 155,880,849 91,213,611 64,667,238

Percentage of population Total Rural Urban 6 7 8 0.7 0.8 0.4 3.1 0.7 8.3 6.3 4.4 10.4 63.2 54.3 82.0

An industry wide campaign to maintain standards of quality and compete with global software levels of maturity and consistently strive to adhere to agile and ‘SEI CMM’ stipulations at all times and business wide competitions to encourage and nurture talent and high levels of accomplishment Join forces with all global social networking giants’ and innovative companies in creating new models of creating wealth solving critical issues of the world today such as global warming and eco-sustainability. Today a mobile device can be your stethoscope by using an application that uses camera capabilities to read pulse. Pending clearance from the us fda, there is an ecg from iphone alivecor. You place your iphone with the ecg accessory attached and your phone’s screen becomes an ecg monitor. The number of medical accessories for the iphone is steadily growing. There is the handyscope, the iphone dermatoscope.there is the iexaminer, which converts your phone to an opthalmoscope for eye examination. Just as nobel laureate abdus salim’s grameen phone project could be used as a means to earn livelihood for poor in bangladesh, we have new business models around mobile apps be it android or ios which could spearhead new ventures and small start ups. Mobility and internet are twin drivers of ip multimedia services that have transformed our lives and all value additions around these two dimensions can be a new business opportunity. Location based services and personalization of position services. Mobile phone can be used to do adhoc networking, help track traffic, do act as a credit card or payment gateway. M-commerce has become day to day routine and you can show your mobile screen and do away with not having any paper based boarding pass for your flight. Nfc, blue tooth, wifi, rfid and infrared can supplement your regular mobile communications to provide a greater quality of experience.

security in the village. Some of the facilities provided by the panchayat include local mineral water supply, gutter project, health care centre, banking facility and toll-free complaint reception service. Consequently, Punsari received the award of being the best Gram Panchayat in Gujarat. The village's model has been appreciated by delegates from Nairobi and they are keen to replicate this in Kenyan villages. A. Demographics The population of Punsari was 4681 as per 2001 census of India which increased to 5500 in 2011. As of June 2012, the population is 6000. B. Urbanization There is a 65 KV sub-station that supplies power to the village. The Sarpanch aims at getting Wi-Fi connected to the entire village so that the villagers can use unlimited internet once they purchase the modem from the panchayat office. The panchayat in this village has made efforts to provide the best possible facilities to students. Airconditioners and CCTV cameras are installed in the primary schools. Apart from schools, 25 CCTV's are installed at prime junctions of the village so that the litterbugs can be spotted and punished. Mini-buses are used for transport purpose within the village. The panchayat has started a bus facility called Atal Express for women which is used for the import of milk. For communication purpose, 120 water-proof speakers are installed, which are used by the Sarpanch to inform the people of new schemes and to make important announcements. The speakers are also used to play bhajans, shlokas, and slogans of Gandhiji. The total estimate for this development work was 14 crore (US$2.53 million) and the state and central governments provided support for the same. For his efforts, the Sarpanch Himanshu Narendrabhai Patel was awarded with the best Gram Sabha award at the third National Panchayati Raj Day held at New Delhi. In November 2011, he received the best Gram Panchayat award in Gujarat at the hands of Chief Minister Narendra Modi. C. Education system There are five primary schools in Punsari. All the five schools have CCTV cameras placed to enable parents check their wards' performance without interrupting the lectures and also to keep a watch on the teachers.The school dropout rate is zero in Punsari. The village was rated B+ during Ganotsav 2011 which is an annual education campaign run by the state government.

ICT and IT employability and strategies to boost sustainable job opportunities: III: industry institute interactions to boost creativity, better mindshare early on the learning curve to equip students with right tools to directly start being productive. An apex body with members from various industries to monitor demand supply imbalances and software export and create more avenues for domestic demand by innovation and bring value to Indian economic growth prospects for 2020, 2050 vision.

D. Water system The panchayat had installed a reverse osmosis plant in 2010 to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to the villagers. During weddings and other ceremonies, water tankers are arranged. Drinking water taps are available for all. The village also has a proper sanitation and drainage system, which is completely underground. E-agriculture (sometimes written eagriculture) is a relatively recent term in the field of agriculture and rural development practices. Consistency in the use of this term began to materialize with the dissemination of results from

USE CASE Punsari is a village located in Sabarkantha district in the state of Gujarat, India. The village is located at about 80 km from the state capital, Gandhinagar. The village follows the Panchayati raj system. The village has undergone transformation under the panchayat. There has been use of advanced technology in education. Efforts have been made for empowerment of women and increasing the 35

a global survey carried out by the United Nations (UN). This survey conducted in late 2006 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) found that half of those who replied identified “e agriculture” with information dissemination, access and exchange, communication and participation processes improvements around rural development. In contrast, less than a third highlighted the importance of technical hardware and technological tools. E-agriculture, therefore, describes an emerging field focused on the enhancement of agricultural and rural development through improved information and communication processes. More specifically, e-agriculture involves the conceptualization, design, development, evaluation and application of innovative ways to use information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the rural domain, with a primary focus on agriculture.

The Programme sought to bring relevant expertise and resources across the international development community into a more coherent and systematic approach. Innovators in many parts of the world were already developing initiatives which, if brought together, were believed to have a greater potential than if they remained isolated or fragmented.

Programme Objectives:  Increase the availability of information content related to rural areas in digital form.  Develop innovative mechanisms and processes for information exchange and communication.  Establish networks and communities of practice in information and communication for development and for exchange of information on agriculture and rural development. The conceptual basis for the programme was devised through a range of background studies that drew particularly on concepts embodied in livelihoods approaches* to sustainable development. An important consideration of the programme was to support the links from macro level (policies and institutions) to micro level (communities and individuals).

The UN states that e-agriculture is a relatively new term and that fully expect its scope to change and evolve as our understanding of the area grows.

Outputs of the Program:  Main report (2003) (PDF)  Literature update (2004)  Case studies  Eight policy framework elements The programe had a dedicated website (fao.org/rdd), and served as a basis for FAO's role as a founding partner of the e-Agriculture Community. The content of that website has since been moved here to the e-Agriculture Community platform by FAO. * For more on livelihoods approaches, visit Livelihoods Connect at http://www.eldis.org/go/livelihoods In the end, may I draw your attention to a marvelous tool built by Gartner? Gartner's Magic Quadrant is the analytic methodology for assessment of creators of solutions it the area of information and communication technology (ICT). This tool is a two dimensional matrix, where the manufacturers are assessed, considering their efficiency and market share of their ideas. The tool also assesses their vision and long term strategy. As a participant in this event, every student can draw his or her own Magic Square on the chosen discipline and compare with Gartner All academic institutions to aim high to be amongst one of the four squares if not aspire to become a leader All industries to introspect why others are leaders if they are missing the magic square and correct their strategy

III. Bridging the Rural Digital Divide Programme Overview Begun in 2003, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) implemented a strategic Programme entitled "Bridging the Rural Digital Divide". The programme highlighted innovative approaches to knowledge exchange that were taking advantage of new (at that time) digital technologies, and that were based on synergies between information management and communication for development. At the time this was referred to as "information and communication for development"(ICD). 36

I would like to thank the organizers for making this event happen which certainly benefits our nation and the results can help any emerging nation in its ambitions or India can be their role model going forward

The great hope: We are not a perfect nation be it in governance or transparency or in infrastructure, but we have a great history and potential and above all, we are an youthful nation for a long time to come to have maximum people with age group of 15-45 years. The readers can visit Wikipedia to obtain any additional information.

IV. CONCLUSION Major pain points in short term and medium term: To provide jobs for every ICT engineering pass out. Major issues to solve: How to adapt our engineering curriculum to the exact needs of industry? Key Knowledge, Skills and Attitude to build: to compete globally and be self reliant on products by innovation. The good: We are doing good now The bad: There is a risk of losing the market share if we do not adapt swiftly

REFERENCES 1. 2. 3.

www.punsarigrampanchayat.in http://www.eldis.org/go/livelihoods http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/punsari

Work Integrated Learning Sonu Gupta Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India sonu.gupta@thakureducation.org Shirshendu Maitra Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India slm2007@gmail.com Pankaj K. Mudholkar Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India mudholkarpankaj@gmail.com Abstract: Employability is said to have consequential outcomes for university reputations, retention rates in industry and growth of any country’s economy. In today’s competitive education market it is necessary for universities to ensure that their students are adequately equipped with relevant knowledge of discipline and skills as well as generic, transferable skills. In other words, produce graduate students who are work ready and who have had ‘hands on’ industry experience. It is of equal importance for the industry to have a productive employee base. In my paper I discuss about Work Integrated Learning (WIL), which aims at meeting both these requirements. This paper will explore and discuss the potential advantages of WIL for students, education provider and industry. Although WIL programs are quite common in some countries, they have not been frequently discussed in relation to education in the Indian context. This paper takes a look at the current status of WIL in India and discusses some issues in its implementation here. Keywords: academics, employability, industry, integrated learning, work. practices, across a variety of academic disciplines that integrate formal learning and workplace concerns, within a purposefully designed curriculum. [4] WIL does not aim to improve the academic performance of students. Rather, WIL programs provide a bridge for the student between the academic present, and their professional future - an opportunity to apply and merge theoretical knowledge gained in academic studies to “real world” work place practical experiences, and to prepare the student for a career by providing an opportunity to develop relevant professional skills. WIL can be implemented in various ways like action learning, apprenticeships, experiential learning, practicum placements, problem based learning, scenario learning, service learning, team-based learning, virtual or simulated WIL learning, inquiry learning, practice scenarios, integrated community service learning etc. Although methodology of all approaches varies the underlying principle behind all is to integrate tertiary theoretical knowledge with the practice-based knowledge gained through engagement in a work or professional environment. The informal knowledge gained through the professional context appears to encompass professional as well as personal and skills. A report on graduate recruitment in Australia highlighted that a strong knowledge base alone does not guarantee a new graduate employment and that personal attributes and capabilities of

INTRODUCTION Employability is a pervasive concept that affects not only the students and industry but the development of the entire nation. One major concern regarding it is that there is a big gap to be bridged between graduate attributes and industry requirement. [14] The students are not ‘work ready’ as knowledge gained at the university in a traditional academic curriculum does not transfer to practice in the workplace in a straightforward way. In practice knowledge is often tacit and every profession, at every level, will usually contain some basic skills or procedures that can be acquired through practice only. Thus explicit knowledge acquired through academic programs has to be linked and applied with problem-based knowledge of real world situations. Programs that do not provide students with insights into both the academic and the professional dimensions of their chosen field do not adequately prepare students for professional practice. The difficulties described above can partially be addressed by bringing workplace knowledge into academic subjects and one way to do so is Work Integrated Learning. Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in words of Groenewald is: “A structured strategy integrating classroom studies with learning through productive work experiences in a field related to a student’s academic or career goals.” [8] WIL could thus be used as an umbrella term to describe curricular, pedagogic and assessment 38

the graduate are considered to have a greater influence on success in the workplace. [3] Commonly quoted personal behavioral skills include confidence, collaboration, critical thinking skills, leadership skills, decision making, interpersonal and self management skills. Additionally, work placements provide an opportunity for students to observe and comprehend the culture of an organization, understanding of how work systems operate, workplace competencies, professional networking, professional behavior, engagement in reflective practice, gender politics, leadership styles.

effective lines of communication between the student and the employer, assist students to develop their self-learning skills and set their learning objectives, monitor and assess studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance. Industry supervisors have equally important responsibilities to orient students with the organization, setting clear work objectives for students, monitoring their performance, identifying skill deficiencies and organizing appropriate training/learning opportunities. D. Employers The benefits of a WIL program to an employer include: effective short-term employees at low cost, completion of specific tasks, trial of employees without obligation, feedback from student-employees about work to refine their recruitment criteria, a pool of potential recruits, links with higher education institutions; and workplace diversity. [6] They in turn would have to provide for student induction at the workplace; supervision, mentoring, opportunities for students to learn and apply their conceptual skills. However, for all these activities firms have to incur some costs. Therefore, the WIL program should ensure that the employers receive a greater benefit than the costs incurred when designing a WIL program.

II. STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR ROLES Partnership among students, faculty, educational institutions and employers, with specified responsibilities for each party lays the foundation for WIL. It requires all parties in the relationship to assume definite responsibilities, perform specific functions, and achieve benefits as a result of the involvement. [5] A. Students The students benefit from WIL program as on acquiring practice based knowledge their employment prospects enhances, transition from student to employee becomes easier and they are able to develop their career strategies better. They might also get short term financial benefits from their employers. Students can reap in benefits of WIL only when they honestly assess their ability to work independently (without constant supervision) and exercise their professional, ethical and technical skill judgment to the best of their ability.

III. INDIAN SCENARIO WIL has gained immense popularity in Europe, North America and Australia. [11] In India the concept is still in its nascent stage. It is limited to internship done by students at the end of their tertiary course. For example, last semester of MCA/ Engineering/ MBA course constitutes of project to be done in the industry. BITS, Pilani has pioneered in this area by offering degree programmes through WIL for employed professionals in various Engineering and Information Technology industries to enhance their academic qualification while gaining significant professional experience at their respective employing organizations. [9] Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) has partnered with IBM to incorporate advanced information technology related concepts into the existing BTech (Bachelors in Technology) courses offered at the university. [10] Monumental steps need to be taken by other universities, industry as well as government. Both universities and industry, in partnership have to work upon the concept, design and operation of Work Integrated Learning Programmes. It is clear that the skills required of an academic supervisor are not the same as those of an academic. Similarly, the skills required of an industry supervisor are not necessarily the same as those of an industry professional. These skills need to be developed through a combination of training and experience. There is a need for a high quality staff development program for academic and industry supervisors. Processes like Virtual Classrooms, regular interactions through Learning Management Systems, access to reference materials through Digital Library etc have to be implemented. Our government faces issues relating to rapid changes in competition, innovative products, electronic commerce, customer demands, and advancements in science and technology. In this regard, universities can help by increasing the capabilities of their graduates, since capabilities are one of the cornerstones of competitiveness in any economy. It becomes the responsibility of the

B. Educational Institutions WIL should be developed as part of the whole course of study, rather than as a stand-alone component. The content of the curriculum should embrace employability skills such as the ability to retrieve information, communication and presentation, planning and problem solving, social development and interaction. For that academics have to play an active role in policy formulation, program design, preparing of students, sourcing of positions, assessment, student supervision, student mentoring, industry liaison and program evaluation. [13] They in turn get access to stateof-the-art equipment, establish links with a wider range of employers and obtain their help in curriculum design and developing academicsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; expertise in WIL program assessment. [6] It also opens up opportunities for consulting, research and technology transfer. C. Academic and Industry Supervisor WIL builds linkages between workplace knowledge and the academic curriculum, and helps students to transfer academic knowledge to workplaces; for this reason, WIL cannot occur without partners who represent the different knowledge fields. In WIL each student has both an academic and industry supervisor. Supervisors play a critical role in developing an effective learning environment, guiding the student through challenging situations, and integrating the university and workplace experiences. [12] Responsibilities of an academic supervisor would be to identify and recommend students based on specific employersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requirements, establish 39

government to provide the right environment in which firms can compete and succeed and promote commercialized research and foster entrepreneurial skills..

IV. CONCLUSION In the years since work integrated learning programs were first introduced, the outstanding benefits to students have been well documented. [2] [7] WIL is innately committed to improving the economy, people’s working lives, and lifelong learning abilities. It can cater to the experiential learning needs of students into the 21st century. But for WIL programs to be successfully implemented, recognition of all the parties involved with clear agreements between them is a must. Furthermore, realization of explicit mutual benefit is essential. If the benefit fails for any party, the partnership ceases to be effective. V.

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Albrecht, W.S., & Sack, R.J. “Accounting education: charting the course through a perilous future”, Accounting Education Series, 16, 1-72, (2000). Ashworth & Saxton, “Managing Work Experience”, (hardcover: ISBN-0-415-07126-7; paperback: ISBN-0-415-07127-5) Bell, B., Crebert, G., Patrick, C. J., Bates, M. & Cragnolini, V. Educating Australian leisure graduates: Contexts for developing generic skills. Annals of Leisure Research, 6(1), 1- 19, (2003). Council on Higher Education, "Work-integrated learning: Good practice guide," HE Monitor, C. o. H. Education, ed., Council of Higher Education, 2011, p. 81. Fleming, J., Zinn, C., & Ferkins, L. Bridging the gap: Competencies students should focus on during their cooperative experience to enhance employability. In E-proceedings of the Asia Pacific Cooperative Education Conference, 30 September -3 October, Sydney, Australia, (2008).

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Fraser, S., & Deane, E. Getting bench scientists to the workbench. In A. Fernandez (Ed.), Proceedings of the UniServe Science Scholarly Inquiry Symposium (pp. 38-43). Sydney: University of Sydney, (2002). Gorman, J. and Scott, A., “Blending Tetley GB with Swinburne University Students Produces All-Rounders— Experiences of the Cooperative Exchange Program,” 2ndAsia-PacificConference on Cooperative Education, ACES, Melbourne, Australia, 1996. Groenewald, T. Towards a definition for cooperative education. In R.K. Coll & C. Eames (Eds.), International handbook for cooperative education: An international perspective of the theory, research and practice of work-integrated learning (pp. 17- 25). Boston: World Association for Cooperative Education, (2004). http://www.bitspilani.ac.in/university/wilp/WILP Programmes http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/newsby-industry/services/education/vit-partners-withibm-for-new-academiccourses/articleshow/16234033.cms http://www.waceinc.org Loken, M.,& Stull, W. A., “A Model for Mentoring in Cooperative Education,” 8th World Conference on Cooperative Education, WACE, Dublin. Reeders, E. Scholarly practice in work-based learning: Fitting the glass slipper. Higher Education Research & Development, 19(2), 205220, (2000). Yap, C. Teaching overseas students: the case of introductory accounting. In R. Ballantyne, J. Bain and J. Packer (Eds.), Reflecting on university teaching academics stories (pp 249-258). Canberra: CUTSD and Australian Government Publishing Service, (1997).

Enhancing Employability of Students through - Technical and Vocational Education and Training [TVET] Dr. Nishikant Jha TCSC University of Mumbai Abstract: One of the weaknesses of Indian education system is that it does not gives due importance to vocational education. As a result there is a mismatch between the skilled manpower required and skilled manpower available. Every year, various colleges churn out millions of graduates who do not have the specific skill sets required by the market. This has resulted in a situation where on the one hand there are scores of unemployed graduates and on the other hand there is a huge shortage of skilled workers such as plumbers, electricians, etc. To rectify this situation vocational training programs need to be promoted in a big way. This may include secretarial practices, computer operator and programme assistant, library assistant, architectural draughtsman ship, desktop publishing, electrical technician, electronics mechanic, refrigeration and air conditioning, plumbing, tailoring and dress making, hair and skin care, fruit and vegetable preservation programs, etc. This paper discusses technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as well as skills development in India, mainly pertaining to agriculture and related activities and explores existing gender differences. Today, the economyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the world over are changing into knowledge based economies. This changing face of technology the world over requires an individual to be specialized in a particular skill. Only a person who is expert in a particular field can get a good job. Vocational education training institutes impart specialized and practical knowledge to a person and help them become independent at a particular age. Vocational education training should be such that even working people can join the course. Moreover, financial aid should also be provided to students who are economically weak. Under the XIth Plan, vocationalisation of education has received a boost with more funds being allocated for the purpose. Besides, it is also being ensured that the marginalised sections of the society, including women, get adequate representation in these courses. It can thus be hoped that TVET will play a major role in improving the lives of the people of India. Keywords: Technical and vocational education and training (TVET); International Fund for Agricultural Development IFAD; Institute for Industrial Training ITIs; Enterprise-based Training EBT; related activities and existing gender differences. It demonstrates that not enough is being done on vocational and skills training in rural areas in particular for women, as shown by statistics on TVET in general. The noninvolvement of women is also a result of their low levels of schooling or persisting illiteracy. Skills development for rural youth and rural poor is not only about agriculture and related skills in rural development, but also a preparation and investment for off-farm working and improving skills for migration. Based on experiences from IFAD supported programmes, the paper argues that more quality investment is needed in vocational and skills training for rural youth and special attention should be paid to addressing the needs of women. Concerted efforts of donors, Governments and the private sector are needed to achieve better quality in training and fill the gap caused by years of neglect.

I) INTRODUCTION Education, skills development and technical training are central to agricultural and rural employment. They prepare mostly young people for work in the formal and informal sector in rural areas and thus play an important role in poverty reduction. The better the training and the more refined the skills are in terms of human capital, the higher the income and returns and the better the rural and urban livelihoods. The role of education in facilitating social and economic progress has long been recognized. Education improves functional and analytical ability and thereby opens up opportunities for individuals and also groups to achieve greater access to labour markets and livelihoods. A better educated labour force is essential if we are to meet the labour supply requirements of faster growth. Education is not only an instrument of enhancing efficiency but is also an effective tool of widening and augmenting democratic participation and upgrading the overall quality of individual and societal life. The population growth of India has declined over many years, yet the labour is projected to grow by close to 2% or some 7 million or more per year over next few years. Modernisation and social processes have also led to more women entering the work force lowering the dependency ratio (ratio of dependent to working age population) from 0.8 in 2001 to 0.73 in 2011 and is expected to further decline to 0.59 by 2021. This paper explores different aspects of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as well as skills training in India. Emphasis is put on agriculture and

II) -

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY To study about the importance of TVET on employment. To study the Training and Education system around the world. To study the influence of TVET in India. To study regarding the schemes adopted in India to improve the human resource.

III) VOCATIONAL

TRAINING EMPLOYMENT AVENUES

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school level on a large scale since the decade of 1970s. • A strategy to achieve full employment must include as an important component, a strategy to ensure that all new entrants to the workforce are equipped with the knowledge and skill needed for high productivity and high quality. Source: Data compiled from Planning Commission Reports, NSSO, Times of India, The Economic Times

SELF-

Every year 5.5 million students pass out of Class X, of which 3.3 million go to Class XI, leaving 2.2 million out of the education stream. Those who drop out after Class VIII are approx. 20-21 million. Urgent attention needed for this 21 million-target group. Available formal training capacity of the country - only 2.3 million students. This leaves a gap of 18.7 million. The ITI system needs to be revamped to fill up this gap. Among persons of age 15 years and above: - Only 2 % had any type of technical degrees/ diplomas/ certificates. - The proportion was only 1% in the rural areas and 5 % in the urban. Only 40 % of the 55,000 instructors have undergone a full instructor-training course” (Urgent need to look into training of trainers) (Planning Commission). About 95% of the world youth (15 - 35 yrs) age learn any type of vocation / skill / trade, with a choice of 3000 vocational streams. In India we have identified only about 170 trades and only 2-3% of the youth (15-29 yrs) goes in for formal vocational training. The proportion of persons (15-29 yrs) who received formal vocational training was the highest among the unemployed. - 3 % for the employed - 11% for the unemployed, and - 2% for persons not in the labour force China has nearly 500,000 senior higher secondary vocational schools, whereas we have about 5100 ITI’s and 6000 VET schools in all. To boost Vocational Education and Skill Development Prime Minister in his Independence Day address stated to open - 1600 new ITI’s and Polytechnics - 50,000 new Skill Development Centers, It would enable 1 crore students to get Vocational training. Compared to many developed countries India is far behind in introducing new and innovative trades in VET to attract young children’s. - About 5% to 7% of our population (50 to 70 million) every year should be involved in vocational programmes. - Of all new employment generated - 1% is government jobs, - 2% are in the ‘Organised sector’ and - 97% in the unorganized sector Countries labour force in (20-24 yrs) age undergone formal vocational training - India - 5 % - Mexico - 28 % - Most industrialised nations - 60 to 80 % - Korea - 96 %. Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Israel and China have supported vocational education at the

Educated unemployed (disadvantage education) • Unemployed in Rural Areas: 57% • Unemployed in Urban Areas: 65% • TOTAL SKILLED labour force: – RURAL - only 8.3 % – URBAN - 15.6 % • Only 45 millions have actually registered with employment exchange • Of all new employment generated • Govt. – 1% • Orgnised Sector – 2% • Unorganised Sector – 97% – The unemployment rate of India's graduates are still 17. 2% than the overall unemployment rate of 10.1%. (2.5 million graduate every year) Source: (Employment & Unemployment situation in India, Jan-June 2004, NSS, Govt. of India, 2005); www.wakeupcall.org (i Watch); (Times of India, 22nd june 2005) IV) FUTURE OF LABOUR ECOSYSTEM IN INDIA (BASED ON TLSL REPORT 2006): The potential working (20-59 yrs ) age population estimated in 2020 - over 761 million - Currently this is 567 million. • The govt. is talking about creating 10 million jobs every year, however, the requirement is more than 15 million in a year. • Even if we find 100 million new jobs; 170 million will be out of employment in 2020, this is nearly 30%. • Unemployment will be higher among SC / ST • Only around 1.5 % of persons aged 15 years or more in rural areas and less than 5 % in urban areas had technical qualifications of even the most rudimentary kind • The biggest challenge will be to provide formal education and employment to the huge work force in 2020 Source: Team Lease Services Labour Report 2006 (The report mainly predicts the future of labour ecosystem in India, state wise.) V) •

SHORTAGE OF SKILL IN VARIOUS SECTORS The projected growth rates in industry and services sectors are expected to generate 60 millions job opportunities during 2006-12 and 156 million during 2006-16

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Semi-skilled and skilled labour: The shortage of factory workers and construction labourers is already being felt across industries. • Engineering industry is growing at a fast pace will be major requirement of skilled/talented manpower in this sector • Food industry is fast-expanding, need professional food scientists and technicians in great number. • Media and Entertainment: The demand for animation production services from India is growing. This has opened up innumerable opportunities for students of Design, Fine Arts and Mass Communication. • Biotechnology sector: 80 % shortfall of doctorate and post doctorate scientists. Food processing sector: 65 % shortfall of refrigeration mechanics, electricians’ etc. 70 % shortfall of food safety personnel • Additional 21 million new jobs in merchandise trade by 2009-10 • IT and BPO sector could employ 9 million persons directly and indirectly by 2010 • Raising the rate of growth of manufacturing to 12 % could create 1.6 to 2.9 million direct jobs annually, and another 2-3 times that number indirectly • Retail Sector - demand of 3-5 lakh trained people in the northern region alone by 2010. This sector would throw up 2 million employment by 2010. • Leather - Based on increased targets for export and domestic demand, it would generate 3 million additional jobs by 2022 • Civil Aviation - Needs 5400 pilots by the end of the 11th plan. Thereafter, there would be requirement of at least 150 pilots per year as replacements for retirements and normal attrition. Construction sector with a current employment of over 30 million is to witness boom by an annual growth rate of 30% in infrastructure. It would translate large no. of jobs far short of the employable skill available • Health sector: Shortage of 5 lakh doctors and 10 lakh Nurses. • IT sector: Shortage of 5 lakhs (half a million) engineers. • Education sector: Faculty shortage of 25-40 percent. • Automobiles: employment expected to increase to 25million by 2015-16 from current 10.5 million, majority in the shop floor of auto manufacturing • Logistics: will grow in tandem with growth in trade, aviation and tourism • Banking and Finance sector: 50-80 percent personnel shortage. • Aviation sector: Severe shortage of pilots and ground duty officials. • Textile sector: employ 35 million directly, besides 55 million in its allied sector. Expected to generate additional 14million jobs by 2013

•

Pharma sector: Severe shortage of top pharma scientists as research expenditure by pharma companies has quadrupled in the last 5 years. Thus there is a shortage of middle-level and junior scientists too. This has made salaries of top pharma scientists rise to US levels. • Project Management Services-this labour intensive sector will grow with growth in corporate structure, infrastructure & retail industry Source: Data compiled from (FICCI report, New Delhi); (NASSCOM); (NASSCOM McKinsey Report 2006); (Press Release, Ministry of Com. & Ind. April 7, 2006); (Presentation made by NMCC to National Advisory Council, February 18, 2006) (IL&FS, 2008) VI) INDIA’S TREMENDOUS POTENTIALDEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDEND • Working age population to comprise over 63 % of the aggregate by 2016. • India only large economy with declining age dependency ratios till 2030. • India’s total population in year 2004: 1,080 million, (672 million people in the age-group 15 to 64 years "working age population”). • A third of India’s population below 15 years of age and 20 % of the population in the 15-24 age groups. • Projections indicate the emergence of a young Indian will 800 million in the productive age group by 2015; the comparable no. of China is 600m • In 2020, the average Indian will be only 29 years old, compared with the average age of 37 years in China and the US, 45 in west Europe and 48 in Japan. Source: (National Population Policy 2000); (BRICS report of Goldman Sachs), NSSO report. VII) TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEM IN INDIA & WORLD Technical and Vocational Education plays a vital role in human resource development of the country by creating skilled manpower, enhancing industrial productivity and improving the quality of life. The term Technical Education and Vocational Training are sometimes used synonymously. However, as per present practice, the term TE refers to post secondary courses of study and practical training aimed at preparation of technicians to work as supervisory staff. The term VT refers to lower level education and training for the population of skilled or semi-skilled workers in various trades and it does not enhance their level with respect to general education.

may now be issued with little or no formal training, for example, to enterprise workers who have obtained their skills over a number of years on the job. United Kingdom: The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in UK is a credit transfer system developed for qualifications in England, Wales, Namibia and Northern Ireland. The Framework has nine levels covering all levels of learning in secondary education, further education, vocational, and higher education. Different qualifications are divided into different levels, according to three important frameworks namely, the National Qualification Framework (NQF), the Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) and last, but not least, the Framework for Higher Education qualifications. The main agencies involved in TVET policy formulation and its implementation include: Central Government • National Skills Development Council • Ministry of Human Resource Development • Department of School Education and Literacy (for TVET programmes in senior secondary schools) • Department of Higher Education (for Technical Education) • Ministry of Labour and Employment, Directorate General of Employment and Training (for Vocational Training) • There are some other 20 Central Ministries and Departments which have running some small TVET programmes. State Government • Directorate of Technical Education Private Sector NGOs IX) TYPE

OF INSTITUTIONS FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING ACCORDING TO NATIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY ORGANIZATION (NSSO)

Different institutions which impart vocational training can be classified into five categories: (i) Government, (ii) Local body, (iii) Private aided, (iv) Private unaided, and (v) not known. According to a NSSO report vocational training is received by only 10% of persons aged between 15-29 years. Out of this only 2% receive formal training, while non-formal training constitutes the remaining 8%. Out of the formal training received by that particular age group only 3% are employed. Most sought after field of training is computer related training. Only 20% of formal vocational training is received from ITI/ITCs. In India, technical education and vocational training system follows patterns like graduate - post graduate, engineer technologists through training colleges, diploma from polytechnics and certificate level training in ITIs through formal apprenticeships. The Vocational Training in India is imparted by mainly two types of bodies:  Public Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)  Private owned Industrial Training Centres (ITCs) The Indian Government has invested a lot for the development of skills through ITIs. The DGE&T generally

VIII) ANALYSIS OF NATIONAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION FRAMEWORK IN OTHER COUNTRIES Australia: Australia, a country that has had an NQF for many years, has re-introduced vocational courses into schools (entitled ‘VET in Schools’) but the courses have been developed as ‘foundation’ vocational skills already defined and standardized by the Australian National Training Authority, the single tripartite body responsible for training standards. Level-I Certificates from the VET system are regarded as educationally equivalent to Senior Certificates from secondary schools, and Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas may be issued by the VET system or by higher education institutes. Depending on the courses of study, credits may be allowed to be accumulated as participants choose to move between the three sectors. Some VET certificates 44

regulates these ITIs and ITCs at national level and implements policies for vocational training. X)

From the above graphs we may conclude that Tamil Nadu holds the majority stake in private owned ITCs and Maharashtra holds a similar position for Government owned ITIs. Details about the nature of the training in ITIs etc. are available on the website of  Ministry of Labour (http://labour.nic.in/)  National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) (http://dget.gov.in) National Council for Vocational Training’, an advisory body, was set up by the Government of India in the year 1956. The National Council is chaired by the Minister of Labour, with members from different Central and State Government Departments, Employers and Workers organizations, Professional and Learned Bodies, All India Council for Technical Education, Scheduled castes and Scheduled tribes, All India Women’s Organization, etc. And State Councils for Vocational Training at the State level and Trade Committees have been established to assist the NCVT. Main mandate of the NCVT, according to DGE&T, is to establish and award National Trade Certificates in engineering, nonengineering, building, textile, leather trades and such other trades which are brought within its scope by the Government of India. It also prescribes standards in respect of syllabi, equipment, scales of accommodation, duration of courses and methods of training. It also conducts tests in various trade courses and lays down standards of proficiency required for passing the examination leading to the award of National Trade Certificate etc.

TRAINING

STATISTICS OF ITI/ITCS - MAIN FORMAL VOCATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTES IN INDIA

Some of the principal training schemes are:  The Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS)  Apprenticeship Training Scheme (ATS). According to the Planning commission report for the 11th Five year plan there are about 5,114 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) imparting training in 57 engineering and 50 non-engineering trades. Of these, 1,896 are State Government-run ITIs while 3,218 are private. The total seating capacity in these ITIs is 7.42 lakh (4 lakh seats in government ITIs and the remaining 3.42 lakh in private ITCs). Figures below this text represent detailed information on the number and capacity of ITIs/ITCs in different states/UTs. A number of vocational training institutes are being run by private training providers. The formal training system of India starts at Grade 8 and above. According to a report of ILO, the quality of DGE&T’s skills development programmes compete with other programmes , such as high vocational schools (10 plus 2 stream), colleges, polytechnics, etc. The share of ITI-based training seems to capture around 10-12 per cent of the total number of school pass outs at Grade10 level. Some training schemes provide by DGE&T other than Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) and Apprenticeship Training Scheme (ATS) are:  Craft Instructors’ Training Scheme(CITS),Advanced Vocational Training Scheme(AVTS)  Supervisory/Foremen Training Scheme, Staff Training and Research Program  Instructional Media Development Program  Women’s Training Scheme  Hi-Tech Training Scheme

Total number and capacity of ITIs and ITCs per million persons in India:

Fig.3: Number of ITIs and ITCs available per million persons in different states in India Source: The vocational education and training system report no.-22 World Bank

Fig.2: Number of ITIs under Government and Private bodies in main states of India Source: Ministry of labour DGE&T

Fig.4: Intake capacity of ITIs and ITCs per million persons in different states in India. Source: The 45

vocational education and training system report no.-22 World Bank

system to produce at least 1.5 million technically skilled people every year. It is estimated that the country would need an incremental requirement of about 20 million skilled technicians by 2015

Status in Schools: Schools also provide vocational training formally at 10 and 12th level. The following figure shows the percentage stake of all major states, providing vocational training in India.

XIV) CAPART (COUNCIL FOR ADVANCEMENT OF RURAL TECHNOLOGY) CAPART is playing a crucial role in implementing development activities through funding of different voluntary organizations. These voluntary organizations help rural people to enhance livelihood by giving them support through different modes of vocational training and related activities. CAPART has been formed by amalgamating the 'Council for Advancement of Rural Technology' (CART) and ‘People's Action for Development India’ (PADI). CAPART is an autonomous body registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860, under the aegis of the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India and it has been a major promoter of rural development in India, assisting over 12,000 voluntary organizations. (Details available on http://capart.nic.in).

XI) FIG.4: PERCENTAGE

SHARE OF THE SCHOOLS IMPARTING VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR SOME MAJOR STATES SOURCE: MHRD, ANNUAL REPORT 2002-03, INDIA YEAR BOOK 2010, MANPOWER PROFILE

XV) SRI, RANCHI (SOCIETY FOR RURAL INDUSTRIALIZATION) This society has major programme to impart training for the rural people. It mainly focuses on skill development of village youths. Training of trainers and management training are offered to other organizations including the government. The skill training includes courses on communication, personality building and enterprise management. It also offers short training courses on programme management for various National schemes for functionaries of NGOs and of Governments. SRI’s tie up with Indian Institute of Science, IITKharagpur and CBRI-Roorkee on cost-effective construction is well known.(Details available onhttp://sriranchi.org/index.php).

It is observed that states like Punjab, Orissa Tamil Nadu etc. hold approximately 79% stake in number of schools which impart vocational training. And Maharashtra is the foremost, holding more than 16%. Schools have an important role in vocational studies because one can start learning a vocation from his/her schools days. More coverage in school with proper infrastructure can create a large technical group in future, which at present is deficient. XII) OTHER GOVERNMENT

AND PRIVATE BODIES PROVIDING VOCATIONAL TRAINING IN INDIA

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institutes (MSME-DIs), Tool Rooms and Technical Development Centers (Development Commissioner), National Small Industries Corporation’s (NSIC) offices, Incubators and Training cum Incubation Centers (TICs) set up in Public Private Partnership Mode. National level Entrepreneurship Development Institutes like National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), National Institute for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (NIMSME) and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati (under MoMSME), and the Entrepreneurship Development Centers (EDCs).

XVI) RAMAKRISHNA MATH AND RAMAKRISHNA MISSION Ramakrishna Math was established by Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886). Ramakrishna Mission is a society (registered) in which monks and devotees of Ramakrishna Math cooperate in conducting various types of social services, mainly in India. It was founded by Sri Ramakrishna's chief apostle, Swami Vivekananda (18631902), one of the foremost thinkers and religious leaders of the present age. Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are legally and financially separate from each other but they are closely inter-related in several other ways, and are to be regarded as twin organizations. Vocational training is one of their most valuable inputs in development activity. The rural and tribal activities are mainly classified as: (i) General; (ii) Agricultural; (iii) Educational and Self-reliance training; and (iv) Medical. Within the classification of Educational and self-reliance training, free schools are run for children. Adult and nonformal education centers have been set up. Audio-visual shows, farmers’ fairs and the like are also organized. And a major activity is to help the formation of self-help groups and training schemes are organized for teaching

XIII) NATIONAL MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVE COUNCIL (NMCC) This Body was set up by Govt. of India in the year of 2004 as a part of National Common Minimum Program to help in accelerated growth of GDP, primarily focusing on manufacturing Industry. According to the strategy for National Manufacturing-2006, vocational training plays a key role on this. According to a report by NMCC, if Indian manufacturing has to grow at around 12 percent per annum, it will be necessary for the education and training 46

lathe-turning, carpentry, bee-keeping, pisciculture, dairyfarming and poultry-farming, weaving, incense-stick rolling, etc to enable the rural and tribal community to achieve minimum livelihood. (Details available on: http://www.belurmath.org ) Some other institutes which impart vocational training like Gandhi Ashram in Wardha and Madurai are also important in this field. We could name a few like Nanaji Deshmukh and many other personalities who had done remarkable work in the vocational education field in rural areas.

Agriculture: Poultry Production, Fisheries/Fish Processing, Dairying, Sericulture, Apiculture, Floriculture, Plant Protection, Agricultural Chemicals, Inland Fisheries, Plantation Crops and Management, Seed Production Technology, Swine Production, Vegetable Seed production, Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Industry, Sheep and Goat Husbandry, Repair and Maintenance of Power Driven Farm Machinery, Veterinary Pharmacist-cumArtificial Insemination Assistant, Agro Based Food Industry (Animal based), Agro Based Food Industry (Crop based), Agro Based Food Industry (Feed based), Post Harvest Technology, Fish Seed Production, Fishing Technology, Horticulture, Soil Conservation, Crop Cultivation/ Production. Business and Commerce: Banking, Marketing and Salesmanship, Office Secretary ship/ Stenography, Co-operation, Export-Import Practices and Documentation, Insurance, Purchasing and Storekeeping, Taxation Practices/Taxation laws/ Tax Assistant, Industrial Management, Receptionist, Basic Financial Services, Office Management, Tourism and Travel, Accountancy and Auditing. Engineering and Technology: Civil Construction/Maintenance, Mechanical Servicing, Audio Visual Technician, Maintenance and Repair of Electrical Domestic Appliances, Building and Road Construction, Building Maintenance, Ceramic Technology, Computer Technique, Rural Engineering Technology, Materials Management Technology, Rubber Technology, Structure and Fabrication Technology, Sugar Technology, Tanaries. Health and Paramedical: Medical Laboratory/ Technology Assistant, Health Worker, Nursing, Health Sanitary Inspector Hospital Documentation, Hospital Housekeeping, Ophthalmic Technology, X-ray Technician, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Multi-rehabilitation Worker, Bio Medical Equipment and Technician, Dental Hygienist, Dental Technician, Multi Purpose Health Worker, Pharmacist, ECG and Audiometric Technician, Nutrition and Dietetics, Auxiliary Nurse and Mid Wives, Primary Health Worker. Home Science: Food Preservation, Child Care and Nutrition, Catering and Restaurant Management, Preschool and Crèche Management, Textile Designing, Interior Design, Commercial Garment Designing and Making, Clothing for the Family, Health Care and Beauty Culture, Bleaching Dyeing and Fabric Painting, Knitting Technology, Institutional House Keeping . Humanities Science and Education: Library and Information Science, Instrumental Music (Percussion Tabla), Classical Dance (Kathak), Indian Music (Hindustani Vocal Music), Photography, Commercial Art, Physical Education, Bharat Natyam, Cotton Classifier.

XVII)

OTHER TRAINING FOR THE INFORMAL SECTOR The Ministry of Rural Development administers schemes aimed at creating sustained employment opportunities to secure a certain minimum level of employment and income for the rural poor. They include the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY), Employment Assurance Scheme, the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP), the Programme for Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA), and the Training of Rural Youth for Self-employment (TRYSEM). The Department of Women and Child Development runs Support to Training and Employment Programs (STEP), a NORAD-assisted program on employment cum income-generation. The scheme offers condensed courses of education and vocational training program for women. The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has 51 training centers, including 12 village industry training centers. Prime Minister's Rozgar Yojana provides wage employment and self-employment to educated unemployed youths aged between 18 and 35 years. The Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust (BYST) aims to help unemployed or underemployed youths aged 18-35 years to set up or develop their own businesses. Entrepreneurship Development Centers/Institutes provide training in different fields based on the resource endowment of the area. The National Renewal Fund (NRF) provides assistance to cover the cost of retraining and redeployment of employees arising from modernisation, technology up gradation and industrial restructuring. The Ministry of Agriculture’s Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (KVK) impart training to farmers, farm women, rural youth and grass roots level extension workers in broad based agricultural production system. VOCATIONAL COURSES COVERED IN DIFFERENT AREAS UNDER APPRENTICES ACT 1961

TVET PROGRAMMES RUNNING BY VARIOUS MINISTRIES/DEPARTMENT IN INDIA Sr. Ministry/ No. Department

Schemes/ Programmes/ Target Group Institutions having provision for Vocational Education and Training programme M/o Agriculture Training in Agricultural Extension , Training in use of Person engaged in (i) Department of Agricultural Implements and machinery, Soil Agricultural institutions and support services, Agriculture Conservation member of cooperatives and Farmers. Students Research & Training Centre, LFQC&TI, NPPTI, Cooperative with Qualifications as usual under University Education Education & Training. stream of education (ii) Department of Under the University stream, various under-graduate, Animal post graduate and Ph.D. courses are offered (DARE) Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries M/o Food Grants are provided to NGOs for setting up of Food Persons living in rural Processing Processing & Training Centers (FPTCs) Institutions areas with preference Industries like Central Food Technology Research Institute, being given to women, Paddy Processing Research Centre, PHTC, Council of SC, ST and other weaker Entrepreneurial Development Programme (EDP) are sections of society also running training courses. Mainly persons in Food Processing Industry M/o Health & Basic Training of multipurpose health worker Educated youth with Family (Female & Male) minimum 10th pass Welfare • ANM/MPW(F) Training Centers Persons working in • HFWTC & Basic MPWA(M) Schools Health & Family Welfare • Promotional training of Programme Female Health Assistant in 42 training centers. Training is also provided by Safdarjung Hospital, St. John Ambulance. NTCP, NPCB, NMHP, NACP, INC, CBHI, CLTRI, PWTRC, ECH etc. M/o Heavy Counselling Retraining and Redeployment of Workers who opt for Industries & Public Rationalized Workers of CPSEs (Formerly NFR) voluntary retirement, Enterprises rendered surplus or retrenched from CPSEs M/o Human Vocationalization of Secondary Education Student having passed Resource Polytechnics + Institutions for diploma in pharmacy, 10th class Poorer section of society in both Development hotel management, architecture Community rural and urban areas Polytechnic Scheme

M/o HRD

D/o Information Technology

M/o Labour (DGET)

M/o Rural Development

Jan Shikshan Sansthan (Vocational Training Centers Disadvantaged groups of adults. Priority to run by NGOs) adult neo-literates/ semi literates, SC and ST, women/girls, oppressed, migrants, slum/ pavement dwellers and working children Apprenticeship Training for Students passing out of +2 Vocational Stream students of +2 Vocational stream Recognized engineering National Programme on Earthquake Engineering colleges/ polytechnics Education and schools of architecture having related academic degree of diploma programme DOEACC – ‘O’ level Students or working persons with 10+2 pass It CEDTI conducts courses in the field of Electronics, Telecommunications, IT, Process Control & Instrumentation Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) 8th, 10th and 12th pass or Apprenticeship Training Scheme (ATS) National Trade Certificate Craft Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) (from NCVT) Holder Advanced Vocational Training Scheme and Hi-tech Instructors of ITIs Training Schemes Industrial Workers/ Technicians Supervisory Training Women Training Institutes Supervisors from Industry Central Staff Trailing and Women (School leavers, Research Institute Model Training Institutes and Instructors and others) Model Industrial Training Training Executives and Institutes Principals School leavers with 8th, 10th and 12th pass. National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) Practicing Manager in rural development Focus Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar is on the vulnerable groups among the rural Yojana (SGSY) poor. SC/STs should account for a minimum of 50%, women for 20% and disabled for 3% of the total swarozgaris during a year. Entrepreneurship Development Workers Education Programme. Skill Development Programme (SDP). unemployed youth Management Development Programme. Entrepreneurs

M/o MSME (Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO) 10. Ministry of Social National Institute of Mentally Handicapped. National Disadvantaged and Justice & Institute for the Orthopedically Handicapped. Institute Marginalized sections of the Empower- ment for Physically Handicapped. society viz., SC, Minorities, B.C.. National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, Persons with disabilities. Aged National Handicapped Finance and Development Persons. Street children and victims of Drug Corporation, Abuse etc. National Scheme of Liberation and Rehabilitation of Workers in Garment Industry Seavengers and their Dependents. National Scheduled Castes and Scheduled tribes Finance and Development Corporation. Rehabilitation Council of India. Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) 11. M/o Textiles Decentralized Training Programme. Weavers’ Skill up gradation of Workers in textile Services Centers, Cooperative Training. Power loom industry. Centers. Indian Jute Industries Research Association, Central Wool Development Board, Central Silk Board. Training Centers for Handicrafts. North-eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms development Corporation. 12. D/o Tourism Food Craft Institutes under State Governments. 10th Pass 13. M/o Tribal Affairs Vocational training Centers (VTC) in Tribal Unemployed Tribal Youth Areas.(100% central assistance is given to (Each person is given training in two trades) State/UT/NGOs )

14. M/o Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation 15. HUDCO & others in Construction sector

16. D/o Women & Child Development D/o Women & Child Development

D/o Women & Child Development

Urban Self Employment Programme under Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY)

Urban Unemployed or underemployed poor below poverty line

Building Centres (HUDCO) Company run schools (NBCC, HCC, L&T, ECC etc.) & association etc. Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) & others

Persons engaged in Construction Industry Worker & Supervisor having qualifications of Vth to XIIth Standard. Support to Training and Employment Programme for To provide updated skills and new knowledge Women (STEP) to poor and asset less women traditional Swalamban (previously NORAD) Sectors. To train poor women mostly in non-traditional trades. Training in Home scale preservation of fruits and Housewives and Adolescent girls with a view vegetables (by Community to promote Food and Nutrition Extension Units (CFNEUs) preservation and consumption of fruits and vegetables which provide much needed micronutrients, as well as to provided necessary skills which could be useful for income generation purposes. Central Social Welfare Board (programmes are To train women in marketable trades and also organized by to upgrade their skills for getting remunerative voluntary organizations) employment Women Empowerment Programme in collaboration opportunities. To organize women into with IGNOU (Training effective Self Help programme on “Empowering Groups. women through SHG”) Kishori Shakit Yojana Other programmes like To train and equip adolescent girls to improve UDISHA, Training of Anganwadi Workers, NIPCCB, home based and vocational skills Rashtriya Mahila Kosh etc.

women, rural people, neo-literates, disabled and disadvantaged groups of the society etc.) through a network of its study-cum-training centers known as Accredited Institutes (AIs). The NIOS has a network of 11 Regional Centers and about 2067 study centers .There are about 1063 accredited vocational institutes (AIs). The cumulative enrolment in VET during the last five years is 93000.

Revamped Scheme of Vocationalisation of Higher Secondary Education The proposed major modifications under the scheme are – • Strengthening of existing Vocational Schools and establishing new vocational schools. • Expansion of intake capacity during 11th Plan. • Development of competency based modular Vocational courses of varying duration • Revision of the existing system from supply based to demand based. • Setting up/constitution of various bodies/committees for governance monitoring and implementation of the National Vocational Qualification Framework. • Setting up of Central Board and State Boards of Vocational Education (CBVE) and (SBVE) for accreditation/affiliation, examination certification and equivalence. • Provision of pathways among 14 Indian qualifications for vertical and horizontal mobility. • Provision of multiple-entry, multiple exit and flexibility in delivery. • Provision of joint-responsibility of academic Institute and Industry/Employer for making a person employable.

XIX) JAN SHIKSHAN SANSTHAN (JSS) (LITERALLY MEANING PEOPLE’S EDUCATION) JSS was launched as a Adult Education Program of MHRD, aimed at improving the vocational skills and quality of life of workers and their family members. JSS. The programme initially focuses on adults and young people living in urban and industrial areas and those who had migrated from the rural areas. JSS has acted as a district level resurce to organise vocational training and skill development programs. At present, 221 JSS are functioning in various States of the country.

XVIII) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OPEN SCHOOLING (NIOS) NIOS is responsible for imparting education through open and distance mode from Primary to Senior Secondary level. It has the mandate for offering vocational education and training programmes to general and prioritized groups (Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, 50

XX) STATISTICS ON

PERSONS (PER THOUSAND) WHO ATTEND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, ACCORDING TO DURATION OF TRAINING AND AGE GROUPS OF TRAINED PEOPLE:

Fig.8: Trained paramedical practitioners available in rural India Source: MHRD, Annual Report 2002-03, India Year Book 2010, Manpower profile From the Figure above, it is clear that out of total 315,746 paramedical workers in rural India, 47% are female health workers. But extension workers are very few; almost 1%. We also need to focus on the availability of Radio Graphers, Pharmacists and Laboratory Technicians for rural India. To disseminate knowledge of basic health facilities we need to train more paramedical workers for rural India. But unfortunately at present they are few compared to the large size of the rural population.

Fig.5: Number of person getting vocational training per thousand persons age group wise in India Source: NSSO Report No. 517 year 2009-10

Proposed Education Model for India Based on the comparison of various education models across the world, the following education model is recommended for us-:

Fig.6: Percentage of persons who received vocational training in Rural India (per thousand person) (duration of training wise)

XXI) RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING VOCATIONAL EDUCATION NATIONAL BOARD FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

Source: NSSO Report No. 517 year 2004-05 Despite efforts made to popularize these courses, several problems prevent ITIs/ITCs from reaching common masses and youth. Paramedical training status for rural India: Paramedical courses are one of the largest sources of vocational educated persons in the field of medical industry. Status of the total paramedical manpower in rural India is given in following graph.

1. A national level Board for vocational education should be established, called as National Board for Vocational Education. For Example, In Australia, there is a similar authority established by the state and federal government called Australian National Training Authority (structure may vary) which plays a major role in :a) developing a national TVET system and national strategies with respect to vocational education b) ensuring close interaction between industries and TVET providers c) developing effective training market for public and private needs d) enhancing efficiency and productivity of TVET providers 51

certification. Vocational Education Providers, Community Colleges, JSS, CP’s, Vocational Junior Colleges may also be allowed to award Diplomas and Associate Degrees in addition to HSC (Vocational) certification. Students from Vocational Institutions can be given opportunity for lateral mobility into conventional stream by providing bridge (preparatory) courses. The proposed mobility structure is as indicated below-:

National Vocational Education Policy A National Vocational Policy should be formulated. The policy should establish equivalence for degrees, diplomas and certifications in the vocational education sector for lateral and vertical mobility across various learning sectors that is, secondary, vocational and higher education. National Vocational Education Assessment and Accreditation Council National Vocational Assessment & Accreditation Council should be established to formulate a regulatory and quality/standards framework.

Industrial Participation . Private Participation from Industry and other players must be encouraged and is critical for the success of the vocational education growth in India. Industry participation must be at all levels especially in Governance, Curriculum Design, Placements and Funding, Monitoring Outcome. Industry participation is also required for creating production oriented Research and Innovation Labs. A PPP Model can be also created where GOI and Industry can come together to invest in infrastructure and train students in latest skills For Example, Penang Skills Development Center is a joint company training center. The Government invests in the center and uses it to carry out public training programs. The State provided the infrastructure and the industry partners donate equipment, labs, training modules and trainers. Industry thus has access to shared training facilities for in-service employees training. The Government uses the center as a training institute. In India, National Skill Development Corporation India (NSDC) is a one of its kind, Public Private Partnership in India. It aims to promote skill development by catalyzing creation of large, quality, for-profit vocational institutions. Three business models established till date are as under-: B-Able - Tie ups with corporate like L&T and Tata dealers have been established. Six centres providing classroom training and guaranteed 4 week apprenticeship with a prospective employers have been established. Gram Tarang - Targeting tribal/naxal affected areas. 4 training centres created to train people in Auto CAD, advanced welding on advance machinery funded by NSDC. 8. Teachers training is an important aspect for ensuring quality education in vocational stream. Vocational Educational Qualifications should be insisted (eg. BVE). Higher salaries must be offered to attract skilled teachers. Additional income incentive can also be given through inservice training programs which can be conducted by teachers for industry employees. Continuous skill development and up-gradation of teachers can be done through Teachers Training Programs conducted by Teacher Training Centers

Introduction of SSC (Vocational) SSC (vocational) or its equivalent 10th grade certification in vocational stream should be created on similar lines as HSC (Vocational) at both national and state level. Vocational Stream should be introduced at 8th Grade through Bivalent Schools which may provide both conventional and vocational stream of education at secondary level. Presently, in India only sporadic courses as electives are being offered to students under bifocal scheme. However, a separate vocational stream offered by means of bivalent schools does not exist. Statistics reveal that employers prefer students with some general education skills in addition to vocational skills. Thus, in all schemes related to SSC (Vocational) general education courses should be emphasized. Eg. Problem Solving, English, Soft Skills, Business Management etc For Eg, In China, there are three levels of vocational education: junior secondary, senior secondary and tertiary. Junior vocational education refers to the vocational and technical education after primary school education and is a part of the 9-year compulsory education i.e from age group of 13-15 years. Credit Banking and Accumulation In ITI’s and ITC’s or other vocational education providers, a credit banking system can be established to accumulate required credits in order to grant SSC certificate. This will be especially useful for non-formal and unorganized sectors who do not have any prior formal education. These students in non formal sector may be allowed to take courses worth requisite credit points to obtain SSC Vocational. In Philippines, the Non-Formal Education - Accreditation and Equivalency (NFE A&E) System enables Filipinos who are unable to avail education through the formal school system or who have dropped out of formal school, obtain elementary and secondary education. NFE A&E test is a standardized paper- and pencil-based test featuring multiple- choice questions based on the expected learning outcomes articulated in the five learning strands of the NFE A&E Curriculum framework which enables students to obtain secondary level certification.

Salient Features of a Vocational University 1. A Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (Central Act No. 21 of 1860); or Any Public Trust registered under the State Public Trusts Act, or the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 (Central Act No. 2 of 1882) or under the relevant laws in any other State or Union Territory or a Company registered under Sec 25 Companies Act 1956. The University may be established by State Government or by Private players (self-financed) 2. Land, construction and infrastructure requirement may

Lateral/Vertical Mobility To ensure vertical mobility, ITIs, MSBVs, Community Colleges and other State Vocational Education Institutions may be granted recognition and accreditation from the respective State Board for Vocational Education to award SSC (Vocational) 52

focus on the need for creation of production oriented labs, training centers, innovation/testing labs, latest industry specific equipment etc. 3. Authorities of the University shall have active Industry participation. The administers of the University must have industrial experience. 4. Vocational University will offer all kinds of degree and diploma programs in vocational higher education sector (Bachelor, Masters, Doctoral) – New Degrees should be created eg. Bachelors in Vocational Studies For example, In Germany, some of the examples of vocational degrees offered by Vocational  Universities are as under-: (a) Bachelor in Automotive engineering, Clothing design by Berlin School of Applied Sciences (HTW), (b) Bachelor of Jewellery and Objects of Daily Life by Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences. (c) Bachelor of Motor Vehicle Industry, Bachelor of Printing and Media by Munich University of Applied Sciences (d) Bachelor of Arts in Facilities Air Conditioning by Biberach University of Applied Sciences. 5. Vocational University will emphasize on a different teaching – learning pedagogy with a special focus on skill based and hands-on learning and training. Vocational University may offer vocational programs through online, distance and life-long learning mode. 6. Vocational University Curriculum will emphasize life coping skills and general educational skills such as Liberal arts subjects, English competency, entrepreneur skills, problem solving, team work, leadership, management courses etc. 7. Vocational Education Junior Colleges offering HSC (Vocational), Agencies / Community Colleges offering Associate Degrees or Diplomas may be given affiliation to the Vocational University to provide entry into the Bachelors Programs. For Example, in China Educational groups are affiliated to the University and they offer associate degree programs. Structure of a typical Education Group is illustrated below-:

that promotes mobility and credit transfer within and between sectors of learning. Similarly, in UK, the National Vocational Qualification Framework simplifies credit transfer between different awarding bodies, especially for vocational qualifications. 9. Industry participation shall be sought on the Board of Management. Industry representatives will be involved in governance and curriculum design. Production oriented Research and Innovation Labs will be setup in collaboration with Industry to promote regional economic growth. Industry collaboration shall be sought for funding, placements and apprenticeship for students. Department of In-Service Training shall be setup to encourage industry to send employees for regular skill development and up-gradation (this will also gain additional income for teachers). 10. Teachers training will be given special emphasis by the University. The Vocational University will setup a separate department for Teachers Training and Development in order to build teaching resources and research component. Continuous teacher training programs shall be emphasized by the University Management. A separate degree called Bachelor in Vocational Education (B.V.Ed) or B.Ed with specialization in vocational education is proposed to be introduced. This would be a mandatory requirement for hiring teachers for vocational education and training. For Example, In United States, Bachelor of Vocational Education degrees are offered for teachers teaching vocational courses. In Sri Lanka, Research Cell of University of Vocational Technology has carried out research study on “Contribution of Instructional Resource Development programs in improving Teaching & Learning environment of TVET Centers” Government emphasis on vocational education: The government of India in recent years has laid a lot of emphasis on streamlining vocational education so that it fulfills the emerging need of the market by focusing on employability skills. Hardly 1.5 to 2 million students have registered for vocational education and training in India. In his recent Budget speech, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said: “The demographic advantage India has in terms of a large percentage of young population needs to be converted into a dynamic economic advantage by providing them the right education and skills". Vocational education is being offered in India by industrial training institutes and polytechnics. In India, vocational training is broadly referred to certificate level crafts training and is open to students, who leave school after 10th or 12th standards While India has only 5100 Industrial Training Institutes and 1745 Polytechnics, China boasts of 500,000 vocational education and training (VET) institutes. Indian State Governments have 40 million educated unemployed on their musters, even as the domestic industry is experiencing severe shortage of skilled personnel. These 40 million youth are barely functional literates, unskilled in any trade or vocation. In India, there is a severe shortage of trained and skilled technicians as only 1.5 to 2 million (2%) students in

8. The University shall have a well defined Credit Banking and Transfer System. The Credit System will allow multientry and multi-exit to students. The Credit System will also enable students to pursue opportunity for life-long learning and skill development. For example, in Scotland, the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF) is a credit framework 53

the age group of 15 to 25 are enrolled in VET every year, as against 80% in Europe and 60% in East Asian nations like Malaysia, Korea and Taiwan. Majority of Indian students are enrolled in general university programmes.

Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Plumbing Library Assistant Cutting/Tailoring & Dress Making Hair & Skin Care Fruit & Vegetable Preservation Programs

Role of private institutions Realising the need for informal skilled workforce in the country, many private institutes are offering vocational training with accreditation from recognised industry bodies resulting in empowering employment. These institutes also assure better placements for their students. A private institution VOCAD is one such institution which provides corporates and businesses a one-stop manpower solutions for front end. A joint initiative of Collabrant Group and STRiVE (an incubation of and IFMR Trust), VOCAD’s mission is to bridge the gap between rural, semi urban and the urban areas through vocational education. The objective of this multibrand educational institute is to bridge the skill gap and provide trained manpower to various emerging service sectors in India Inc. and strive towards the development of skilled manpower for diversified sector through short term, structured job oriented courses. VOCAD will put up over 600 centers in every district HQ of the country offering courses in the service sector verticals of lifestyle, telecom, hospitality, healthcare, travel, consumer durables, food & grocery, entrepreneurship management, banking, securities, insurance, mutual funds, basic accounting, basic commerce, BPO, construction management, auto mechanics, DTH, beauty etc. They have launched eight centers as of now all over India.

APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES TO BE ADOPTED • Expand and upgrade vocational education and training • Expand and upgrade higher and technical education • Promote research in educational institutions; and • Redesign the educational pattern at the school level to facilitate skill development. • Government has to redefine its role in: – reforming & strengthening vocational education and training – clear policy for facilitating capacity expansion through private sector participation. – make investment in vocational training institutes – promote industry and academia interaction to narrow the existing gap between the demand and supply of the skilled. XXII) CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS To live to the challenge of globalization which is in line with the era of information economy, the strength of a nation is strongly dependent on the ability of its citizen to be highly intellectual and skillful. The development of human capital is thus important and necessary since it drives the nation to the envision vision and mission. Without a quality human capital, a nation will be weak as there is no human factor that is capable to embark on new initiatives and perspectives. A quality human capital comes from a quality education process. A carefully designed and well planned education system is critical to developing such human capital. Thus, institution of higher learning plays a very important role to produce a human capital that is highly knowledgeable and skillful to meet the demand and expectations of many people. The teaching and learning processes in institutions of higher learning should be capable to provide such knowledge and skills for employability to future graduates.

Advantage India Imparting vocational education and training would benefit all and also have the following advantages. 1. Prepare the youth for a vocation of their choice; 2. Build up a formidable work force of international quality, which would be in demand not only in India but also in all other countries. In India, only IT training is world class. In the manufacturing and service sector, there are hundreds of skills and vocations for which there is worldwide shortage. 3 We need millions of trained people in agriculture, floriculture, horticulture, sericulture, fishery, healthcare, tourism and in the manufacturing sector. 4. Reduce unemployment by supplying world-class skilled people. 5. Reduce cost and improve the productivity of services and manufacturing by providing skilled manpower to international standards.

XXIII) REFERENCES 1.

Vocational training courses may be: Typewriting Stenography Secretarial Practices Computer Operator and Programme Assistant Architectural Draughtsman ship Desk Top Publishing Electrical Technician Electronics (Radio/TV/Tape Recorder Mechanic) 54

Annual Report : (2008) Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education, India; National Development Council Document (2008): Planning Commission India; National Policy on Education 1986 (1998): Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education, India; National Conference on Technical Vocational Education, Training and Skills; Development: A Roadmap for Empowerment (Dec. 2008): Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education, India; Skill Formation and Employment Assurance in the Unorganised Sector (2009): National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector;Technical and Vocational Education and Training in India (Nov.2008): Report compiled by Perya Short, Education Counseller (South Asia)

Akyeampong, A. ( 2005), Vocationalisation of Secondary Education in Ghana in Lauglo, J and Maclean,R (eds) Vocationalisation of Secondary Education Revisited, UNEVOC/World Bank : Springer. World Bank 1960–2000, International Journal of Educational Development, 23(3),315- 337. IFAD (2008a), Local Livelihood Programme, Nepal, IFAD Grant 824, Mid Term Review, Final Report,World Bank, FAO, IFAD (2008), Gender in Agriculture Sourcebook. Washington DC. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The World Bank; Abrahart (2000). Austalia’s VET System in Gill, I., F. Fluitman. and A. Dar, eds., Vocational Education and Training Reforms: Matching Skills to Markets and Budgets. Oxford University Press. Canagarajah, S., A. Dar and P. Murphy (2003). International Experience on the Effectiveness of Training Levy Schemes. Working Paper, World Bank. Chadha G. K. and P. P. Sahu (2002). Post-Reform Setbacks in Rural Employment: Issues That Need Further Scrutiny. Economic and Political Weekly of India. Vocational Education and Training Reforms: Matching Skills to Markets and Budgets. Oxford University Press.,DGET (Various Years). Annual Report. Report of the Directorate General of Employment and Training, Ministry of Labor and Employment, India. DGET (2003). Trade Apprenticeship in India under the Apprenticeship Training Scheme. Directorate General of Employment and Training, Ministry of Labor and Employment, India. DGET (2003). Tracer Study of Trained Apprentices to Assess the Effectiveness of Apprenticeship Training Scheme. Directorate General of Employment and Training, Ministry of Labor and Employment, India. EDCil (2005). Studying the Effectiveness of Vocational Training in the Private Sector in India: Analysis of Data in Eight States. Working Paper prepared for the World Bank by Educational Consultants India Limited MHRD R. Nicole, “Title of paper with only first word (2003). Project Implementation Plan of National Program on Vcational Education and Training. Ministry of Human Resourceds Development, India. Planning Commission of India (2002). Tenth Five Year Plan. Planning Commission of India (2002). Economic Survey National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) Report:Status of Education and Vocational Training in India 2004-2005 (Report no.517, 61/10/03).India:Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. World Bank Report: Skill Development in India: The Vocational Education and Training System (Report no.-22).The World Bank:Human Development Unit South Asia Region. India Year Book 2008:A Reference Annual.India:Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Websites 5. :http://www.avetra.org.au/publications/archives.shtml; 6. http://www.unesco.org/education/uie/confintea/bookle ts.html; 7. http://www.australianacademicpress.com.au/Publicati ons/conferenceproceedings/Envisioning_practice/epic cover.htm; 8. http://www.unesco.org/education/uie/publications/uie stud36.shtml; 9. http://www.iveta.itweb.org 10. http://www.epaw.co.uk/ 11. http://www.workandskills.ch/downloads/ConferenceR eportWS.pdf 12. http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/beia.htm 13. http://www.ucalgary.ca/cted/confer2001/;; 14. http://www.unesco.org 15. http://www.unesco.org/education/educprog/tve/nseoul /indexe.html; 16. http://www.avetra.org.au/Conference_Archives/2003/ abstracts.shtml 17. ;http://www.ait.tafe.sa.edu.au/unevoc/2001conf/ 18. http://www.training.wa.gov.au/subites/WV/background.html; 19. http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/acbe/default.ht m 20. www.cee.org.uk ; 21. http://www.dest.gov.au/ 22. http://www.niace.org.uk 23. http://es.epa.gov/cooperative/international/; 24. http://www.nzbcsd.org.nz/c/; 25. http://www.wbcsd.org/templates/TemplateWBCSD5/l ayout.asp?MenuID=1; 26. http://www.iizdvv.de/englisch/Publikationen/erwachs enenbildung.htm;http://www.aera.net/pubs/aerj/ 27. http://www.eurofound.eu.int/ 28. http://www.eurofound.ie/themes/sustainability/sdonlin e.html 29. http://www.fao.org/ 30. http://www.iadb.org/ 31. http://www.unesco.org/iiep/ 32. http://www.iisd.org/ 33. http://www.iisd.org/measure/compendium/ 34. http://www.lsda.org.uk/home.asp 35. http://www.sdnetwork.kabissa.org/ 36. http://www.sustainabilityed.org 37. http://www.csetl.org/ 38. http://www.sustainabilityed.org/ 39. http://www.un.org/issues/m-susdev.as 40. http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/agenda21/ 41. http://www.vocationalstudies-australia.com.au/ 42. http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/ampro/cinter for/news/gasskov.pdf/ 43. http://www.indg.in/agriculture/rural-employmentschemes/kvic-regp/kvic-regp/ 44. http://dget.gov.in/ 45. http://nceus.gov.in/ 46. http://www.care2.com/news/member/374874447/891 201http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/planrel/fiv eyr/11th/11_v1/11v1_ch5.pdf

Employee Retention Strategies in IT Sector Pankaj K. Mudholkar Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India mudholkarpankaj@gmail.com Megha Mudholkar Lecturer, Thadomal Shahani Engineering College (TSEC), Bandra (W) Mumbai, India meghakunte2000@gmail.com Dipti R. Nashine Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India dipti.nashine@gmail.com Abstract: When a business loses employees, it loses skills, experience. The magnitude and nature of these losses is a critical management issue, affecting productivity, profitability, and product and service quality. For employees, high turnover can negatively affect employment relationships, morale and workplace safety. The cost of replacing workers can be high, the problems associated with finding and training new employees can be considerable, and the specific workplace-acquired skills and knowledge people walk away with can take years to replace. The problem of turnover can be addressed through a variety of pro-active retention strategies: workplace policies and practices which increase employee commitment and loyalty. Knowledge transfer initiatives on the other hand, ensure that the knowledge and expertise of a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employees are systematically and effectively shared among employees. They can offset the negative impact of turnover, but can also work pro-actively to reduce turnover by providing learning and skills development opportunities to employees - factors known to reduce turnover. The paper discusses the strategies which could solve the problem of employee retention in IT industry. Keywords: Employee, Retention, Skills, Strategy, Performance A strategic approach to employee retention may include adopting effective methods of engagement, safe and healthy workplaces and creating flexible work arrangements. Retention practices help create an inclusive and diverse workforce where barriers are reduced and individuals can participate in the workplace. Workplaces that demonstrate the value they place in their employees and that put into place policies and practices that reflect effective retention practices will benefit, in turn, from worker commitment and productivity. Creative strategies that go beyond pay and benefits can be employed to attract and retain employees. Recognition, flexible work arrangements, work-life balance, employee engagement, health and safety, communication, workplace diversity, formal wellness programs, inclusion and employee development are some examples of approaches that can become a part of the mix when developing retention strategies. Today, employers have to meet the challenges of attracting the right employee for the job while creating a positive work environment to keep them. The Employee Retention Strategy initiatives are designed to assist employers in retaining their current workforce by providing support in areas that encourage the use of best practices. In addition, employee retention practices are intrinsically

INTRODUCTION Turnover is a critical human resource issue in all sectors of the economy. Turnover affects productivity, product and service quality, and profitability. The cost of replacing workers is high, finding skilled employees can be difficult, and investments in training are less secure. Employee recruitment and retention has emerged as one of the primary challenge facing employers today. More so than ever before, employers need to develop and implement effective human resource strategies to find and keep the employees they need to compete in the global marketplace. Hiring an employee is only a first step. Building awareness of the importance of employee retention is essential. The costs associated with employee turnover can include lost customers and business as well as damaged morale. In addition, there are costs incurred in screening, verifying credentials and references, interviewing, hiring and training a new employee. The direct and indirect costs associated with employee turnover can range between 70 to 200 percent of salary. Retention strategies strengthen the ability of businesses to attract and retain their workforce. Once the right staff persons have been recruited, retention practices provide the tools necessary to support staff.

linked to recruitment. Employers who employ retention practices create positive organizational reputations and improve their ability to attract workers through incentives and benefits that increase recruitment success.

vacations etc. Like compensation, growth and development are the integral part of every individuals career. If an employee cannot foresee his path of career development in his current organization, there are chances that he will leave the organization as soon as he gets opportunities. In addition to this the work profile, personal growth and dreams, training and development are the other important factors for retaining the employees. Hence employee retention is more challenging than employee selection. At present, employee retention is one of the most contemporary topic is, therefore, selected for study purpose.

II. CONCEPT OF RETENTION Retention is a process in which the employees are encouraged to retain themselves with the organization for a maximum period of time or until the completion of project. In the industrialized countries, it is being noticed that people are no longer working for the basic needs of living alone. Money is no more considered as the alone driving force behind people work. Yet, people continue to work hard. What drives them to work that hard? Is it their love for work? or is it their passion for the job? These questions says that organizations have to create an atmosphere which simply end over “a mind to work” among the employees. The internet has brought incredible changes in the very outlook of business and the speed at which it is being carried out. It indeed created a new band of knowledge worker. These are the employees who are putting their knowledge to work rather than their muscle power. Today, knowledge is recognized as a high grade input of the business. As against the traditional workers of manufacturing segment whose functioning is merely considered to be additive, knowledge workers are to be sourced from the strength that they bring to a given job an alignment with its requirement. Hence, they are being paid incredible sums vis-à-vis traditional workers. It is of course a different matter that knowledge workers are reported to be a disgruntled lot and perhaps that is one reason for their hoping from one job to another.

A. Objectives of the Study There are the following objectives of the study: 1. To find out various causes responsible for employees turnover (leaving jobs) in the IT industry, 2. To identify employee retention strategies used by IT companies. B. Scope and Limitations The present study covers medium sized IT companies in Mumbai city and study is limited to the employee retention strategy in IT industry. IV. RESEARCH METHODLOGY This study examines various causes responsible for employees turnover (leaving jobs) in the IT industry, and also to identify employee retention strategies used by IT companies. A. Target Populations This research attempts to find out the the causes of employee turnover in the IT industry. Hence, it is targeting HR managers of medisum sized companies.

III. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM IT industry being service industry, employee plays pivotal role of industry development. Though IT sector is booming, it is constantly facing attrition rates of 25% to 30%. Employee retention involves taking measures to encourage employees to remain in the organization for the maximum period of time. Corporate is facing a lot of problems in employee retention. There is no dearth of opportunities for talented persons. There are many organizations which are looking for such employees. If a person is not satisfied by the job, he may switch over to some other suitable jobs. In today’s environment it becomes very important for organizations to retain their employees. The top organizations are at the top because they value their employees and they know how to keep them glued to the organization. Employees stay and leave the organization for some reasons. The reasons may be personal or professional. These reasons should be understood by the employer and should be taken care of. The organizations are becoming aware of these reasons and are adopting many strategies for employee retention. A good employer should know how to attract and retain its employees. Retention involves five major things. Compensation constitutes the largest part of the employee retention process. Attractive compensation package plays crucial role in retaining the employees. Compensation includes salary and wages, bonus, benefits,

B. Sample Size For studying the HR strategies 10 HR managers of medium sized companies are selected. 10 employees from each selected IT companies are taken to understand the causes responsible for employee turnover. The study is based on the both primary and secondary data. Attributes Causes Responsible for Turnover A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8

Salary not as per expectation Job not as expected No scope for Career Growth Strained Relations with Boss Feel overloaded and stressed out Treatment from the authority Company work culture Feel devalued and unrecognised

IT Companies Male Female (60) (40) 85% 80% 90% 75% 95% 85% 75% 65% 96% 98% 73% 82% 68%

70% 75% 66%

C. Primary Data Survey questionnaire was administered to empirically assess the causes responsible for turnover. A survey questionnaire will be completed by employees to take their 57

views. Telephonic interview method is used for collecting the data from HR managers for retaining the employees.

VI. FORMAL RETENTION STRATEGY Regarding employee retention strategy of HR managers, on the basis of opinions collected, generally following strategy si applied by the HR managers in their organization.

D. Secondary Data The secondary data is obtained through the Net, books and related journals. Various factors involved in retention strategies and the causes responsibler for employee turnover is studied through websites, and referred journals.

A. Pay Policyand Compensation A competitive package plays a very important role in employee retention is clear from opinions of employees. There is no disputing the fact that money is the most significant motive from walking into or out of organization. Whatever the reasons people may offer in the interview while joining the company or while leaving it, pay package is the single most pull factor. Pay unconsciously acts as an indicator of power, prestige and self growth. The competitive pay policy is in most cases the starting point for commitment and loyalty. Most of the HR managers expressed their opinion that competitive package and pay equity help to retain the employees. Pay equity refers to an employees perception that the compensation received is equal to the value of the work performed. The term “Pay for Performance” has been extensively used for retaining the employees.

V. DATA ANALYSIS To find out the causes for high turnover and strategy applied by the HR managers for retaining the employees, data collected through telephonic interview and questionnaire has been interpreted as follows: Table I. Percentage of Employees leaving the jobs due to different reasons As shown in table I, it was found that most of the employees leaving their jobs due to feeling overloaded and stressed, and also due to no scope for career growth, salary and work culture.

B. Recognition and Rewards The category “Recognition and Rewards” is in some ways a catch-all phrase as it includes a diverse range of formal and informal, financial and non-financial, incentives given to individual employees, groups of employees or to an entire staff. They come in all shapes and sizes: small employee of the month awards (e.g., gift certificates, recognition plaques), company-sponsored sports teams, company parties, prizes, clothing, etc. They are often incorporated into a company’s overall HR policy, but are just as often awarded “as the need rises” and at the discretion of middle-level managers or team supervisors. In general, and for the purposes of this overview, “Rewards and Recognition” covers all of those incentives that are not captured under the other categories of retention measures described in this report, and we may tentatively make the observation that while they are not generally seen to be the decisive elements in ensuring good retention, they often do much to sustain a workplace culture that is aware of the contributions of its members, while at the same time helping to reinforce positive behavior.

Percentage of Male and Female Employees leaving the jobs due to different reasons Figure 1.

Figure 1 indicates the causes responsible for employee turnover and their percentages. The causes which are given in the table are classified into: A. Job Related Causes Job related causes such as job not as expected, no scope for career growth, feel devalued and unrecognized, feel overloaded and stressed out. It is observed that except for the reason ‘feels devalued and unrecognized’, the percentage of leaving job due to remaining reasons in this category is on an average above 90% in case of male and female in IT companies.

C. Training, Professional Develpoment and Carrer Planning The training and development are so enthusiastically embraced as key factors to good retention is no doubt due to the fact that well-developed training programs are becoming ever more essential to the ongoing survival of most modern companies, whether or not retention is an important issue to that company. To the extent that operational paradigms such as “The Learning Organization” or the “Knowledge-Based Organization” continue to take hold in the contemporary business world, training is only likely to become more important. HR managers accepted the strategy to provide opportunities for learning new skills, updating one’s knowledge, being trained in new career paths, provide learning and development opportunities to employees. It is

B. Pay package and better quality of wrok life The job leaving percentage due to these reasons is in between 80% and 85% in the IT companies in case of males as well as females. C. Interpersonal Relations It includes strained relations with boss and treatment that is given by authority. It is observed that the percentage of employees leaving job lies in between 65% to 75% in case of male and female employees in IT companies.

clear that current and prospective employees need a clean vision for their career potential.

retaining employees and this is effective way or method for retaining employees. Employees should be motivated immediately, which would reward them psychologically in a better manner in future assignments.

D. Recruitment and Orientation In terms of recruitment, companies should therefore put an emphasis on not only evaluating formal qualifications, job-relevant technical ability, etc., but also more general types of qualifications and dispositions on the part of the recruit. If work in the company involves being part of a highly cohesive team, the company may want to recruit individuals who are interested in and capable of working in such an environment. Finally, providing a good initial orientation to the newly-hired employee can not only help to effectively integrate that person into the workplace but can also help to make the new person feel welcome and provide him or her information about how to cope with the demands of the workplace, and any possible problems that may arise (Dibble, 1999). These can be important elements of the socialization process, and some companies spend two weeks or more on orientation, during which they provide information about the company, its values, structure, goals, objectives, clients, customs, and history.

H. Performance Appraisal and Performance Management Performance management help an organization to meet its retention objectives, in addition to other important business goals. As such, it is referring to a process of employee performance evaluation that is closely tied to strategic objectives, that provides good feedback to employees and gives them a view of their longer-term progress within the company, and is potentially married to training and other development opportunities. Performance appraisals inform a number of HR decisions related to compensation, training, promotion, and even termination. However, as part of a human resources policy that values open communication and employee commitment, performance appraisals also allow objectives and values to be effectively communicated to employees and can ensure a steady stream of critical feedback about business processes. When closely aligned with ongoing training and career development, performance management can be a successful retention tool. As with other retention practices, employee perceptions about the performance appraisal system can have an important impact on their decision to stay with a company. Most importantly, effective performance management requires a system that is fair, and that employees trust as being fair, both in terms of procedure (e.g., consistent and well-communicated evaluation criteria) and in terms of the potential benefits arising from such evaluations (e.g., training, professional development). Indeed, fairness and openness about the evaluation process are of paramount importance when performance management is tied to specific rewards or advancement. by graduates and interns have similar trend, although they were from different cohort and were evaluated in different situations and job scope. This shows that industrial training is an essential component of engineering curricula to prepare for “work-ready” graduates for industries. An exposure to industry practice is vital for students to acquire employability skills through industrial experience. The similar trend on percentage of agreement by employers also indicates that the attributes attained by students in industrial training have met with the criteria as required by employers.

E. Healthy Wrokplace and Well-being Programmes There is a growing body of evidence that workplace safety, health and wellness initiatives can make a fundamental contribution to business performance as well as the improved health and well-being of individual employees. Healthy workplace practices take on a variety of forms, including those directed at the physical work environment (safety, ergonomics, etc.); health practices (supporting healthy lifestyles, fitness, diet, etc.); and social environment and personal resources (organizational culture, a sense of control over one’s work, work-family balance, etc.). Workplace health and wellness initiatives were seen to reduce health and safety costs, facilitate good labor management relations, and improve profitability and customer satisfaction. They were also viewed as key factors affecting employee recruitment and retention. F. Work Life Balance With the changing economic scenario, job seekers, today enquire completely about a company’s work culture before they have decided to join it. From ordinary employees to talented employees, everyone is leaving their organization for better quality of work life. HR managers in IT companies changed their strategies towards better quality of work life for the retention of employees.

VII. CONCLUSION Employee’s retention is the call of the day and is a fast emerging area for human resource management to develop knowledge, skills, and values of employees so that they can perform the present and future job more effectively. The globalization of business is forcing managers to retain high potential talents and develop them to be the best workers. The major challenges for HR manager are to convert threat into opportunities effectively.

G. Motivation As fuel is needed to run a vehicle, motivation is needed to drive action for retaining the employees. HR managers are applying the strategy of motivating employees. Employees are motivated by appreciating workers for their individual strengths, treating employees as they would like to be treated themselves, coach workers, involve and engage workers in decisions affecting them, reward or recognize high performers and resolving work group conflicts when necessary. HR managers expressed their opinions that they are using motivation strategy for 59

Knowledge and Information Management Professional Society December 2002 8. Harris, Jim. Getting Employees To Fall In Love With Your Company (New York: AMA Publications, 1996). 9. Kleiner, Art and George Roth. “How to Make Experience Your Company's Best Teacher,” Harvard Business Review on Knowledge Management (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1998), pp. 137-151. 10. Leckie, Norm and Gordon Betcherman. “The impacts of HRM practices on establishment performance,” Canadian Business Economics Summer 1994: 36–45. 11. Lowe, Graham S., Grant Schellenberg and Harry S. Shannon. “Correlates of Employees’ Perceptions of a Healthy Work Environment,” American Journal of Health Promotion 17(6) July/August 2003. 12. Parker, O. and Liz Wright. “Pay and Employee Commitment: The Missing Link,” Ivey Business Journal 65(3) January/February 2001: 70–73

VIII. REFERENCES 1. 2. 3.

5. 6.

Ashby, F.C. and A. R. Pell. Embracing Excellence (Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2001). Birkinshaw, Julian. “Making Sense of Knowledge Management,” Ivy Business Journal 65(4) March/April 2001” 32–36. Bontis, Nick. “HR's Role in Knowledge Management,” Canadian HR Reporter 16(5) March 10 2003. Cameron, Preston D. “Managing Knowledge Assets: The cure for ailing structure,” CMA Management 76(3) May 2002, pp. 20-23. Dibble, S. Keeping Your Valuable Employees (New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1999). Drucker, Peter F. “The Coming of the New Organization” in Harvard Business Review on Knowledge Management (Boston: Harvard University, 1998), pp. 1–20. Frank, Brian. ”5 Tips to Reduce Knowledge Loss,” Thought & Practice: The Journal of the

3-tier Architechture for Academic-Industry Interaction Sudarshan M. Sirsat Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India sirsat.sudarshan@gmail.com Alok B. Singh Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India asingh1979@gmail.com Dipti R. Nashine Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India dipti.nashine@gmail.com Abstract: Quality product automatically fetches its customer attention at glance, and good product automatically creates its own network of customers. But product without value identifying market is like zero benefit business. As quality cannot be added to product at last as any of hardware part and we have to maintain it throughout products life cycle, till services and enhancements should be there for betterment of product and process. Keywords: Manufacturer-Academics; Customer-IT Companies; Product-Students; Market-IT Sector; 2.

IDEAL INTERACTION Interaction with interruption is equal to the no interaction at all, and continuous peer-to-peer interaction is always not possible. But interaction through processes, product and services is always effective and efficient. Feeling of getting involved into the process of production gives customer more satisfaction about the product quality and productivity. You can’t expect the response without request at first step, and you must be able to facilitate the response activity for proper uninterrupted communication. GEARING UP THE INTERACTION Production without knowing the demand will take the firm or organization to the situation under risk, no matter how qualitative your product is. This same concept is applicable for the IT courses at all universities across India. Intakes at all the institutes are increasing in double by seeing at the facilities provided by the institute but are we aware about the real facility needed by the student called placement in their hand before completion of their course. We teach student that prototyping approach is always best as we do have alternatives and most of all we can choose best one out of them. Do students have alternatives for choosing their right opportunity and if some of them do have then what is percentage of that hardly 2% to 5%. It is not sufficient for the institute that students are getting placed, but how their profession is growing inside organization they are working. We can classify our product in three classes according to their achievements and holdings: 1. SGAGK- Students with Good Academics Good Knowledge

SGAAK- Students with Good Academics and Average Knowledge SGKPA- Students with Good Knowledge and Poor Academics

Figure 1. Model

Student-Industry Basic Communication

Coming to the other side of coin as IT Industry which are customers of Academic institutes and has to be equally responsible for the interaction between both parties. IT industry can also be classified into three main classes as below:   

Large Scale Industry Medium Scale Industry Small Scale Industry

According to the fundamental of business processes customers will only pay for the specific product he/she wants according to need and time until and unless that is absolutely required if we are talking about the general customer. Good product can be achieved only if product is going through the standard processes and quality maintaining activities. Student with Good Academics and Good

knowledge can easily survive no matter his institute provides him the platform for the placement or not. As he is the quality product and requirements can be created for them as they deserve that and industry needs them. Problem area starts with the Students with Good academics and average knowledge and Students with Good Knowledge and Poor Academics as they find it difficult to get placed in good company and they don’t know where exactly they are lacking areas. It results into the unemployment and decrease in confidence as time span increases in between completion of course and getting onto job. Requirements are straight forward of the classified companies:  Large Scale Firms needs the students with Good Academics and Good/Excellent Knowledge.  Medium Scale Firms needs the students with Good Academics and Good/Average knowledge people.  Small Scale Firms needs Students with Average Academics and Excellent Knowledge.

A. First tier The question which can be arising in front of academics and the industry people that how students at their initial phase of coursework will interact with the industry processes and people. The answer is simple i.e. faculty which will maintain interaction with transitivity relationship between students and the industry. In first tier interaction three parties will be involved directly and indirectly.  Industry delegates (can be direct sometime and mostly indirectly)  Faculty members representing the academics and industry processes and direct member of interaction.  Students which are direct responders of this whole transitive interaction model

We Education institutes can fulfill the absolute demand of the Large Scale Firms as there demand is feasible and their processes are standard which takes its own time to complete them. Simultaneously they can invest in their training program as they follow norms set by CMM or Greater certification bodies. Similarly we can fulfill the demand of the Medium Scale Firms where they are lenient with the academic and little bit with the knowledge criteria. But it’s nearly impossible to fulfill the Small Scale Firms as they need people with Average academics but with very excellent knowledge of technology. If we see carefully all the three demands coming from the industry there is one common demand i.e. Excellent/Good Knowledge of technology and people which are ready to work on their Date of Joining. And Large Scale and Medium Scale firms wants that students should be expert in the technology and they must be familiar with the standard procedures which are exactly followed by them for completion of process and for achievement oriented production. It is nearly impossible for anyone to know about some procedure unless and until he/she will go through that procedure or at least looked at the same. Having such expectation from the students will need employer to give them such opportunities where they can interact with industry people and processes II. THREE-TIER ARCHITECTURE ACADEMIC-INDUSTRY INTERACTION

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Transitive Interaction Model

At the foundation of the interaction between students and industry, faculty members will be the medium and it needs some standard procedures for training for faculties so that they will properly establishes the conceptual connection of students with actual processes. Faculty training program should include  Knowledge about people.  Knowledge about product.  Knowledge about Standard Operating Procedures.  Knowledge about actual resource management processes takes place at firm.  Knowledge about different knowledge domains in which product is classified. If we are considering the faculty as mirror which is reflecting industries core part towards the student’s then deviation of teacher’s conceptual knowledge can deviate student vision and perception about object and objectives. As it is not always possible for IT delegates to maintain the uninterrupted interaction or monitoring their product called student is building but they can keep track of quality parameters and measurements of the maintaining the quality throughout the student course life cycle. The quality maintenance with core activities conducted by the academics can set by the industry itself while establishing the course work, according to the future perspective of how students should appear while recruitment. As specific product will have the accurate demand and specification must be maintained from the beginning of the product building.

Three-tier architecture Interaction Model

B. Second tier Once the fist tier will perform its basic functionality of building and establishing the core interaction between students and the industry with adding into them generalized knowledge base and some sort of IT specific knowledge base like core or conceptual subject knowledge. Now it will be time for making our product more specific and specialize into the basic core functionality which they gone through in fist tier of this architecture. Here they should have choice for selection of area specialization where they found themselves best at doing. The specialization work areas which we are suggesting inside course work are:  Web and Application Development  Database Administration (DBA)  Networking  Business Analysis  System/Software testing  Dual specialization At the end of first tier of course work it should be visible to the students and academician that which is the area of interest where they can give their best and they can continue in the same direction/path they choose for themselves. Specialization in any specific work domain will increase the quality and specification of industry specific skills which are exactly needed at the time of getting settled down at the work environment. Specialization will create the specific demand inside market of our students who will be aware of the industries Standard Operating Procedures in their work area. We are proposing the academic universities to build the syllabus for second tier with the help of industry people and it will need good interaction with people and product and processes. The process and activities needed for conducting the second tier architecture phase will need good interaction and updated interaction with industry processes and technologies so that out motive of achieving the specialization will be achieved up to maximum extent academic can. Simultaneously academic people should motivate students for giving specialization certification exams. And its equal responsibity of academics and industry people to maintain the interaction and promote their policies for betterment and enhancement of students. This kind of interactions will bring industry and student closer and they will know what kind of expectation is there on other side. When industry people, company or organization will be sure that the students are studying course as per need of the industry processes then they will continue monitoring them their approach toward acceptances of such students as industry employee will increase naturally. Duel specialization is the provision for students where they are finding themselves interested more than two work areas, then can study two work areas simultaneously. Two approaches can be followed for giving duel specialization for an individual:  Major work area and minor work areas study in the same course duration.



One major subject at a time and second specialization will need extra one year course duration and two exams. Second tier is the most important phase of this three tier interaction processes as its responsible for shaping the product with right specification with maintaining qualities. Simultaneously we are adding the surprise value and surplus into the product by motivating them to get themselves more specific and specialized with the future requirement specification. C. Third tier interaction First tier built its strong basement of knowledge inside students and second tier added strength and specialization in them. This tier will need complete interaction with all the three parties involved into the communication. Feedback, continuous improvement and enhancements will be expected from the all three parties so that we academia will deliver the exact product to the industry people. The acceptance by industry for graduates will be monitored, resistances and adaptability of the students for live Workenvironment will be tracked from both parties i.e. Academia and most importantly from Industry. Provision in third tier is for one year industrial internship so that students will be able to identify the complete process and details of Work-Environment. This will increase there job readiness and knowledge base, in turn it will indirectly increase the acceptance level of students as they are spending complete one year inside a firm which creates win-win situation for both the parties . Organization create a productive work force and student can plan their career in alignment of organization and their own objectives, since one year internship provide an opportunity to organization as well as to student to asses each other and capitalize on opportunities provided during internship. Organization may identify potential candidate for leadership position during internship and provide them required training to be successful leader. Student will be highly benefitted by internship as it provides them an opportunity to asses their key skills, values and their net worth, identify improvement areas, potential of career growth.

Figure 4. All way interactive communication at third tier Above model represents the communication process where learning while earning. Here primary motive of students should be gaining knowledge. Earning should be

measured in terms of strong knowledge base established and money as the secondary. Here students will judge themselves in compare with course they studied and real time process they are going through. Industry people will indicate the improvement areas of technology, domain knowledge, core processes so that students can recover themselves within specified time or simultaneously while they are working at the industry. Academic people will be responsible for providing them appropriate platform and best opportunity to test themselves and their knowledge base with real time implementation. Faculties will time to time monitor the quality work delivered by the students, which was recent responsibility of industry delegates at the second tier of this interactive architecture. The most important task and responsibility of academics and industry is that proper valuation of students based on their skills and course certificates they are holding in their hands. As most of the time problem arises with employability of excellent student in medium scale firm or small scale firm, and that will reduce the value of other students as good talent is available at chipper cost.

IV. ACKNOWLEDGMENT Thanks to Mr. Sunny Nahar and Mr. Diwakar Jha Assistant Professor Hiray ICA, for guiding me throughout. My special thanks to  MR. Sudhir Chauvhan, Deputy Manager, Mahaonline, TCS, Mumbai  Ms. Joyce Corriea, HR Executive, ABM knowledge ware LTD  MR. Sanesh Kale, DBA, Amdocs,Pune  MR. Himmat Mulik, Java Deveoper, Hexaware ltd, Mumbai  Mr. Birendra Yadav, Team Lead, DBA, Neosoft technology, Mumbai.  MR. Vijay Gupta, Java Developer, Oracle, Mumbai  Mr. Prakash Waval, business Analyst, I-tree, Mumbai. V.

REFERENCES 1. 2. 3.

III. CONCLUSION Industry specific students and more frequent interaction within academic and industry delegates will enhance the acceptance level of students as the employee where tangible and intangible benefits will be enhanced employability.

4. 5.

www.google.co.in www.wikipedia.org Management of Information System by Louden and Louden. Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, Jim Collins, Jerry I. Porras What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, Marshall Goldsmith, Mark Reiter (leadership development, executive coaching, leadership)

Enhancing Employability of IT Students Through Academia-Industry Partnership Reeta Koshy Dept. of Computer Engineering Sardar Patel Institute of Technology Mumbai, India reeta.koshy@gmail.com Abstract: Advancements in technology and constantly changing employment expectation emphasizes the importance of education for employability, focusing on employability skills in addition to technical skills. In order to enhance the competitive edge of IT students, technical institutes need to identify ways to improve employability of students by way of industry interaction and participation. This paper attempts to explore how technical institutes can work closely with industry to improve student skill set to meet the expectation of employers.This exploratory study is based on first hand information from faculty and identifies gap in demand and supply of skill set and ways in which academia-industry interaction can enhance the competitive advantage. Keywords: employability; academia-industry interaction; skill gap; IT education; partnership (Minimum 5 to 8 key words) for higher studies abroad. The next best get recruited by corporate; those remaining park themselves in teaching profession and fail to inspire the student community. Those who are passionate about teaching are forced to leave the profession for want of more monetary benefit barring few exceptions [1] To illustrate the typical skill gap we see in fresh engineers, let us take the case of Gopal, who after completing his Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s degree in Computer Science and Engineering with a good academic track record has just joined an IT Services organization. Specifically, this group works on product engineering for a semiconductor vendor who is developing highly integrated silicon and supporting software for mobile devices.Gopal has undergone about 2 months of refresher training by the organization on software engineering before being assigned to the project. The Project manager that he reports to is in charge of delivering the layer of platform software, which comprises of the Real Time Operating System and the Device Drivers for all the peripherals the mobile device will support, to the customer. The project manager assigns to Gopal the task of taking over the development of a device driver for one of the simpler peripherals on the device and points him to all the relevant information sources. The project manager expects Gopal to work quite independently on the same and complete it with minimal assistance given the fact that he has the necessary knowledge from his academic background, and the device driver is for the simplest peripheral on the chip. On the job, however Gopal begins to flounder. He is first of all quite stymied by the amount of information he has to digest in a short span of time. He did not have the skill to filter out and read what was really required for the job. The second challenge was his unfamiliarity with handling a large volume of code. His academic projects had been quite small, a few hundred lines at most. He did not have the skill to abstract out the entire system, and only focus on the interfaces for the device driver he had to develop. The next challenge

INTRODUCTION Indian economy contributes significantly to the world economy. In such a scenario it has become imperative that our country generates knowledge workers capable of working with cutting edge technology. Each year our country produces more than 5 lakh engineering graduates. The question arises whether each one them is able to provide the competitive advantage to our nation. The biggest problem we face in India today is that only 20% of engineering graduates are employable. Dr Kalam said that India does not have problem of unemployment but skills for employability. The graduates lack skills like reliability, teamwork and communication in English beside the academic or technical skills. Engineering students churned out of technical institutions are ill equipped to meet fast changing industry skill needs. Wide gaps are found in higher order thinking skills like analysis and application of knowledge. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Education does not consist of passing examinations or knowing English or mathematics. It is a mental state,â&#x20AC;? said Jawaharlal Nehru. Education is not the passport for employment. Aptitude and ambition are importantw. II. PERSPECTIVE ON EMPLOYABILITY Companies are drained of their time and money in training the new recruits. Mismatch between demand and supply of manpower in the knowledge industry can be reduced by increasing interaction between academia and industry. Proper balance between theoretical knowledge and practical application is essential to develop a rounded graduate employee who is able to analyze solutions that are effective. The employability agenda should be high on the priority list of the degree curriculum so as to develop graduates who appeal to employers. One of the challenges is to encourage students to develop the right approach to read and understand the subject from the start of the course and not look at the short term goal of clearing the exam. There is a shortage of quality teachers as teaching is the last option in the career choice of an engineering graduate due to low perks. The best engineering talents go 65

was on design of the module. He had to pick a design which was not only efficient in the time but also efficient in use of system resources as the design is for a mobile device with typically limited memory. Last but not the least, the design had to be robust. When it was time to integrate and test the driver, he had to really grasp the complexities of debugging an embedded system. Though his own module was quite simple, he had to have the big picture of the system. He had to understand how to use the debugging tools and the features it provided, to probe the system at the appropriate level. He was once again felt wanting on the required problem solving skills to move ahead on the problems encountered. If we reflect on this case, it is clear that the academic curriculum had the following lacunae:  Had not trained Gopal sufficiently on key design skills, especially handling conflicting criteria to be met, and problem solving skills, and creative exploration for the same, and  Had not trained him on handling complexity, and key abstraction skills required to handle it. These problems can be traced to:  Lack of imagination in the construction of laboratory experiments in the academic setting and also  probably in the evaluation patterns followed,  Few problem sets (examinations) for students to test design oriented problems which would have given students the chance to explore the design space and appreciate the challenges, and  Little exposure to joint projects with industries to experience complexities in the actual work place and Prepare students better for a career in the relevant industry.

customers need to become partners to make technical students more employable. This can be done by greater degree of interdependence between academia and industry by including following initiatives.  Guest lectures by industry experts who can share experiences Involving employers to deliver guest lecture can help students appreciate relevance of their course. They get exposure to real life problems and hence improve their employability.  Suggestions in curriculum design and programs  Inclusion of industry experts as mentors for students at third year level.  Compulsory internships for 2 weeks in the start of third year to give insight into real world learning unavailable in classroom.  Yearly faculty improvement programs by faculty participation in programs like Microsoft TechEd  Industry partnership through their funded NGOs to support economically weaker students to buy study material and other resources.  Industry provide financial and infrastructure support to develop institute. Funding of academic research by industry by way of MOU so that the institute supports research initiatives required by industry IV. CONCLUSION This paper performed gap analysis for IT employability skill and identified areas where academia-industry partnership is beneficial. Personal attributes mostly required by the employers are loyalty, commitment, honesty and integrity, enthusiasm, reliability, personal presentation, common sense, positive self esteem, sense of humour, a balanced attitude to work and home life, an ability to deal with pressure, motivation and adaptability. According to the study, guest lectures are the most popular mode of industry interface. The second most preferred mode is establishing partnership through training and internships of students. One day an African country might become the world IT hub and do to us what Bangalore or Chennai did to the western world if we do not give the competitive advantage to IT graduates. We need to upgrade our education system to produce well rounded personalities who can take India on the path of glory.

III. MODES OF INDUSTRY INTERACTION In order to identify ways to bridge gap between the curriculum & industry, industry panel comprising senior people from the industry should review curriculum at an average interval of 4 years to make it relevant and up-todate. The panel needs to review the syllabus of first year engineering in one year, second year engineering in next year and so on. Separate panel comprising of 5 people need to be formed for every engineering discipline. They should interact closely with the university in the final review of syllabus and formulating project work. Colleges need to change from a teacher centric to student centric style of teaching so that graduates are able to analyze and solve real life problems by applying the knowledge attained in the classroom. Institutions should give guidance and inspiration to students regarding employability skills. Organizations today look at fresh graduates capable of critical thinking and independent decision making capability. Industry , rather than being

REFERENCES 1.

http://wwwds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDSContentServer/W DSP/IB/2011/04/25/000158349_2011042511295 0/Rendered/PDF/WPS5640.pdf

Featuring Research and Training Group for Industry Academia Interaction Madhulika Bhelotkar Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India Srinidhi Lakshminarayan Student Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India Abstract: This paper highlights the methods that may be implemented to bridge ‘Employability Gap of IT students’ through Industry-Academia interaction. Here we propose a model called ‘Interaction Model of the Industry-AcademiaStudents’ for the collaboration of the Industry, Educational Institutes and IT Students. Adopting this model would greatly help reducing the so called ‘Employability Gap of IT Students’ and ultimately serve in the growth of India. Keywords: Employability, Academia, Interaction model, IT Students C. Knowledge Process Outsourcing Industry Knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) includes processes that demand advanced information search, analytical, interpretational and technical skills, as well as decision making. The jobs here require the students to have good proficiency of the ‘English’ language, analytical, quantitative and critical reasoning skills. Only 9.22% of the IT students are employable in this sector owing to most students failing in ‘English’ adeptness.

I.INTRODUCTION Every year India produces more than double the number of engineering and computing graduates as the United States or any of the developed countries, counting those with bachelor’s degrees or a Master’s in Computer Applications (a conversion course). It is a sense of great pride for our country as it might eventually lead to top jobs being moved from the western world to the east. However, if one goes by the study, by the trade association of Indian Information Technology (IT) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies), almost 50% of the IT students are unemployable. The report from the statutory body, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) states that the number of seats has gone up to 13 lakh in 2010-11 from nearly 5 lakh in 2005-06. The question now is how will the increasing of seats help if the graduates are incompetent to enter the job market [1].

D. Hardware and Networking Profiles The roles of the professionals here involve providing technical support and network management within the corporation, or provide services to the customers. The skills required by the professional here are the basic understanding and knowledge of both the hardware and software, have a command in English and acumen for a problem solving approach. The number of candidates here is 36.75%.

II. NATURE AND EXTENT OF THE GAP An employability solutions firm ‘Aspiring Minds’ has posted certain findings with regard to the employability rate of the students in every sector [2].

E. Business Process Outsourcing Job here involves both tele-calling and backend processes. Compared to other sectors more candidates are employable here and the figure works out to 40.69%. The students however feel that the job profile does not match their standards and they look upon these jobs as being very mediocre.

A. IT Services Companies The hiring criterion for this industry has been that the candidates need to possess good understanding and technical skills along with strong cognitive ability to be able to be trained in a period of 4 to 6 months. It is astonishing to note that even after considering this fundamental philosophy the percentage of students employable under such criterion is only 17.45%.

III. CURRENT SCENARIO OF THE INDIAN ECONOMY India is a developing country and is striving to transform its economy from low technology base to high technology base. IT sector has a very core role to play in this transformation as it is the spine of every business house and government organisations. Right from the development of ‘Core Banking’ service wherein the bank customers may access their funds and other simple transactions from any of the member branch offices [3] to the creation of Unique Identification Number (Aadhaar) for every Indian resident [4] IT forms the primary need of the country.

B. IT Product Companies These companies develop a product with reference to the market and customer requirements such as ‘Apple’, ‘Google’, ‘Facebook’, ‘Microsoft’ and many others. Jobs in these industries require that the students possess good programming and algorithm development skills. The employability in this sector is just 2.68%.

The key driver of high technology growth is knowledge, wherein the wealth is created through the development of innovative products. Academia is the main generator of knowledge and manpower. In knowledgebased economies of the world like the United States, strong industry-academia partnership have proved in quality knowledge generation and manpower development in tandem with the need of the industry. In India, however, the sync and partnership between academia and the industry is almost missing. The partnership even if it exists, exists only to the reach of Tier 1 institutes like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and not for the others.

bugs and errors in a software in its final stage rather than iteratively in every phase. The technologies taught in the courses are generally outdated and are no longer being used in the industry. As a result students have no idea of the technology currently being used. The research done in academic institutions is not brought to the industry and made into a reality. And moreover, the research happening in the academic institutions is not in line with the requirements of the industry. When an industry buys or lends a technology or a research from an institution, the industry has to pay license fees to the institute, which is generally, a huge amount and a big income for the institute. As a result of the above mentioned facts, the institutes do not receive any such income and keep starving for funds [5]. Academic institutions have a limited time to cover a lot of syllabus and are forced to concentrate solely on that rather than extra curricula’s for preparing students to meet industry quality standards.

IV. CURRENT SCENARIO OF THE INDUSTRY-ACADEMIASTUDENT INTERFACE The partnership and the sync between the academia and the industry are absent according to the following reasons:  The Indian Education System was designed during the British raj and our country still follows the same old system apart from a few minimal changes made here and there. The basic structure of the system still remains the same. How can an age old system cater to the needs of a rapidly changing technological world?  The professional or technical education, which has the scope for tying up the academia and the industry has just begun and is happening on a very minimal level.  The red-tapes and the academic bureaucracy do not allow timely alteration of the curriculum and academic practices to match the rapidly changing technology and the industry needs [5]. “What You Measure Is What You Get” is a very old and commonly used adage in the world of quality in particular which simply means that you only get what you expect or ask for.

B. Issues of the Students The students are of the belief that if they get admission into a Tier 1 institute, they would easily get the best job with a big salary. This belief and the tough competition among the peers have led to them studying purely for top grades rather than studying for knowledge. It has been found that the students are unable to choose streams, courses effectively in the early stage, which will match their temperament. There is also a common mentality in the masses that all courses are the same i.e. Computer Engineering, Information Technology Engineering, Electronics Engineering and Bachelors of Science in Information Technology, Bachelors of Science in Computer Science. This has led to students simply choosing a program just because they liked its name and it sounded well in saying that they are qualified in so and so. There is a proverb which says, “Do What You Love To Do, Rather Than Doing What You Have To Do”. It has even been observed that while choosing their career, students take up IT just because there is a scope to make good money here rather than doing what they love to do. It also happens that due to tough competition and limited seats students are forced to choose what they have to rather than what they want.

A. Issues of the Academia The educational institutions in India have always been striving hard to be ahead of their competitors i.e. the other educational institutions. The strong demand for freshers from the industry and cumulatively the desire to achieve branding and positioning has provoked the educational institutions to behave like ‘Employment Exchanges’. They are more interested in getting the students placed than working on the overall development of the students. By emphasizing jobs in top companies and big entry packages as the ultimate success, the educational institutions have cultivated greed and quick wealth in the minds of the students [6]. The academic grading system is more inclined to writing big theory answers in the university papers rather than having a practical assessment of the students to meet industry needs. This basically leads to checking the speed and good writing ability of the students rather than evaluating the students in managing real scenarios in the industry. This can of course be argued that the internship programs serve well in giving the students a practical experience of the industry. But such internship even if they exist, exists only for specific courses, and is generally only for final semester students. This is more like trying to solve

C. Issues of the Industry The industry has been merely focused on the ranking on the campuses. And today, the industry is facing difficulty in finding quality professionals [6]. The number of students meeting the expectations of the industry is very less. They find that the students lack the basic analytical and cognitive skills to even build simple algorithms. A quite number of people are dismissed after or in the training period due to their insufficient abilities to meet industry’s minimum standards. Small and medium size industries that are large in number in an emerging economy like ours do not have sufficient resources, time and capital to train students. The expectations of these companies are that the students must be able to learn on the job and start contributing effectively as early as possible. The students are expected to have a good knowledge in the specific domain such as ‘Java’, 68

‘Microsoft .NET’ etc. It is very appalling to know that the students who are domain specific ready, are just 3.25% [2]. Industries have not been actively participating with the education system both in terms of academics and research. Due to lack of participation in academics the industry does not get quality manpower and lack of involvement of students into research has caused the industries to buy technology from other countries which involves high cost [5]. All success measurements such as campus popularity and ranking, branding, pay at the first job served well the delicacies of the stakeholders as long as the economy was in its best health. However, as the industries have begun to experience the heat wave of the global slowdown, the ineffectiveness of these barometers in measuring success has become evident [6].

arranging guest lectures, with guest lecturers coming from the industry. B. Role of the Students Students must understand that simply fighting talent wars in the institutes will not help on the long run and that they need to concentrate on their overall development. Overall development would include development of all the skill sets necessary to be a thorough IT professional. Students must actively participate in research and additional training programs which are organized apart from the curriculum. Students must keep themselves updated about the new technological trends in the IT world and must attend internship programs as and when possible. Students may consult career counsellors if required whenever in the doubt as to which stream to choose. This will help them to choose the right career, which is suitable for them and be in line with their mind set. Success can be achieved in any field if you love what you are doing and money always follows the one who loves what he/she does.

V. RE-EXAMINING THE EXPECTATIONS, ROLES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STAKEHOLDERS A. Role of the Academia The academic institutions are the engines of growth and development of the economy and are supposed to be a strong facilitator of quality human resource and generators of knowledge of the industrial standards [5]. The academic institutions should understand that the branding and placement opportunities have always been the result of the greatness of the institute in imparting quality education. Simply concentrating only on placement processes will certainly not help. The primary role of an education institution is to build and disseminate knowledge. In order to do this, they should tie up with the industry to be aware of the emerging realities and develop and implement appropriate tools to propagate this knowledge and also ensure that their faculty is equally competent in it and can inspire their students to implement them. This could be taking up case studies of real life scenario and research publications [6]. A system should be instituted by the academia for the faculty wherein they can take a sabbatical and work in the IT industry so that they can learn the needs of the industry and be aware of its problems, and then reflect that in the teaching work for the students. Vocational education institutions such as NIIT have been successful to some extent in tying up with the industries to impart industry specific knowledge and develop courses which are capable to generating industry ready professionals. The higher learning educational institutions have however been totally indifferent from this and they need to look forward to make such partnerships. The academic grading system should test the students keeping in mind the skill sets they must possess to meet the needs of the industry. Companies spend a lot of time and money to train new IT employees. The academia must know the skills that are important in order to build an effective curriculum and must keep updating the list regularly. Summer Internship Programs (SIP) should be made available to students’ right from the beginning (at least from the 2nd year of the curriculum). Besides this, extra training activities may be conducted during the vacations, if not for long hours, at least for minimal hours, by

C. Role of the Industry The industry’s behaviour has made the educational institutions to create just ‘Job Ready’ professionals and not ‘Industry Ready’. Industry can help the academic institutions understand whether the knowledge they proliferate is relevant, current and is capable of being applied to the real life scenarios [6]. They can help the institutions in designing the curriculum and if possible provide the necessary courseware. Thus the industry can help build a solid professional foundation and this will ultimately help build their reputation and achieve branding. Industry must team up with the academic institutions to provide research opportunities to the students. This will not only help the students understand the industry needs and technology but also encourage them to participate in the technological development of the country. By doing this, the industry benefits by making students employable quality professionals of industry expectations. Industry must also help students by making available internship opportunities right from the beginning of their curriculum and if not at least at the middle of the curriculum rather than giving such opportunities at the end. Industry must ensure that they also invest in regular training activities to keep their employees employable rather than simply concentrating on the domain knowledge the particular employee is working on. VI. INTERACTION MODEL ACADEMIA-STUDENTS

THE

INDUSTRY-

Considering all the above facts we would like to propose an interaction model that can exist between the Industry, Academia and Students. This model suggests the formation ‘Indian Information Technology Research Organisation (IITRO)’, an independent research & development body setup under the Government of India, the formation of ‘Academic Research & Training Group (ARTG)’ for the industry and the ‘Industrial Research & Training Group’ for the educational institutions. 69

Fig 1. Interaction Model of the Industry-Academia-Students

A. Indian Information Technology Research Organisation (IITRO) This organisation will be an independent research and development organisation funded partially by the Government of India and the IT industry. This body will house the research scholars of the country who are participating in the research and development of IT. The IT industry and the academia will be affiliated partners of this organisation. The aim of this organisation is research and development of new technologies in the IT space, so that the country does not need to depend on other countries for technology. The IITRO will also be responsible for providing fellowships to the students who show interest in IT research and development.

VII. CONCLUSION Thus, for ‘Enhancing Employability of IT Students’, the academia should give priority to quality education and concentrate on the overall development of the students and not merely become an employment exchange. The industry and the educational institutions should be considerate in their interactions with the students and not become exploitative and selfish for their own greed. The labour market will always keep witnessing impulses and toughs. The commitment of the industry towards the academic institutions and the commitment academic institutions have towards the students and the industry must remain unaffected. It would be very wise to think beyond the ineffective scales such as the salary, jobs and position and look at other significant ways of counting the success of the relationship. The ‘Interaction Model of the Industry-AcademiaStudents’ will not only help diminish the ‘Employability Gap of IT Students’ but also greatly help in the progress of our country. If the necessary action is not taken then the ultimate victim will be the students who will suffer with poor fundamental knowledge leading to unemployment in the near term and unreliable career prospects in the future. The illiterate of the past were the people who never went to school. The illiterate of the future will be the unemployable class of people.

B. Academic Research & Training Group (ARTG) This group will be setup for the IT industry to help develop students meet the industry standards. The main function of the ARTG will be to disseminate knowledge and provide training to the students. Since, the knowledge in the industry and the academic institutions are always poles apart, the construction of this group will ensure efficient transfer of knowledge. The members of this group will be the entire IT industry. There will be employees from every IT company who will form the members of this group. The members of this group will decide the focus in which the technology will move and thus help develop students as per the industry needs through knowledge transfer. The ARTG will provide training opportunities to the students by providing internships whenever possible.

VIII. 1.

REFERENCES

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_nasscom -says-50pct-of-engg-graduatesunemployable_1616576 2. http://www.aspiringminds.in/docs/national_empl oyability_report_engineers_2011.pdf 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Core_banking 4. http://uidai.gov.in 5. http://www.aiip.info/about.html 6. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todayspaper/tp-new-manager/article1087188.ece 7. http://www.hss.iitb.ac.in/FGKS_IITB_2010/pape rs/Jancy.pdf 8. http://wikieducator.org/images/c/cc/M.C._Nair.p df 9. http://mpra.ub.unimuenchen.de/8104/1/MPRA_paper_8104.pdf 10. http://www.waset.org/journals/waset/v49/v4959.pdf

C. Industrial Research & Training Group (IRTG) This group will be setup for the academia to help build quality students. The members of this group will the teaching staff from every academic institution. This group receives the knowledge sent by the ARTG and accordingly provide the required training to the students. The group will also be responsible for collaborating with the industry in research & development and thus be instrumental in involving the students in the research & development activity. D. ARTG-IRTG Partnership The ARTG and IRTG will sit together and develop the academic curriculum. The ARTG may provide feedback on the students who have joined the industry; their abilities and inabilities may be discussed. The IRTG may provide information on new research work conducted in the institute and the ARTG may accordingly help in making the academic research into an industrial reality.

Employability: Linkage with Skills Ulka Pawar Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India ulka.pawar@thakureducation.org Pooja Gautam HOD-ACA, Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India pooja.gautam@thakureducation.org Rashmi Vipat Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India rashmi.vipat@thakureducation.org Abstract: Employability is commonly seen as one of the manifestations of the rapid changes associated with the globalisation era of the past two decades. Employability has many definitions but they break down into two broad groups. The first relate to the ability of the student to get (and retain and develop in) a job after graduation. The other set are concerned with enhancing the students’ attributes (skills, knowledge, attitudes and abilities) and ultimately with empowering the student as a critical life-long learner. Employability skills are non-technical skills which play a significant part in contributing to an individual's effective and successful participation in the workplace. Employability skills are also sometimes referred to as “soft skills”, generic skills, enabling skills or key competencies. This paper focuses on understanding what is employability and skills required to be developed in graduates to make them employable. Keywords: employability, skills and in terms of their career. It doesn't make sense to judge the impact of education only by employment rates, as there are good reasons for not being in employment (e.g. travel, family, further study, illness, the national economy). The concept of employability has therefore arisen. We might think of this concept of employability as ones potential to:  succeed in recruitment processes (interview, assessment centre, CV)  succeed in the first months of a job (adaptability, interpersonal skills, motivation, willingness to learn, aptitude, etc)  remain employable in the long term – also called sustainable employability (self awareness, ability to develop, adaptability, self reliance or self management, job search skills, ability to market yourself to an employer) Employability is therefore not just about gaining and maintaining the 'employability skills'. And it is not just about getting first job. It is about the continuing need to be flexible, understand your capabilities, and sell them to employers. And this need will exist throughout working life. For people seeking employment, employability may be about feeling in control of your working career. If you feel confident in your skills and you are self aware about what you can offer employers, then you will feel less at the mercy of external factors, such as economic recession and high unemployment rates. If you are very positive in your

I. INTRODUCTION Employability is not the same as gaining a graduate job, rather it implies something about the capacity of the graduate to function in a job and be able to move between jobs, thus remaining employable throughout their life.] The definition of employability most often used in higher education is the following: A set of skills, knowledge and personal attributes that make an individual more likely to secure and be successful in their chosen occupation(s) to the benefit of themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy. [1] The main focus is on an individual's ability to gain initial employment, maintain employment, move between roles within the same organization, obtain new employment if required and (ideally) secure suitable and sufficiently fulfilling work, in other words- their employability, more important than the simple state of being employed. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE EMPLOYABLE? Employability is an abstract concept. An ‘employable’ person is not necessarily someone who has a job. Rather, it is someone who has the abilities and potential of a good employee. They may be employed, seeking work, unemployed, or not seeking work at all, but they have qualities which make them potentially good for employment. Education is increasingly measured for the way in which it develops people for their future lives, both educationally 72

outlook, you will recognize that a new opportunity arises with any employment setback. If you are just employed but not employable, the future isn't so bright.

Employability coheres with the concept of PDP (Personal/Professional Development Planning), encouraging students to become reflective learners and present themselves effectively. A focus on employability can encourage student motivation, leading to better results and higher positions in national subject league tables.

IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYABILITY To Students ‘A degree is no longer enough’: Due to the fundamental shifts in the graduate recruitment market, a degree is no longer enough to guarantee a graduate a satisfying future career. This is all the more true in light of the current economic climate. In many sectors, recruiters are looking for 'work-ready' graduates with clear evidence of job specific skills in addition to high level graduate attributes. To have the competitive advantage in the job market, students need to have developed their employability throughout their time at University. ‘Return on investment’: One of the main reasons students choose to study at university is to enhance their career prospects. This becomes increasingly important in view of rising costs of education and levels of debt on graduation, so individuals want to ensure it has been money well spent. ‘Engaging in the educational process’ : Innovative teaching, learning and assessment methods help students engage in the education process and have the added benefit of also helping them to develop attributes which make them attractive to potential employers. Students’ interest is more likely to be maintained if they can see the relevance of their studies to their future careers and life beyond University. ‘Engaging in the whole student experience’ : Students who make an effort to fully participate in the total student experience (academic, co-curricular, extra curricular and work experience) benefit from a well rounded education, contribute fully to the life of the University and community and hopefully have fun in the process.[5]

To the University Producing employable graduate’s forms part of the process of educating, rather than simply training. It encompasses the full educational spectrum of values from imparting knowledge and understanding to developing skills and attributes. Work has already been undertaken in developing a set of graduate attributes, progressed in line with institutional developments on the previous and current Enhancement Themes: ‘Graduates for the 21st Century’ and 'Developing and Supporting the Curriculum'. Focusing on employability helps the University attract and retain high quality students and maintain its competitive advantage in the global market. Addressing the employability agenda also helps address other agendas, such as widening participation and internationalization.[5] COMPONENTS OF EMPLOYABILITY

Asset An individual’s ‘employability assets’ comprise their knowledge (i.e. what they know), skills (what they do with what they know) and attitudes (how they do it). There are a number of detailed categorizations in the literature which, for instance, distinguish between:  ‘Baseline assets’ such as basic skills and essential personal attributes (such as reliability and integrity).  ‘Intermediate assets’ such as occupational specific skills (at all levels), generic or key skills (such as communication and problem solving) and key personal attributes (such as motivation and initiative), and  ‘High level assets’ involving skills which help contribute to organizational performance (such as team working, self management, commercial awareness etc.)

To Academician Employability plays an important role in the implementation of the Colleges' Learning and Teaching Strategies. It is part of good learning practice. Students who engage in developing their employability are likely to be independent, reflective and responsible learners. Innovative learning, teaching and assessment methods which promote students’ understanding and help them to engage in ‘deep’ learning will also enhance their employability. Involving employers in the education experience, for example, through placements, case studies, delivery of guest lectures, can help students appreciate the relevance of their course and learn how to apply theory and knowledge in practical ways in the workplace. In some subject areas, employability links to requirements for accreditation from professional bodies

Deployment These are linked set of abilities which include:  Career management skills and life skills — commonly identified as self-awareness (i.e. diagnosing occupational interests and abilities), opportunity awareness (knowing what work opportunities exist and their entry requirements ), decision-making skills (to develop a strategy of getting from where you are to where you want to be) and transition skills. The latter generally includes:  Job search skills — i.e. finding suitable jobs. Access to formal and informal networks is an important component of job search and employability.

To Academic Institutes Employers target universities / colleges where they have successfully recruited in the past and where they recognize that courses are continuing to develop and innovate to produce graduates with the knowledge, skills and attributes relevant to their needs. 73

It would be foolish in any case to dismiss the intrinsic value of degree level study, and the way in which it develops people. Few students would say that their only motivation for going to university is to improve their chances of getting a good job. The majority also apply to university because they want to develop themselves through the study of a subject that interests them. For both motivations, however, skills are key. Without good study skills you will find it hard to succeed at your degree. And without being able to explain the skills that you have, you will also struggle to get the job you want.

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Strategic approach — being adaptable to market developments and realistic about market opportunities, be occupationally and locationally mobile. There is obviously an important inter-relationship between assets and deployment. The extent to which an individual is aware of what they possess in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes and its relevance to the employment opportunities available may affect their willingness to undertake training and other activities designed to upgrade their skills etc.

III.

A. Presentation Another key aspect of employability is being able to get a particular job, once identified — sometimes included under career management skills, but is given prominence as a separate element here due to its crucial importance to securing employment. It centers on the ability to demonstrate ‘employability’ assets and present them to the market in an accessible way. This includes:  the presentation of CVs etc., (including Records of Achievement)  the qualifications individuals possess (both academic and vocational), perhaps accredited through prior learning  references and testimonies  interview technique, and, of particular importance,  work experience/track record.

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B. Personal circumstances and market Finally and crucially, the ability to realize or actualize ‘employability’ assets depends on the individual’s personal and external circumstances and the inter-relationship between the two. This includes:  personal circumstances — e.g. caring responsibilities, disabilities, and household status can all affect their ability to seek different opportunities and will vary during an individual’s life cycle.  External factors such as macro-economic demand and the pattern and level of job openings in their market, be it local or national; market regulation and benefit rules; and employer recruitment and selection behavior.

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EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS communication skills, which contribute to productive and harmonious relations between employees and customers teamwork skills, which contribute to productive working relationships and outcomes problem-solving skills, which contribute to productive outcomes initiative and enterprise skills, which contribute to innovative outcomes planning and organising skills, which contribute to long-term and short-term strategic planning self-management skills, which contribute to employee satisfaction and growth learning skills, which contribute to ongoing improvement and expansion in employee and company operations and outcomes technology skills, which contribute to effective execution of tasks

IV. HOW TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO DEVELOP EMPLOYABILITY A. At the University level It is clear that employability is at the core of University business. There are important linkages to employability evident throughout the University’s Strategic Plan. For real and meaningful development, University level initiatives are vital and should support the key work at College and School level. B. At college level Given the largely devolved responsibility of learning and teaching matters to Colleges, each College is instrumental in influencing how the employability of its students is encouraged. Employability is a key component therefore, either explicitly or implicitly, in each of the College Learning and Teaching Strategies.

II. WHY SKILLS MATTER Degree is one part of the package that any graduate offer employers. But it is not in itself enough to get job. One will need a range of skills, developed through degree and in other areas, and will need to articulate these clearly to employers. The simple fact is that greater numbers of students are going to university and there aren’t always enough graduate jobs to go round. This does not mean that there is no value in a degree. Despite media debate about the value of the expansion of higher education - in terms of quantity and quality - employers still seek graduates. They sometimes complain about the standard of graduate applications, but few resolve this problem by hiring nongraduates.

V. CONCLUSION An employable person is not a one who has a job but an employable person is one who has the skills, capabilities and potential of a good employee. Some of these skills are adaptability, interpersonal skills, motivation, willingness to learn, self awareness, ability to develop, self management, ability to market yourself to an employer, flexible, understand your capabilities. An employability assets’ consists of three things: knowledge (what they know), skills (what they do with what they know) and attitudes (how they do it). 74

Employability is a life-long process where the individual’s knowledge, skills, capabilities, needs and/or desires are continuously being re-evaluated through some process. So, one has to identify the skill gaps and have to act and do something to fill the gap. Filling these skills gap is a process that will continue through out one’s working life. Apart from the necessary skills that are required to fill the gap, Institutes and Universities should also come forward to help the student as degree is one of the parts of package. It is a good practice to start the process of reviewing your employability when you are a student. VI.

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/00000 0700.htm 3. Simon McGrath , “What is Employability? “, UNESCO Centre for Comparative Education Research, School of Education, University of Nottingham. 4. http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/tl a/employability/id116_employability_in_higher_ education_336.pdf 5. http://www.employability.ed.ac.uk/SupportAvail able.html 6. http://193.1.88.47/careers/units/unit-s029.shtml 7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employability 8. Ms Yuraisha Chetty, “Graduateness and employability in the higher education sector: A focused review of the literature”. University of South Africa. 9. http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/employability.asp

REFERENCES 1.

Mantz Yorke -“ Employability in education: what it is – what it is not”.

higher

An Integrated Approach of Bridging the Skill gap of Employability in Indian IT Industry Mr. Alok B. Singh Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India asingh1979@gmail.com Ms. Kiran K. Dubey Librarian, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India kiran.dubey@thakureducation.org Mr. Sudarshan M. Sirsat Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India sirsat.sudarshan@gmail.com Abstract: Skill gap of employability is one of the major challenges for sustainable growth of Indian IT Industry. This paper introduces an integrated approach to address various issues of Skill Gap in Employability in Indian IT Industry. The concept of employability, skills gap, its causes and various approaches to bridge this gap are discussed. Employability is the ability of student to be an employee of an organization.. Employability skills are set of skills essential to perform a task assigned to an employee efficiently and effectively. These skills include various technical and non-technical skills broadly categorized into technical, human and conceptual skills. Due to fast growing and dynamic nature of Indian IT Industry there exist a huge Skill gap among IT Graduates in India. In this paper we tried to address this skill gap and design an integrated approach to bridge this Skill Gap. Keywords: Employability, Skill Gap, IT Industry, Workforce, Quality of Education, Skill enhancement, SWOT Analysis I. INTRODUCTION According to NASSCOM, the IT services sector is one of the fastest growing sectors across the Indian Domestic Market. It is estimated to grow by 16.8% to reach INR 501 Billion in FY-2012. This clearly indicates that there is a huge demand of skilled and employable workforce across Indian IT Industry. According to a research conducted by NASSCOM every year more than 3 million Graduates and Postgraduates are added to the Indian Human Resource. However, out of these only 25% of IT Graduates are considered to be employable by fast growing IT and ITES sector. Therefore IT industry in India is facing huge challenge in hiring Skilled Workforce, employable as per Industry requirement. Current challenges thrown by huge skill gap can be converted into great opportunities by Higher Educational Institution of India by identifying the Skill sets required by fast growing Indian IT industry, formulating strategies to bridge this existing skill gap, Designing, developing and implementing various Skill Development Programs. In this paper we try to identify existing skill gaps, causes and develop an integrated approach to eliminate them to create more employable workforce on par current Industry standard.

II.

FACTORS

INFLUENCING

SKILLS

INDUSTRY

Various factors influencing Skills Requirements for IT Industry are (a) Continuous demand for skilled workforce (b) Value added services in IT solution targeting to multiple industries and Global Market opportunities. According to recent study only 25% of IT Graduates are employable as per Industry standard and only 17.85% are eligible for the job in IT services sector with 6 month training. Prominent factors creating existing skill gap among students are Quality of education and facilities at higher level. Due to incapability of Universities and educational Institutions in producing updated curriculum and Syllabi according to the current requirement of Industry. Conventional approach of educational Institutions are available where students have fewer opportunities to interact with Industry.

III. GAP

willingness to do a little extra work to keep their technical skills honed. Industry experts say that the most neglected but the most important skills for IT professionals are business skills. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stay isolated in the IT department. You need to be able to build business relationships with people of many different disciplines and understand how your company works so you can tailor technology solutions. Business skills like communication, strategic planning, collaboration, leadership and identifying business opportunities are just some of the business skills in demand for high-level IT professionals. Effective communication skills are some of the most sought after in all professionals. This is doubly true for IT professionals because we tend to have the reputation for being technology oriented rather than people oriented. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to be able to communicate with your team and communication with other business professionals. As a CIO or IT Manager, you need to communicate effectively with board members, marketing departments and other business professionals in the company as well other company.

STEPS OF BRIDGING THE SKILL

A. SKILL SET REQUIREMENT OF IDENTIFYING INDUSTRY: A study has empirically demonstrated that IT professionals perceive both technical and nontechnical skills as being important for new, entry-level personnel. The investigation confirms previous findings that nontechnical skills are considered most important, especially those pertaining to Personal Attributes and Business Expertise. These soft skills are important as a foundation for all IT positions and they enhance future learning and productivity as IT professionals advance in their careers. An understanding of which skills are most important to new IT professionals should impact organizations at large, as well as the universities and technical schools that train future IT employees. Organizations will be better equipped for new workforce training and may be spurred to interact more with universities. For this Universities should examine curriculum, particularly with respect to enhancing soft skill areas. In addition to this organizational and educational entities should together explore innovative ways of pretraining entry-level IT professionals, perhaps through internships or other means. The business climate and in particular technology is changing rapidly. The skills that are important today will no doubt change relatively quickly particularly with technical expertise. It is important that the IT discipline move ahead with these changes by understanding which skills are most important in order to better prepare new IT employees. It is advantageous for all stakeholders, particularly organizations and educational institutions to ensure that entry-level professionals are fully prepared to meet challenges and be ready to contribute immediately. According to industry analysts the technical skills today in demand in IT are cloud computing, database management, IT security, application and web development, virtualization and tech support etc. People can stay current with these skills by seeking technical certifications and attending conferences regularly. It can become more valuable for employer if employee show the

IV. SWOT ANALYSIS : SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. By definition, Strengths (S) and Weaknesses (W) are considered to be internal factors over which you have some measure of control while Opportunities (O) and Threats (T) are considered to be external factors over which you have essentially no control. SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, limitations, opportunities and threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It focuses on the internal and external environments, examining strengths and weaknesses in the internal environment and opportunities and threats in the external environment. A.

SWOT ANALYSIS FOR STUDENTS

I Your N Strengths T E R N A L

Your Weaknesses

E Opportunities Threats X in Your Career Fieldin Your Career Field T E R N A L Student may construct their own SWOT analysis to set a course for career planning, examine current situation. 77

C. DESIGNING AND DEVELOPING SKILL ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS: On the basis of IT-Skill Framework Industry and Academic Institutions need to design and develop comprehensive Skill Enhancement Program to fill the employability gap.

What are their strengths and weaknesses? How can they capitalize on their strengths and overcome their weaknesses? Students also find the opportunities available in their field. What are the threats in their career fields? And improve their abilities by overcome these threats. They can also find what are the external opportunities and threats in their chosen career field?

Basic Skills required being employable in IT Industry: a) Fundamental Skills: Aptitude, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative abilities. b) Technical Skills: Knowledge based Skills covered in conventional Course Work. c) Communication Skills: Verbal, Written, Language Skills, Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening. d) Interpersonal and Soft Skills: These are basic skills such as Leadership, Time Management and Teamwork.

SWOT Analysis for Academic Institutions I N Academic Academic T Strengths Weaknesses E R N A L E X Opportunities Threats T in Academics in Academics E R N A L

D. IMPLEMENTING SKILL ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS: Many employees want to change or grow their positions and need to refresh skills, learn medical terminology, or know word processing or other computer skills in order to qualify or to brush up on their. Others may find certain aspects of their job challenging due to math, reading or grammar/writing challenges. Skills Enhancement Program offers support for all of the above through small classes taught by caring instructors dedicated to helping employees meet their personal education and career goals. Therefore carefully designed and developed skill enhancement programs must be implemented successfully to achieve the desired level of Employability among students.

Academic Institution can identify their internal strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of external environment to develop skill enhancement strategies in order to create highly skilled employable human resource pool according to current Industry needs.

E. FEEDBACK, REVIEW PROGRAM:

B. SWOT ANALYSIS FOR INDUSTRY I N T E Industry R Strengths N A

AND UPGRADE

SKILL ENHANCEMENT

During implementation of skill enhancement programs feedback is important. It should be taken from the entire team, analyzed and on the basis of feedback provided these skill enhancement programs must be upgraded to match the current changing Industry requirement.

Industry Weaknesses

V. APPROACHES TO REDUCE SKILL GAP IN INDIAN IT INDUSTRY: Following are some of the measures required to bridge the skill gap in Indian IT Industry:

L E X T E Opportunities Threats R in Skill enhancement in Skill enhancement N A

Effective Industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Academia collaboration: To enhance employability of students Industry, Academic Institutions and students are required to collaborate effectively. Industry should provide practical training to fill demand and supply gap.

B. Soft-Skills and Personality development training Colleges and Universities should provide Soft-Skills and Personality development training. Quality faculty and infrastructure are required to meet Industry expectations.

Industry may also conduct SWOT analysis to assess strength and weaknesses of their skill enhancement, talent acquisition and retention strategies and policies. Industry can adapt new policies to capitalize on opportunities and reducing the impact of threats of external Market forces.

C. Employability assessment Identify the required employability skills. Employability assessment and test can help companies in identifying candidates with right skills set. Students can 78

identify their employability quotient and plan their career accordingly.

graduates who are not aware of industry trends and technologies to boost their employability.

D. Providing employability training Employability Training can bridge the skill gap and train the students to become more employable. Such trainings are helpful for fresh graduates who are not aware of industry trends and technologies to boost their employability.

VII. 1. 2.

VI. CONCLUSION IT industry in India is facing huge challenge in hiring Skilled Workforce, employable as per Industry requirement. An integrated approach to bridge the Skill Gap encompasses collaborative process of identifying, assessing and enhancing the key skills required as per current IT Industry Standard. In this approach Industry, Students, academic Institutions work in collaboration to create required skilled Manpower to bridge the skill gap of employability. Industry should provide training to their employees; Colleges and Universities ought to provide Soft-Skills and Personality development training. Employability Training can bridge the skill gap and train the students to become more employable. Such trainings are helpful for fresh

5. 6. 7. 8.

REFERENCES Report on Human Resource and Skill Requirement in IT and ITES sector by National Skill Development Corporation. Journal of Information Technology Education Volume 7, 2008 Critical Skill Sets of Entry-Level IT http://www.itpathshala.com/researcharticles/employability-gap-in-indian-itindustry.php Professionals: An Empirical Examination of Perceptions from Field Personnel Mark McMurtrey, James P. Downey, Steven M. Zeltmann, and William H. Friedman University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR, USA . Trends and Insights by www.NASSCOM.in http://www.recruiter.com/i/emerging-skillsneeded-for-a-successful-it-career http://www.quintcareers.com/SWOT_Analysis.ht ml http://www.nsdcindia.org/pdf/IT-ITESIndustry.pdf

Employability in IT and ITES Industry – Role of Communication Skills Dr. Jyoti Maliwar Dept. of Business Communication, Thakur College of Science & Commerce, Mumbai, India. jyotimaliwar24@gmail.com Abstract: This paper presents employability factors of higher educated students in IT and ITES industry, aimed at enhancing English language and, business communication skills. The paper discusses about how effective communication skills and English language increases job readiness leading to employability. During globalization industries are looking beyond technical knowledge. Special attention is given to English language and communication skills of an employee. Today employability means successful communication with customer and peers/ seniors/ subordinates from different countries in international markets, which meets the expectation of corporate world. Increasing the interaction of academia with industry will strengthen the probability of employability and increase the employment ratio in the field of IT& ITES education. Thus the present scenario of low employability of Indian graduates can be curbed by colleges, ensuring that students are job ready by developing communication skills, which is one of the core factor for employability. The paper also points out that the present syllabus of the colleges needs to be revamped from time to time, including practical knowledge of communication skills which will help the communicator to express themselves effectively in the rapidly changing markets of IT industry.

1. 2.

Research Objectives To identify areas of improvement in communication skills required for job employability. Framing steps to strengthen the communication skills required for improving job employability through academia – industry interaction. Methodology Primary data will be collected from professionals of IT& ITES multinationals, in and around Mumbai. The data will be generated by personal interview with help of structured questionnaire. Observations during interview and group discussions. Secondary data will be studied from books, internet and organizational records. The data would be tabulated, processed and analyzed by applying appropriate statistical tools and diagrams. A qualitative approach will be followed. Keywords: Employability, IT& ITES, communication skills, academia- industry interaction. Industry looks for a mix of skills, abilities, capabilities and competencies in potential candidate and, hires depending on the business it’s in. Industry also looks for multi skilled individuals. All these things lead to unemployability. Unemployability arises when individuals have educational eligibility but lack in capability and suitability to execute job related activities despite being the availability of employment opportunities. Unemployment is a state where individuals have educational eligibility, capability and suitability but dearth of employment opportunities. The current situation in India is more of unemployability rather than unemployment. Employability skills enable growth and competitiveness. These are the additional skills apart from the core skills and hard skills. Today the Indian youth has began realizing that without these employable skills it is difficult to grab jobs. The Indian IT industry is considered as one of the most promising industries and plays pivotal role in economic development of the country. It is among the top industries for employment providing direct and indirect job opportunities to large number of people at different levels. But the current scenario faced by the markets is that of Unemployability of available talent due to lack of employability skills. This paper offers an insight into the present job scenario in the IT sector. India is the second largest IT

I . INTRODUCTION “To be employed is to be at risk, to be employable is to be secure.” Pater Hawkins What is employability? Employability refers to a person's capability of gaining initial employment, maintaining employment, and obtaining new employment if required (Hillage and Pollard, 1998). Employability depends on the knowledge, skills and attitude of the individuals. It is a state of being employed and accomplishing the given tasks with the skills, knowledge and abilities. Each year, India produces almost twice the number of engineers produced by the US and a little less than twice of all that Europe produces. It is great to note that India has one of the world’s largest most qualified pools of technical manpower. However, when we look at the employability, we are far behind. Engineering colleges are mushrooming and the quantity of technical graduates pass out every year from educational institutions. What about the employability? The way quantity of graduates is increasing, quality is not. Are we compromising quality for the sake of quantity? It is reported that employers don’t get applicants with right skill set, mind set and tool set especially in the IT and ITES sectors. Currently there is wide chasm between what the educational institutions are churning out and what the industry expects.

industry in the world. It produces excellent graduates and post graduates. But with all the technical knowledge they fail to clear the recruitment process. Nasscom, the IT/ITES industry association also points out that, of the general pool of graduates across all streams only 25 per cent have employable skills. When we look specifically at tech graduates then only 35-40 per cent are readily employable especially with IT / ITES industries being one of the mainstays on Indian economy (~6.4% contribution to GDP). The IT/ITES industry currently employs nearly 2.5 million people and with the pace the industry is growing, the demand for graduate talent t is increasing at a rapid pace. The study by Aspiring Minds indicates employability quotient at an alarming percentage of only 4.22% of all IT graduates. A total of 62% candidates require training to be eligible for any job in the IT/ITeS sector. Technical engineers have an edge over MCA graduates in IT product roles and KPO

percent of graduates are not employable, while 75 percent of engineering graduates are not employable." Some of the reasons cited for the same are lack of focus and definite career path among graduates, undue emphasis on academic excellence, lack of industry-relevant curriculum. B. Communication skills affecting employability Industry as well as academic leaders and organizations have repeatedly pointed out the urgent need for institutions to improve students’ “professional readiness” along with imparting technical studies. The main problem highlighted by the industry is the lack of effective communication skills of the employees along with necessary soft skills. Skills in using English language have become the sine qua non for a successful career in this industry. Mere academic abilities alone are not adequate. What is essential is something beyond academic domain such as communication skills which are form the basic foundation of employability skills. When applicants possess these skills then it becomes easier for employers to train other technical skills easily. To sum, both educational institutions and industry should work together for enhancing important employability skills like business communication , as it is rightly said that you need to clap with both hands to get the results.

A. Highlights of the report India is home to over 1.3 billion people, with a large percentage of its population under the age of 25, the fact itself holds great promises for the nation. While the opportunities are ample there is a dearth of quality professionals. The current talent pool has very low employability (4.22%) with regard to IT product companies. As the IT industry in India matures, this shall become an impediment for growth, due to lack of trained manpower for product based and research based projects. Taking a long term perspective for growth, strong intervention is needed to correct problem of unemployability. The reasons cited for the employability of graduates is the lack of ‘Job Ready’ skills in the course curriculum in majority of colleges and the assessment system with high weight age on theoretical competencies instead of practical know-how which is a major cause of concern. One of the recent hiring trend in the IT industries has seen the companies looking beyond technology degree holders (B.Tech/B.E.) and considering fresh graduates (B.Sc, BCA). This clearly suggests that the companies are not looking for highly specialized technical skills but rather graduates who can be made job-ready with little or no training. This gap needs to be filled while transitioning from a college graduate. IT fresher is not to be blamed on technical or job specific skill-set but for his weak soft skills. Soft skills here go beyond communication skills but also include present ability, professional conduct, timeliness and Team Work. A lot of colleges fail when it comes to imbibing these traits in students. NASSCOM report says that each year over 3 million graduates and post-graduates are added to the Indian workforce. Of these, only 25 percent of technical graduates and 10-15 percent of regular graduates are considered employable by the industry. What about the rest 75 percent of graduates? What makes them unemployable? According to Kapil Deorukhkar, Regional Manager at India Skills, a skills training company, "Nearly 85

C. Changing trends in Communication Skills The communications industry has revolutionized the way we work, play and live. Most of us today receive more emails, and SMS (Short Message Service), than we receive phone calls and hence it needs be noted that reaching the customer is not through voice alone. While voice continues to be the main mode of contact, other contact mediums are fast emerging and gaining traction. It is estimated that by 2013, close to one-third of all interactions in a contact centre will be through channels other than voice. Email and web-chats are fast emerging, and Asian consumers in particular are heavy users of SMS. These changing communication trends are bound to change the way consumers interact with enterprises through the contact centre or otherwise. The Internet has also changed the way consumers communicate and search for information. Another emerging feature is IP based Voice solutions, popularly referred to as Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP, language skills are deeply needed. D. English the language of International Business: Tool for employability English has emerged as the language of international business, finance, tourism, aviation and shipping, healthcare, science and IT. In the case of each of these industries, international companies are seeking to outsource operations from high-wage areas to lower cost markets – but only where sufficient language technical skills exist. Graduates seeking to work in these emergent opportunities increasingly need to ensure that their communications skills are not merely adequate but that they possess first-class soft skills – consisting primarily of a set of English language communication skills. English

being the most commonly used language in the corporate world; the knowledge of English is one of the most important employability skills. Knowledge of English is much sought after in the corporate world. Proper English does not mean only the ability to make grammatically correct sentences. It means other related skills for effective communication like presentation skills, persuading, and negotiation skills and interpersonal skills using that language.

globally in a healthy way and India is emerging as the leader. It also becomes evident that the main driver of growth of the industry is people and talents. Here comes a significant and noticeable aspect that communication skills especially in English are vital in the whole scheme of things. G. Need for Academia-Industry Interface Academia- Industry Interface could be defined as interactive and collaborative arrangement between academic institutions and business corporations for the achievement of certain mutually inclusive goals and objectives. Corporations are placing growing emphasis on finding the “employable person”. This forces the IT Institute to think more carefully on hiring a more employable person. This specific and important need of the industry has changed the entire outlook of IT institutions teaching methodology. Today, the IT institutions have realized the importance of ‘working closely with employers’ for the following reasons:  Increasing complexity in academic and business world and constantly changing needs of the industry;  Increasing criticality of human competence in creating and sustaining competitiveness of the organizations;  Growing competition for student placements and industry employability, with rapid increase in the number of IT Institute and hence the IT graduates and postgraduates.  Growing pressure from industry to make their fresh inductees productive from day one to reduce the subsequent training costs. Greenberger (2001) is of the view that organizations today are looking for trained professionals and students capable of taking decisions. Some of the training in formative years comes out from business corporations, via collaborative internships with corporations to enhance learning opportunities to students;  Increasing interdependence between academia and industry to satisfy need for sustenance and innovation in their respective areas.

E. Corporate expectations As the ability to speak and write in English is considered important by the recruiters at the time of recruitment, the expectations of corporate world in this regard has increased. Companies want people who can basically read and understand written words in the form of instructions, reports, letters, memos, notices and other any form of official documents. The ability to express formal communication in oral as well as in written form is equally considered important by the prospective employers. As one moves higher in the vertical direction in the organizational hierarchy, it becomes naturally necessary for an employee to be good presenter, negotiator, and convener of meetings. The mastery over English will help a person to conduct his duties efficiently. One of the important deficiencies found by the employers and recruiters in candidates for different jobs is the lack of oral as well as written communication skills. F. Employable Skill Development vis-à-vis Job Requirements In the BPO operations market, the wide range of job roles offered are either voice based or non voice based. The industry, be it voice or non voice, by its very nature requires a great deal of communication with customers offshore and onshore and hence, skills in general abilities such as written English, ability to learn, attention to detail, comfort with numbers and basic knowledge of grooming and business etiquette, knowledge of proper usage of English are mandatory. The voice based processes such as customer service, tech support, telesales and collections require a person to be good at spoken English in addition to the general abilities. Whereas the skills required for non-voice based processes such as order processing, financial transaction, and medical transcription would require more emphasis on typing skills and quantitative ability rather than spoken English, function based processes such as payrolls, accounting, and legal services also require an additional knowledge of domain skills. It has become an established fact that graduates aspiring for jobs in the booming IT-enabled Services (ITES) , Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Knowledge Processing (KPO) sectors need to polish their English-speaking skills. BPO industry is set to grow

II. DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS The primary data collected was tabulated and analyzed, with the following deduction and interpretations. Opinions regarding the core communication skills necessary to identify the gap for progressive development of employability were taken from professionals in IT & ITES industries

Table : Identifying areas of improvement for effective communication and employability

SR No.

Communication Skills needed for Employability of Students Response in percentage Required Not Required Not sure Good speaking skills 47 03 00 Good written skills 40 09 01 Possess good knowledge of English language 48 01 01 Correct usage of grammar 20 27 03 Possessing good skill for delivering a presentation and paper 17 10 23 Good in writing reports 16 12 22 Has good negotiation skills 42 6 02 Is a good listener 49 01 00 Possess a good sense of corporate dressing and grooming 40 05 05 Possess a good sense of business etiquette 11 34 05 Possess good non-verbal communication skills 22 25 03 Has multicultural and cross-cultural sensitivity/ awareness 39 10 01 Possess good interpersonal skills for team work 44 06 00 Good conversational skills 09 28 13 Possess good persuasion skills 24 22 04

fragmented. As nearly half of respondent says it is required, the other is sure that it is not required. A very small percentage of professional are not sure. Statement 12. Requirement for having multicultural and cross-cultural sensitivity and awareness: Maximum respondents agree that having understanding of crosscultural communication during globalization will increase employability. Statement 13. Possess good interpersonal skills for team work is a major requirement of any employee. A person having interpersonal skills will reach high in employability quotient. Statement 14: Requirement for good conversational skill is not an important factor for employability. Statement 15. Possessing good persuasion skills: this statement results in biased opinion. Here we see a fragmented response. From the above analysis it is deducted that English language, Listening skills, interpersonal skills and negotiation skills play a primary role in increasing employability of a person. The other secondary skill are writing, dressing and grooming. The other supporting skills are speaking and cross-cultural communication skills.

Interpretations: Statement 1. Requirement of good speaking skills: majority of respondents agreed that effective speaking skills are required for various functions in an organization and results in good sustainable employability. Statement 2. Requirement of Good written skills: respondents say that written skills are significant for various written correspondence by an individual to meet the business demands. Statement 3. Requirement for good knowledge of English language: Maximum number of professional expressed that proficiency In English language is very important and is one of the major skill required for employability during multicultural and intercultural scenario. Statement 4. Requirement for correct usage of grammar: Breaking the rule of grammar for communication in IT& ITES is accepted and this is not a key requirement for employability. Statement 5. Requirement for good skill for delivering a presentation and paper : In this statement the respondent were not sure about good presentation skills effecting employability . Statement 6. Good in writing reports: majority of the respondent were biased about this statement . They were not sure that a person report writing skill affects employability. Statement 7. Have good negotiation skills: Majority of professional supported this statement. Negotiation skills are required by an employee for business profits. Statement 8. Nearly all the respondent agreed that listening skill is a key element of communication skills, required at all level of hierarchy and all job function. Statement 9. Requirement for corporate grooming: Good dressing and grooming is required for employability, this is expressed by maximum number of professionals. Statement 10 . Requirement for a good sense of business etiquette: Many respondents felt practice for good business etiquette is secondary requirement for employability. Statement 11. Possess good knowledge of non-verbal communication skills: opinions for this statement are

IV. CONCLUSIONS 1. Soft skills are essential for employability. 2. Business communication is one of the most important skills, required by a student for employability in the current global scenario. 3. Some of the most important primary communication skills required by IT & ITES are knowledge of English language for better communication, active listening skill which results in feedback, good negotiations skill, understanding of cross culture communication, and excellent interpersonal skill which leads to efficient team working as managing relationship at workplace is the key requirement to perform and achieve desired results.

V) SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE EMPLOYABILITY GAP IN INDIAN IT & ITES INDUSTRY : To enhance the job ready skills of student three players need to be involved - institution, students and industry. The interactions of these three players are instrumental in enhancing the employability skills. Establishing close relationship with the industrial world will go a long way in developing work ready skills by training, development and placement of students. Today in the 21st century employability gap can be strengthen by frequent interaction of the institution and industry.



Academia /Industry Interaction: The way forward for employability.  Awareness should be built amongst faculty , about the present communication skill set that industry demands. They can begin to build competence in the classroom and produce learners who even before leaving the institution have some of the skill sets they will need in employment.  Refresher’s course for educators in communication skills needs to be introduced by the institution, which at present is lacking.  The communication teachers need to upgrade and enhance their present communication skills with the demand of the changing IT markets. Faculty should be sent to the industry to work from time to time for a short duration. Practical training and education imparted by the industry for short term after every 2-3 years to faculty will make the faculty compatible in providing employable students to the market.  Guest lectures and part-time faculty from the industry imparting knowledge and experience of industrial work culture and current communication skill will build confidence in the students.  Faculty must be present at open meets / seminars, and panel discussions of Industry  Finishing School set up by education institute will help the students to finally be ready within a few months with all the communications skills required for their job employability before joining any industry. This will help them to absorb in the industry with ease.  Internship with industry will enhance student’s work ready skills and subject him to real work environment.  Working part time to learn communication skill for client handling and meeting customer requirement, will supplement the classroom lectures to give the desired effect.  Greater industry interaction is the key to bridge the gap between books and reality. Implementation of practical skill and visits to different types of organizations will enhance the cross culture communication skills.



  



A composite project can be created at the industry level wherein the faculty from industry visits to guide/ mentor the students through a project. This will increase interpersonal skills and result in excellent team work. Tie-up with the institute should be done wherein the industry gives training to students in work ready communication skills required at work place. Live case studies of current situation should be brought from industry to colleges. This will bridge the communication gap between institute and industry. Practice of role play in intuitions, which will focus the student’s attention on the different types of communication required with various groups in potential future work situations. Cross-cultural Intelligence for Negotiations and Working in Tans-national and Multicultural Workplace. Increasing the understanding of cross culture communication in their learners, which influence the conduct of organizations, by providing tools and techniques that they may use to influence organizational culture. Study exchange programs with different MNC’s located at various places, in India and abroad. Increasing English language proficiency by practice in English Labs, and training in Business English in consultation with Industry. Preparing the students for interviews, group discussion and remedial grammar. Corporate Etiquette and grooming practiced by the students which will result at Individual and Organizational Branding and Image building during employment. Revise the tutorials done in classroom through consultation with the industry to make these more industry oriented and practical based rather than theoretical in nature. Stimulated boardroom environment needs to be created in the classroom. Engaging in activity or situations which they will encounter in the corporate boardrooms. To reinforce communication skill on a continuous basis by acquiring industry specific knowledge from industry experts . Increasing the market research by academia. Introducing employability skill test and assessment by industry. Organize workshops for creating awareness about industry oriented technology in communication competency. Access to industry oriented curriculum that enhances the employability of a student in an IT enterprise. Regularly updating the curriculum in consultation with the industry. Student’s attitude and outlook to communication needs to be changed.

Balasubrahmanian, M. (1998). Business Communications. New Delhi: Kalyani Publishers. 3. Booher Dianna, (2001). E- writing: 21st Century Tools for Effective Communication, Singapore: Pocket Books 4. Chris Fox, 2004, Bridging the Cultural Gap, A practical guide to International Communication. London: Kogan page. 5. Clutterbuck David & Hirst Sheila, (2002). Talking business (Making Communication Work). South America: Butterworth Heinemann. 6. David Werner, (1995). Managing Company Wide Communication. London: Chapman & Hall Publication. 7. Diwan Parag, (1997).Communication Management. New Delhi: Deep & Deep Publications 8. www.springminds.in 9. www.alac.com 10. http://www.worldlanguage.com

The above suggestions about the academia and industry interface will ease the transition of a student from intuition to industry. Effective communication skill will increase the confidence and competence to work in international environment. Knowledge and technical know-how are important, but these must be presented with an excellent standard of communication skills. A more proactive and accessible style of communication can be more engaging for the people whom the IT employee must deal with. Language and communication skills are recognized as important elements in the education of the modern IT engineer, including English for specific purposes. These key communication skills will have a positive effect on employability skills. Finally an active interaction with industry will have sustainable and employable communicators, in the rapidly changing world of IT.

V. REFERENCES 1.

Adler. B. Ronald/ Elmhorst, (2004). Communication at Work. Toronto: McGraw Hill Companies.

Employability and Skill Set Requirements of Newly Graduated IT Students in India: Bridging the Skill Gap Shirshendu Maitra Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India slm2007@gmail.com Pankaj K. Mudholkar Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India mudholkarpankaj@gmail.com Sonu Gupta Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India sonu.gupta@thakureducation.org Abstract: Millions of IT professionals are being generated from numerous technical and professional institutions in India, but employability among these pass out professionals is a commonly discussed issue now. In this paper, it is proposed that the employability of information technology students can be enhanced by a project in which workplace organizational and cross-cultural awareness is embedded. Outcomes of the project are expected to include: 1) enduring relationships with industry; 2) work-ready graduates with a more professional attitude to employment, a respect for cultural and linguistic diversity, and an appreciation for life-long learning. The paper reveals the average and moderate level of employability skills among the professionals. Finally paper has been concluded with the suggestive measures to bridge the skill gap among Information Technology (IT) pass outs. Keywords: Employability Skills, assessment, Soft Skills, Professional Skills, skill gap, Higher Education. in the agriculture sector. This scenario necessitates skill development in the workforce [1] .

INTRODUCTION One of the main impediments to further economic growth in India is insufficient supply of quality skills. The Indian economy grew more than 8% on average over the past 5 years, including the year of the unprecedented financial crisis in 2009. However, the skill shortage is still one of the major constraints in most industries in India (World Bank report,2009). In a recent study it is found that employability quotient is at an alarming percentage of only 4.22% of all Information Technology IT graduates. A total of 62% candidates require training to be eligible for any job in the IT/ITeS (Information Technology Enabled Services) sector. Technical engineers have an edge over MCA(Master of Computer Applications) graduates in IT product roles and KPO(Knowledge Process Outsourcing). Skills and knowledge are the driving forces of economic growth and social development for any country. For the economy to grow at 8% to 9%, it is required that the secondary and tertiary sectors grow at 10% to 11%, assuming agriculture grows at 4%. In such a scenario, it is obvious that a large portion of the workforce would migrate from the primary sector (agriculture) to the secondary and tertiary sectors. However, the skill sets that are required in the manufacturing and service sectors are quite different from those in the agriculture sector. This implies that there is/will be a large skill gap when such a migration occurs, as evidenced by a shrinking employment

II. WHAT IS EMPLOYABILITY The concept of graduate â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;employabilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is complex. While the core notion is to obtain a job, Harvey (2001) emphasizes that employability is often construed as an institutional achievement without taking into account the propensity of students to find employment and the efforts of employers to convert employability into employment. Cranmer (2006) puts forward the argument that employability outcomes are confused and can overlook social structures of gender, race, and class and their interactions with the labour market. Furthermore, operationalising employability from a theoretical concept to a measurement depends on the definition of employability [3] . Cranmer [4] states that despite the best intentions of academics, it is unrealistic to expect universities to guarantee that students will possess both the necessary generic and disciplinary skills on graduation and that more positive employability outcomes are reported when employers are involved in academic subjects. Nonetheless, as Litchfield et al. (2008) explains, generic skills are often left to the universities to teach because employers find training new graduates in employability skills too difficult.

more skills and knowledge at all levels of the workforce, particularly considering the growing concerns over environmental degradation and depletion of conventional energy sources (Ministry of Power, 2007). According to the widely quoted report by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) and McKinsey in 2005[12] , only 25% of the engineering education graduates are employable by a multinational company. Many employers give concrete examples on the lack of skills of the newly graduated hires, which the employers link to shortcomings in the education system. India is expected to be home to a skilled workforce of 500 million by 2022. About 12 million persons are expected to join the workforce every year. This talent pool needs to be adequately skilled. India is home to over 1.3 billion people, with a large percentage of its population under the age of 25, the fact itself holds great promises for the nation. While the opportunities are ample there is a dearth of quality professionals. The current talent pool has very low employability (4.22%) with regard to IT product companies. As the IT industry in India matures, this shall become an impediment for growth, due to lack of trained manpower for product based and research based projects. Taking a long term perspective for growth, strong intervention is needed to correct this. a. IT Product: IT Product companies include companies working on development of technology products. These may include software products, hardware products, and networking or telecommunication products. The employability of this sector is measured on the candidates who can be deployed in building these products. b. IT Services companies: include companies working in the area development, support, maintenance and management of computer software applications and computer hardware. The current study has found that employability with regard to IT product companies is as low as 4.22 % (amongst computer/electronics related branches). Employability with regard to IT services companies is 17.84% (wherein the company gives 3-6 months of in-house training) which is lower than the advertised figure of 25%. c. KPO: KPO or Knowledge process outsourcing involves knowledge related or information related work being done for clients. The work may involve significant domain expertise and is knowledge intensive. KPOs find only 9.47% technical graduates employable [11]. d. BPO and Technical Support Jobs: Employability with regard to BPOs and Technical Support Jobs (TSJ) is 38.23% and 25.88% respectively. To be at the forefront of innovation and achieve higher growth, it is necessary that higher-order work with regard to product development and research grows in India apart from the services industry. To facilitate the same, the product engineering employability needs to be improved which requires greater focus on part of institutions of higher education to impart quality education in Computer Science and Programming. The employment in the manufacturing and services sector would be in excess of 250 million persons. While the school education sector is about 227 million in enrolment, the combined enrolment in higher education and vocational training is about 15.3 million. By limiting to

III. SKILL SET REQUIREMENTS Skill shortage remains one of the major constraints to continued growth of the Indian economy. In one of the employer survey which tries to address the knowledge-gap by answering three questions: (i) Which skills do employers consider important when hiring new engineering graduates? (ii) How satisfied are employers with the skills of IT graduates? and (iii) In which important skills are the IT students falling short? The results confirm a widespread dissatisfaction with the current graduatesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;64 percent of employers hiring fresh IT graduates are only somewhat satisfied with the quality of the new hires or worse. After classifying all skills by factor analysis, the authors find that employers perceive Soft Skills (Core Employability Skills and Communication Skills) to be very important. Skill gaps are particularly severe in the higher-order thinking skills ranked according to Bloomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taxonomy. In contrast, communication in English has the smallest skill gap, but remains one of the most demanded skills by the employers [7] . Although employers across India asks for the same set of soft skills, their skill demands differ for Professional Skills across economic sectors, company sizes, and regions. These findings suggest that IT education institutions should: (i) seek to improve the skill set of graduates; (ii) recognize the importance of Soft Skills, (iii) refocus the assessments, teaching-learning process, and curricula away from lower-order thinking skills, such as remembering and understanding, toward higher-order skills, such as analyzing and solving ITrelated problems, as well as creativity; and (iv) interact more with employers to understand the particular demand for skills in that region and sector. Skills and knowledge are the driving forces of economic growth and social development for any country. For the economy to grow at 8% to 9%, it is required that the secondary and tertiary sectors grow at 10% to 11%, assuming agriculture grows at 4% [8] . In such a scenario, it is obvious that a large portion of the workforce would migrate from the primary sector (agriculture) to the secondary and tertiary sectors. However, the skill sets that are required in the manufacturing and service sectors are quite different from those in the agriculture sector. This implies that there is/will be a large skill gap when such a migration occurs, as evidenced by a shrinking employment in the agriculture sector. This scenario necessitates skill development in the workforce. IV. EMPLOYABILITY SCORES IN DETAIL When the demand for skills in IT, infrastructure and power sectors where engineers play a critical role are not met, it will be in difficult situations. For instance, the exporting IT sector reported lack of skills as the most serious obstacle for growth, and salaries rose 15% annually from 2003 to 2006 mainly due to the shortages of qualified workforce [15]. The road sector also faces severe shortages of qualified manpower. The sector needs to increase its hiring by at least 2-3 times of the 2008 level where 6,000 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;7,000 fresh engineers and diploma holders joined the road sector workforce (World Bank, 2008). In the power sector, the focus is also on shortages of qualified IT engineers. The sector needs 87

this to the technically and vocationally qualified and skilled workforce, primarily comprising of ITI/ITC (1 million), BE (1.7 million), Polytechnics (0.7 million), we can observe that the current pool of skilled talent is around 3.4 million2 . It is thus estimated that the required capacity for training the new workforce as well as portion of the existing workforce would be about 15 million annually.

VI. SKILL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES A. Current Status Education, including all aspects higher education and college education falls under the Ministry of Human Resource Development. The University and Higher Education arm is responsible for all college education (Arts, Science, Commerce, etc.), while engineering education, polytechnics, etc., fall under the category of Technical Education. The University Grants Commission (UGC) provides funds in the form of grants and also coordinates as well as sets standards for teaching, examination and research in universities. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is the regulatory body for Technical Education in India. Its objectives are: promotion of quality in technical education, planning and coordinated development of technical education system, regulation and maintenance of norms and standards[9]. Figure 1: Final year studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; assessment of their business management skill development

V. CLASSIFICATION OF THE EMPLOYABILITY SKILL Employability skills, while categorized in many different ways, are generally divided into three skill sets: (a) Basic Academic Skills, (b) Higher-Order Thinking Skills and (c) Personal Qualities. The three skill sets are typically broken down into more detailed skill sets. Although the academic skill level required by some entry-level jobs may be low, Basic Academic Skills are still essential for high job performance. Ideally, new hires will have the ability and will want to learn. They also need the ability to listen read instructions and then to carry out those instructions. When asked for information, these individuals should be able to respond appropriately both orally and in writing, including recording and relaying information. Reading ability includes comprehending what has been read and using a variety of written materials, including graphs, charts, tables and displays. Entry level employees also need the ability to complete basic math computations accurately. Perhaps even more important to job success than having good basic academic skills is having good Higher-Order Thinking Skills. The ability to think, reason, and make sound decisions is crucial for employees desiring to do well and advance into their respective career. A person who can think critically, act logically, and evaluate situations to make decisions and solve problems, is a valuable asset. Application of higher order thinking skills in the use of technology, instruments, tools and information systems takes these higher order skills to a new level making the employee even more valuable. Employers will usually try to help valued employees seek and get more advanced training, thus widening the gap between those with higher order skills and those possessing basic academic skills alone. These individuals practice good personal habits, come to work as scheduled on time and dressed appropriately and are agreeable to change when necessary. Failure to equip young people with the job readiness skills critical to job success is equivalent to placing employability barriers in their path. Allowing students to graduate with these deficiencies has far reaching implications Table I. Basic Skill set Basic Academic Skills Reading Writing

Higher-Order Thinking Skills Learning Reasoning

Science Math

Thinking Creatively Decision Making

Oral Communication Listening

Problem Solving

B. Current Supply While the school education sector is about 227 million in enrolment, the combined enrolment in higher education and vocational training is about 15.3 million. By limiting to this to the technically and vocationally qualified and skilled workforce, primarily comprising of ITI/ITC (1 million), BE (1.7 million), Polytechnics (0.7 million), we can observe that the current pool of skilled talent is around 3.4 million. On a long-term basis, up to 2022, it is expected that Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GDP will grow at a CAGR of about 8%. With these growth rates, we expect that the employment in the economy will be about 500 million by 2022. For an economy to sustain this growth rate it is essential that the workforce be exposed to some form of skilling or the other (could be through higher/technical education or vocation skills or a combination of both). Thus it is expected that India will have to be home to a skilled workforce of 500 million persons by 2022. VII. ANALYSIS OF SKILL SET Questionnaire carrying the four sets of skills usually observed as requisites skills in the engineering professional. These four set of skills are being carrying different sets of sub skills. The first basic academic skills are carrying (6) sub skills, second is Higher Order Thinking Skills which including 5 sub skills, third is Personal Skills which carrying 16 sub skills and fourth is Core Skills which is having two skills, Technical Skills in which 2 sub skills are mentioned and Second is Subject Knowledge in which 4 sub skills are mentioned and these sub skills are being given rating in terms of the performance in Good, Average, and Poor.

Personal Qualities Responsible Self Confidence

Team Spirit Punctual and Efficient Self Control Self Directed Social Skills Good Work Attitude Honest Well Groomed Have Integrity Adaptable and Flexible

Cooperative Self Motivated Self Management

Source: Robinson P. The work System, Volume 1 issue 3, Albana Cooperative Extension System

Mean and Standard Deviations for the Aspect of Personal Skills has been taken into the table III which displays a high mean for self awareness (Mean =1.93, SD = 0.38) and rest of the items are into the moderate level . The lowest mean has been observed with the “Commitment” (Mean=1.11, SD= 1.1). Table II.

Development Corporation, and the plan to establish 50,000 Skill Development Centres. Apart from these, several ministries/departments and state governments are engaged in skill development initiatives. Given the significance of skill development as well as the quantum of funding involved, there is also the overarching need for quality structures to be in place, especially from the perspective of successful implementation. Such quality standards and processes are required at all segments of the ‘skill development value chain’. This has to be complemented by linking funding to outcomes as well as giving incentives for good performance. Several international frameworks are available which can serve as a reference point with appropriate and effective customisation to the Indian context [8]. Given the magnitude of the skill development challenge, implementing agencies are likely to face challenges right from mobilising trainees, developing standardised and scaleable content, ensuring the availability of trainers, making available appropriate infrastructure, and coordinating placement and industry linkages. In the context of achieving the necessary ‘scale’ and ‘speed’, the following solutions could be the way ahead in providing a conducive environment for India to meet its skill development goals: a. Targeting skill development at all levels of the ‘skill pyramid’ b. Implementing Vocational Education in schools c. Creating a large talent pool through Modular Employable Skills d. Ensuring Quality in Delivery e. Employing technology to achieve scale f. Formulation of institutional mechanisms for content formation, delivery, and assessment g. Expediting the formulation of Sector Skill Council Setting up of a National Human Resource Market Information System (a National Skill Exchange). NAASSCOM is India’s National Association of Software and Service Companies , the premier trade body and the chamber of commerce of the IT software and services industry in India .NASSCOM is a global trade body with over 1100 members, of which over 250 are global companies from the US ,UK ,EU ,Japan and China.. NAASCOM has come out with a study which states that some of the world’s most admired and respected companies like Accenture ,Convergys ,Dell ,Google ,HP, IBM, ICICI, ITC , UTI Bank ,Centurian Bank ,Microsoft ,Satyam ,Tesco ,Verizon to name a few across industry verticals are in need of the industry ready candidates. We have to exploit this opportunity to get placed our students in anyone of these companies by equipping the students to meet the expectation of the industry. We have to bring in necessary changes in the curriculum and teaching methodology. The industries are looking for the young and talented professional to strengthen their presence in the highly competitive corporate world. Apart from imparting technological knowledge input the engineering colleges will have to focus on nurturing the employability skills so that they can empower the talent pools.

Final year students’ assessment of their Personal

Skill Self-Confidence Self-Awareness Self-Control Responsibility Commitment Adoptability Flexibility Self-Directed Team Spirit Interpersonal Skills Leadership Co-operative Initiative and Proactive Integrity Tolerance to stress/Emotional Resilience

Mean Std Dev 1.82 0.38 1.93 0.32 1.91 0.25 1.16 0.52 1.11 1.1 1.2 0.57 1.18 0.82 1.23 0.52 1.13 0.94 1.89 0.39 1.2 0.63 1.21 0.1 1.14 1.08 1.9 0.28 1.9 0.36

The table IV has been taken the perspective on the respondent core skills. This has shown the highest mean with the “updated knowledge of the subject’ (Mean =1.91, SD=.28) and the lowest with the computer literacy (mean =1.23, and SD=.52). The items such as subject knowledge and the understanding of the concepts, facts principles and theories have been shown the same value for their mean. Where as ‘Hands in laboratory has been observed as the moderate mean item. Table III.

Final year students’ assessment of their Core

Skill Mean Technical Skills Computer Literacy Hands in Laboratory Subject Knowledge Understanding of Concept, Facts, Principles and Theories Breadth of Knowledge Application of Knowledge to Practical situation Updated Knowledge in Subject

1.28 1.23 1.26 1.87 1.87

Std Dev 0.5 0.52 0.39 0.32 0.44

1.87 1.34

0.44 0.34

1.91

0.28

VIII. CONCLUSION Various steps are being taken towards meeting the above objectives, such as, the formulation of the National Skills Development Policy, delivery of Modular Employable Schemes, upgradation of existing institutions through World Bank and Government of India funding, as well as upgradation of training institutes under Public Private Partnership mode, setting up of the National Skill 89

The real challenge before the teaching community is positioning ourselves as a neutral ambassadors in providing necessary inputs on the employability of the students through scientifically designed curriculum and assessments to meet the demands multi nation companies in today’ scenario[19]. IX.

10. Bullen, C., Abraham, T., & Galup, S. IT Work force trends: Implications for curriculum and hiring. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 20(Article 34), 545-548. 11. Burke, W., & Litwin, G. (1992). A causal model of organizational performance and change Journal of Management, 18(3), 523-545. 12. Cant, A. (2004). Internationalizing the business Curriculum: Developing intercultural competence. The Journal of American Academy of Business, 5, 177-182. 13. Fugate, M., A.J., Kinicki, and B.E., Ashforth, 2004, “Employability: A Psychosocial Construct, Its Dimension, and Applications”, Journal of Vocational Behavior 65, pp. 14-38 14. Smith, J. Mc Knight, A and Naylor R (2000). Graduate Employability: Policy and Performance in Higher education in the UK”, The Economic Journals, pp382-411 15. Debuse, J., & Lawley, M. (2009) Desirable ICT graduate attributes: Theory versus practice. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(3), 313-326. 16. Foreshew, J. (2007, November 13). No graduate relief for tech skills squeeze: Offshoring contributes to an impression that there’s no career for Aussies in IT. The Australian IT, p.31. 17. Freudenberg, B., Brimble, M., & Cameron, C. (in press). Where there is a WIL there is a way. Asia Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education (APJCE) and Higher Education Research Development (HERD). 18. Gorgone, J., Gray, P., Stohr, E., Valacich, J., & Wigand, R. (2006). MSIS 2006: Model curriculum And guidelines for graduate degree programs in information systems. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 17, 1-56. 19. Jones, W. (2003). Over the wall: Experiences with multicultural literacy. Journal of Marketing Education, 25(3), 231-240 20. Kavanagh, M., & Drennan, L. (2008). What and attributes does an accounting graduate need? Evidence from student perceptions and employer expectations. Accounting and Finance, 48(2), 279300. 21. Kim, Y., Hsu, J., & Stern, M. (2006). An update on the IS/IT skills gap. Journal of Information

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Aasheim, C., Li, L., & Williams, S. Knowledge and skill requirements for entry-level information technology workers: A comparison of industry and academia. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(3), 349-356, 2009. Abraham, T., Beath, C., Bullen, C., Gallagher, K.,Goles, T., Kaiser, K., & Simon, J.. IT workforce trends: Implications for IS programs. Communications of the Association for Information Systems,17(Article 50), 1-44,2006. Biggs, J.. Teaching for quality learning at University (2nd ed.). Berkshire, UK: The Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press, McGraw-Hill Education , 2003. Blasco, M.. Cultural pragmatists? Student perspectives on learning culture at a business school. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 8(2), 2003,174-187. Saravanan.V, “Sustainable Employability Skills for Engineering Professionals”, The Indian Review of World Literature in English, Vol. 5 No. II – July, 2009 Buck, L.L. and R.K., Barrick, “They’re Trained, but are They Employable?”. Vocational Education Journal l 67, 1987,pp. 24-47. Bunn, P.C. and L., Stewart, „Perceptions of Technical Committee Members Regarding the Adoption of Skill Standards in Vocational Education Programs”, Journal of Vocational and Technical Education 14, pp.1 Cassidy, S., 2006. “Developing Employability Skills: Peer Assessment in Higher Education”, Journal of Education and Training 48, pp. 508517 Brockbank, A., & McGill, I. Facilitating reflective learning in higher education. Buckingham, UK:The Society for Research into Higher Education And Open University Press,1998.

Key Factors for Enhancing Employability in IT Mira H Gohil Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India mira.gohil@thakureducation.org Abstract: Employability may be defined as ‘A set of skills, knowledge and personal attributes that makes an individual more likely to secure and be successful in their chosen occupation(s) to the benefit of themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy.’ (Yorke, 2006)[1].In Indian economy, on and average 20% market employability is consumed by the IT Sector where BPO sector employability is about 35% to 40%. This paper is based on how we can bridge this gap between IT and Non-IT employability by improving key factors for enhancing employability in IT. Employers nowadays consider a graduate's academic achievement alone is not sufficient for hiring the engineering graduates. They sometimes find achievement other than academic such as employability skills to be important in the recruitment process. In this paper I am trying to focus on this employability skill factor through with we can enhance employability in professional education. Keywords: Employability, enhance employability, employability skill, IT employability, key factor for Enhancing Employability in IT I. INTRODUCTION Employability is always depends on ability to gain initial employment, maintain it and gets better opportunities as and when required. For any individual, employability is depends on their own efforts, knowledge, skill, experience and attitudes. What skills and traits do employers value most in prospective entry-level employees? Why have employability skills become so important in contemporary workplaces? What educational practices has research shown to be effective in imparting employability skills and traits to students? To answer this question, we need to focus on essential factors which are important to enhance employability in IT academics. Following bodies plays important role in academic employability.  Government body  Industry body  University/ colleges  Alumnae  Personal effort

achieving 500 million skilled people in the country by 2022 [3]. The government's initiatives are in the right vein but are far from enough. Private and academics measures are needed to address employability as well.

II. GOVERNMENT BODY Low marketability of skills, insufficient training opportunities and the gap between labor market size and employable labor have created a mismatch between industry labor requirements and trained available labor, leading to unemployment. Thus, employability is undoubtedly a major problem facing the workforce of India. Government should have some kind of industrial policy, regulating industrial placement, industrial pollution, industrial labour, and financing. The Government of India recognizes this and has been actively pursuing some initiatives since 2007, such as short-term modular employable schemes and the upgradation of its 1,396 Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) through public private partnerships. In association with the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Ministry of Labour and Employment recently put forth the National Skills Development Policy (NSDP), which sets forth the goal of

B. Placement Cell The placement cell functions with the objective of placing the students in the right career. Its aim is to increase the employability of the students through relevant courses towards which the college has signed memorandum of understanding with reputed industries. The main functions of placement cell are:  Can arrange plant training for students.  Inviting various organizations for campus recruitment.  Training to suit various needs of industry  "Personality development"  "Interpersonal & communication skills"  "Career planning" and "career mapping"  Program on "Technology and Management"  Separate cell can be established with one full time staff incharge for placement  Corporate recruitment data update.

III. UNIVERSITY/COLLEGES University/colleges plays important role in enhancement of employability. The key factors are as follow: A. Syllabus Recruitment must be one of the key aims of any College and curriculum of subject matters a lot. Timely updated syllabus gives clear idea about current technology and market demands. Enhancing employability within the curriculum is about adding value by making explicit what we do already and drawing students’ attention to the skills they are developing as part of their study. So university should take right action at right time and give updated current market knowledge to student. Also take employer inputs in syllabus design.

     

seen it being adopted in countries like Germany successfully. That is really the future.

Guide students to approach companies. Survey on recruiters’ expectations from students. Feedback from employers of past batches. Alumni networking. Organizes training sessions on soft skill development. Can organize job fair

V. FACULTY Faculty can play important role in this case. Industry is looking for engineering graduates who are skilled in Logical reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude & Soft Skills. However, they are also looking for Technical Skills and Team spirit in the engineers. Management can encourage their faculty to involve in all those activities and faculty should give active participation in this. An employability enhancement cell and a communication skills Development center can be established by faculty in the college. Apart from all above activities faculty can do following things:  They should be aware about current market and timely update their skill.  They should include project based study approach in class room so students can virtually feel real world problems and becomes industry ready.  Give right guidance at right time is the main aim of faculty. They can arrange live summer project demonstration and give industry experience to student.  Timely appraisal is the key factor to retain good faculty in the institute.

C. Extra Curricular activities When it comes time to move on from university into the world of full-time work, it’s important to realize that many employers take into consideration those extra-curricular activities that will help differentiate one applicant from another. Employers (including businesses, charities, voluntary organizations and the public sector) greatly value the knowledge and skills that graduates develop whilst studying at university, along with the skills and experience they gain from undertaking activities beyond the curriculum. The most employable graduates are those which not only possess such skills, but are able to reflect and articulate how they have developed.[4] Colleges should provide platform for such intelligence by involving in extra curricular activities like technical festival, inter college competition etc. D. Industry Visit and Training Employability training program provide skills and techniques to help students in improving their Aptitude, Communication Skills, Industry Knowledge, current market trend, Job Skills, Personality Development, Conversation Ability, Fluency, Comprehension, Speech Clarity and Attitudinal Skills. Industrial visit will serve as an eye opener to the students who have never before had felt the pulse of the Industry and therefore the Higher Education sector, in charge of training engineers and designers, is tasked to educate employable graduates. [5]

VI. ALUMNI In today’s job market, it’s not enough for Hanover students to worry about their grades; they need to develop a career plan while still in school. Helping them find the right path and getting their first professional job after graduation/post graduation is the Career Center, along with a number of alumni. [8] Alumni should willingly share their words of advice and insights into their career field in front of a group of students. The opportunities for alumni to serve students are virtually limitless. They range from speaking to a class or student organization to providing internships, serving on a workshop panel, and helping seniors with résumés and interviewing skills. Alumni Can Provide Students a Bridge to the Professional World. They should know their moral responsibility toward their universities. University/colleges should arrange annual alumni meet. This is just one of several ways alumni can help students to prepare their life.

IV. PRIVATE SECTOR The problem we faced was that the industry and academia were blaming each other. The industry said that the academia was not doing enough and that the curriculum was outdated. The academia held the view that the industry did not care and did not give academia a chance.[6] IT companies should establish partnership with engineering colleges and universities to build muchneeded engagement between industry and academia; even they should create universally accepted benchmarks like certifications and policy-level curriculum changes. Educational institutions can update the syllabus of professional academic courses to make them more industry relevant, with regular updates from professionals who have a deeper understanding of current business developments and technical standards [7] There has always been a disconnection between the formal education system and skill development programmers. My belief is that a dual model needs to be adopted. We have

VII. PERSONAL EFFORTS Many of the students were unaware of employers' skills requirements. For example, less than half of the students learn the required skills like organization and planning', critical thinking and analysis', self-confidence', decisionmaking' and problem-solving' by the time they reach to the final year of their degree. End of the day it is student’s responsibility to make themselves job ready and for that they have to cultivate their skills required for employability.

Swami Vivekananda always used to say that “Education is the manifestation of perfection already in men”, “We are all powerful, and we can do everything”.[9]



information. Designing a web page. Programming. Technical Skills: knowledge of specific techniques. E.g. NMR, chromatography, practical lab. Skills developed on placements. [10]

Employers, universities and professional bodies should agree that we need to develop professionals who are highly skilled and ready to face the challenges of increased competition. More than ever we need professionals who are responsive to economic, social, cultural, technical and environmental change and can work flexibly and intelligently across business contexts VIII. CONCLUSION Employability is a two-sided equation and many individuals need various forms of support to overcome the physical and mental barriers to learning and development (i.e. updating their assets). Employability is not just about vocational and academic skills. Individuals need relevant and usable labour market information to help them make informed decisions about the labour market options available to them. They may also need support to realize when such information would be useful and to interpret that information and turn it into intelligence. Finally people also need the opportunities to do things differently, to access relevant training and most crucially employment.

Figure :1 Student’s employability skill So continuing with same students should develop following skill to make them employable.  Analytical skills: the ability to debate and argue a case interpreting complex material; picking out inconsistencies in reasoning; analyzing data from an experiment.  Written Communication: expressing yourself clearly, using language with precision; constructing a logical argument; writing reports; proper writing up of experiments and projects.  Verbal Communication: entering into discussion and debate in seminars; expressing yourself clearly and confidently; thinking quickly.  Investigating: gathering material for essays; comparing sources of information and selecting from them to support your argument; using databases to search for material; researching for a project.  Numeracy: interpreting and constructing statistics; analysing data and presenting it in graphical format.  Planning and Organizing: managing the workload of several courses simultaneously; meeting essay deadlines; designing and carrying out surveys; balancing academic work with extracurricular activities and/or employment.  Teamwork: group projects, seminars.  Information Technology: entering data onto a spreadsheet, using the Internet to find

IX.

REFERENCES 1.

http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/AcademicStud entAffairs/CentreforEducationalDevelopment/Fil estoreDONOTDELETE/Filetoupload,157084,en. pdf 2. https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrde ringDownload/RB85.pdf 3. Palit A. Skills Development in India: Challenges and Strategies. Institute of South Asian Studies Working Paper. 4. http://www.1994group.ac.uk/documents/public/0 91106_BeyondTheCurriculum.pdf 5. http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/s ubjects/ics/enhancing_employability_early_engag ement.pdf 6. http://www.forbesmarshall.com/PressRoom.aspx ?pressid=102 7. http://www.cisco.com/web/IN/about/network/enh ancing_employability.html 8. http://www.hanover.edu/about/news?a=2762 9. http://www.indiaeducationreview.com/article/nee d-focus-developing-employability-skills-ourengineering-graduates 10. http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/skillsdevelop.ht m

An Application of Integrated Approach towards Employability Brijesh Kumar Pandey Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India brijambitious@gmail.com.com Dipti Nashine Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India dipti.nashine@gmail.com Sudarshan Sirsat Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India sirsat.sudarshan@gmail.com Abstract: This paper provides the information about application of integrated approach towards employability. We have applied the integrated system in education and industry through students to enhance the employability. The shortage of appropriately skilled employee across many industries is emerging as a significant and complex challenge to India's future economic growth. Enhancing employability is a function of organization. It caters the professional needs of the organization. It consists of development of many educational activities through which an organization can improve the employability. However it required multiple (technical, conceptual, human, soft, etc.) skills among the employee. It will be possible only when academic curriculum will be designed and developed according to the current requirement of the various industries. Moreover simultaneously it required positive perception from the student side, organization, and academia. Therefore integrated approach can be applied for curriculum development considering the need of student, academic and industry. Keywords: Integrated System; Benefits of integrated system; three way approach; To create an effective system all the basic elements of the system like academic, industry, students should interact among themselves. This makes an integrated system. This system includes the exploration of new packaging technologies as well as development of new human resources and transfer of knowledge both by working with companies and academic institutes as well.

I. INTRODUCTION OF INTEGRATED APPROACH Integrated system has been on the forefront of the IT sector in the past years. Researchers and practitioners differ in their definition of systems integration; they generally agree that systems integration is difficult and complicated. System integration means different things to different category of people. Getting entry in any organization could be an objective but for sustainability requires skills. Now skills required by an organization depend upon the nature of work you have being assigned too. But stills some common skills are required for every organization for personal as well as organizational growth. Integrated System is the bringing together of the component subsystems into one system and ensuring that the subsystems function together as a system. All the subsystems work efficiently to make overall system more effective. A system is an aggregation of subsystems cooperating so that the system is able to deliver the overarching functionality. System integration involves integrating existing often disparate systems. System integration is also about adding value to the system, capabilities that are possible because of interactions between subsystems. In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s connected world, the integrated system has become more and more important: more and more systems are designed to connect, both within the system under construction and to systems that are already deployed.

Figure 1. Integrated System for academic â&#x20AC;&#x201C;industry &student II. BENEFITS OF INTEGRATED SYTEM The integrated systems provide benefits to all the sub systems which are directly related with the system and to

those also which are indirectly related. In this application we will see these benefits.  Educated human resources in future and emerging technologies of strategic importance.  Any new application designed by any of the functional sub component within the integrated system can be shared and reused within the whole system.  Seamless flow of information between sub systems.  Greater co-operation between all the components.  Ability to add greater value to each individual functional sub system.  More knowledge about overall functionality of the sub system.  Greater chance of understanding business/market trends.

Figure 2 illustrates the layer of interaction among the industry, academic and Institute. This interaction process must resolve various issues of employability generated at different level. The objective of interaction process is to understand the need of Industry, Academic and Students. Proper understanding of needs will help to plan different skill development program to make students who are highly employable. This interaction process must also have an effective feedback mechanism among Industry, Academic and Student. IV. THREE WAY APPROACH A. Academic During the academic period Academic Institution can provide some of programme by which a student can gain better understanding of Industry requirement. 

III. INTERACTION LAYER FOR ENHANCING EMPLOYABILITY Employability skills are the skills for everyone needs to do for any kind of job. They are the skills that make specific knowledge and technical skills fully productive. Skills can be Technical, Human and Conceptual. It depends upon the organization what they want from there employee but some of the common skills which are required for the organizational growth as well as employee growth. These skills can be identified and developed with total involvement of all stakeholders such as: Industry, Academic and student. It requires intensive, all inclusive interaction.

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Student Exchange Programme-student can share their knowledge through student exchange programme. Industrial Training –Students can learn more about current industries requirement and they will be familiar with industry work culture. University Syllabus-University should design the course curriculum as per current trend of industry so that students employability increases and he/she can be productive from the day one at there work place with minimum or no training required. It helps the employer to reduce their talent acquisition cost and increase overall productivity of organization. International Collaborations- According to the US Institute of International Education, which led the US delegation in India, "higher education institutions in the United States and India are increasingly seeking out partnerships with counterparts to enhance academic collaboration, expand curricular offerings, advance joint research, and prepare their students with the international experiences and cross-cultural tools needed in their careers." Foreign language skills Build an institutional culture that promotes employability Invest in the capacity of staff to develop employability skills

B. Student

Figure 2. Interaction layer among academic-industry and student

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Students play very important role in the integrated system. In order to pursue promising and successful career in Organization they need to inculcate following personality traits: Self-management-Self-Management is the ability to manage our personal reactions to responsibilities and challenges in work and life. This involves managing our time and adapting to changing situations. It requires us to reflect on our experiences and their effect on our physical and mental state. Self-management requires the background skills of Self-awareness, Planning

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and monitoring, Time Management, Flexibility and Self-appraisal. Self-Discipline-Self-discipline is the ability to reject instant gratification, in favor of something better and of more value. It is the ability to give up instant pleasure and satisfaction for a higher goal. It is also the ability of the individual to stick to actions, thoughts, and behavior, until success is achieved. Knowledge about a chosen career- To be successful in any chosen career or objective we require a specialized knowledge of the relevant subject. To have an all round good general knowledge is great but it does not necessarily mean we can reach our potential in our chosen profession. To get the best out of our self our knowledge needs to be specific to a certain field or niche and needs to be supported by a definite plan that is focused on achieving certain goals. Positive attitude-Having and maintaining a positive attitude is vital for success in life and business. Sure we need skills, but we can learn skills - in fact a positive attitude will make it much more likely that we will learn the skills necessary to succeed. If we take two people with an equal skill set the person with the better attitude will win. Positive attitude towards the work for an employee is essential through that productivity will increase. Relevant work experience-Relevant experience is previous experience that is relevant for the job for which we are applying. Through Industrial training student can get relevant experience, during the education period so he/she will be familiar with work environment and current technology. Problem solving- The term problem solving is used in many disciplines, sometimes with different perspectives, and often with different terminologies. For instance, it is a mental process in psychology and a computerized process in computer science. Team work- Teamwork is a joint action by a group of people, in which each person subordinates his or her individual interests and opinions to the unity and efficiency of the group. This does not mean that the individual is no longer important; however, it does mean that effective and efficient teamwork goes beyond individual accomplishments. The most effective teamwork is produced when all the individuals involved harmonize their contributions and work towards a common goal. Teamwork has become an important part of the working culture and many businesses now look at teamwork skills when evaluating a person for employment. Most companies realize that teamwork is important because either the product is sufficiently complex that it requires a team with multiple skills to produce, and/or a better product will result when a team approach is

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taken. Therefore, it is important that students learn to function in a team environment so that they will have teamwork skill when they enter the workforce. Also, research tells us that students learn best from tasks that involve doing tasks and involve social interactions. Collaborative work should be included in almost every organization, but some organization struggle with having employee work cooperatively. There are a number of reasons for this struggle, which include the need to develop good team exercises and the added difficulty in assessing the individual performance of the team members. This is where understanding how to teach effective teamwork becomes a crucial task for the organization. Employee should be able to work in team as well as individual, so he can motivate the team and take the organization to the next level. Business customer awarenessBusiness awareness covers a range of skills and competencies relating to business activities. It relates not only to commercial practices, but also to the wider environment in which they take place, with which you will be familiar.

C. Industry Industry must be proactive in identifying potential candidates assess them and provide them required training by setting.  Bangalore-based Mindlogicx InfoTech, an R&Dbased technology company, in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Association of Indian Universities (AIU) launched the Universities of India 2010, a platform to improve education system in India  Industry should provide framework for making the engineering and technical graduates readily employable, marrying skill development and formal education.  Assess students from different courses, and thereby their suitability for certain partnerships and projects.  Organization must create an assessment programme for courses offered at technology and engineering colleges.  Organization should come forward and make partnership with educational institutions to make the pass-outs more suitable and better prepared for employment.  Industry should come forward to make a consortium with government and higher educational institution to address the current requirement of industry and make the course curriculum as per current industry requirement and make the student industry ready.  There has always been a disconnection between the formal education system and skill development programs. We belief is that a dual model needs to be adopted. We have seen it being

adopted in countries like Germany successfully. That is really the future

Students must put their sincere effort to enhance their employability skills with positive attitude by developing their Technical, Conceptual and Human skills.

V. CONCLUSION In this paper we presented the concept of integrated approach applied in the Student-Industry-Academic system. By using this approach the employability can be enhanced. Our institutes must be agile and be able to adapt to the changing environment, update curriculum, be in the forefront of research and knowledge creation and ensure that students are Industry ready. Industry must enable institutes to design a comprehensive program for enhancing the employability of students by providing the guidelines and helping them in understanding the current Industry requirement up finishing schools.

VI.

REFERENCESS 1.

2. 3.

4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Mike Rake “The Employability Challenge UK Commission for Employment and Skills ,”1 April 2008. Alison Morris “UK Commission for Employment and Skills” , 2 December 2009. Benjamin Chan Yin-Fah, Azlina Mohd Khir”Enhancing Graduate Employability: Issues, Concerns and The way forward”21-22 July 2009. Wikipedia.org www.success.co.ua www.dumblittleman.com www.universityworldnews.com www.gcu.ac.uk.

Technological Environment and Higher Education Dr. Prakash P. Joshi, Director, Atharva Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai Prof. Neeta Bhatt, Faculty Atharva Institute of Management Studies, Research Scholar, JJTU Abstract: The education environment in today’s time is dominated by the emergence of new technologies. New trends and new concepts of teaching have come into use and have affected the teaching processes and methodologies up to a large extent. The information technology has improved the teaching pattern and made it easier and more understandable. The communication has become much simpler and related topic details are made more easily available for further study. As a matter of fact, with the growth in technology, the drastic change in the teaching can be witnessed. Keywords: Information Technology, CAVI, Computer Networks, computers for pedagogy is also insignificant. The reason for this low use may be due to lack of technical support to the faculty for developing computer aided material and availability of relevant hardware and software. However, in some of the institutions, serious efforts have been made to use computer for model building which can be used as a pedagogical tool. An explosive growth in technology, on the other hand, is providing a new wave of teaching tools-computer aided video-instruction (CAVI), hypermedia, multimedia, CD- ROM, LANS, Internet connections and collaborative software environment. Video-conferencing and Internet allow people to communicate more effectively for pleasure, business and learning. Accessed through the World Wide Web, the Internet brings people a range and quality of information that would be impossible to find through any other source. The emerging technology incorporates the group qualities of interactive, incorporates the group qualities of interactive, classroom-based learning while providing individual students the flexibility to participate in the educational programmes at their own time and pace. Conductive to self-effective solution to the dilemma of delivering education to remote areas. Unimaginable advances in knowledge and its synthesis characterize today’s age, resulting in major changes in the objectives, contents and methods of higher education. The world has now entered an information age and the developments in communication, information and technology have opened up new vista in higher education so as to meet the demand of information explosion, fastchanging nature of occupation explosion, fast-changing nature of occupation and life-long education. With the rapid pace of technological development that commenced with the development of microprocessor in 1973, information is being created and communicated at a very fast speed around the world. The most recent impetus to microprocessor development is the Internet, particularly the World Wide Web. Internet is considered a technological, social and cultural phenomenon that has brought out fundamental changes in handling the information that is useful for education and research. Communication has a long history, as long as that of the human race. At the primitive stage, people developed simple ways and means of communication. In

INTRODUCTION The buzzword of the 21st century is Telematics. It denotes the emergence of new technologies of communication and most significantly, the telematic revaluation. Globalization and communication technologies have caused and resulted in the growth of each other and have influenced one another in complex and multiple ways. New trends in education have also come, and new challenges have been thrown up to be reckoned with. At the same time, there is an indisputable need to maintain continuity, change and growth, all at once! Society has been credited with creating technology, but technology is simultaneously creating technology is beginning to exercise a benevolent tyranny over human kind. People have become ‘Compulsive Information Consumers’ who favour the passive reception of information as a form of entertainment. The nature and application computer technology are continued to expand rapidly over the range of resources available for any subject-specific learning. Telamatic revolution has brought in revolutionary transformation and drifted the whole lifestyle of people. No area is left untouched by information technology. We have arrived at a global village concept with all virtual realities on the desktop. But still teacher education has largely remained unaffected by this. Information technology has long been at the top of the agenda for action in the Indian educational system. Developments in the service sector and information-leaned society require young people to be so equipped, that all of them can take part on an equal footing in the field of education as a whole, and teacher education in particular is quite central. We already have positive experience in involving information technology in teacher education. A survey was conducted by Gujarat University, Bhartidasan University and Aligar Muslim University in the State of Gujarat, Tamilanadu and Uttar Pradesh respectively to find how computers were used in pedagogy. Most of the computer time as indicated by the survey, was spent in teaching computer courses. The number of institutions where computers are used as a teaching aid is insignificant. As the institutions are not using computers for pedagogy, the research carried out in the use of

 Basic knowledge and skills in the use of information and communication technology as an instrument in the daily preparation and teaching activities.  The experience of various methods for evaluating the quality of IT-based and technology supported learning, teaching and education. New teaching environment and forms of study will help to promote initiatives by which teaching in, about and through IT can be integrated into courses based on learning carried out in classroom and on individual basis. Emphasis must be laid so as to create new interactive learning environment and changed conditions of education, with a view for promoting process and participant-oriented learning, variations in the form of teaching, the development of new methods of evaluation and of expected to contribute new experience in the development of a common foundation of knowledge about the interaction of IT and development of technologysupported learning. New form of evaluation is expected to promote initiatives having the purpose of examining the potential technology-supported learning in relation to the development of new form in current and final evaluations, including examination, tests and other forms of evaluation examination, tests and other forms of evaluation based on the participants’ own goals of learning. It will certainly be interesting to examine and develop the new potential for storage, interaction and documentation that are part of technology-supported learning. Since new forms of evaluation must be made to interact with the development of new form of study and teaching. The integration of IT and the development of technology-supported learning can contribute to the further development of the relationship between theory and practice in teaching/training. New forms of dialogue based on telecommunications can create an increased interaction between theoretical reflections which are part of the teaching and the learning at colleges of education, university departments, and the learning in practice which takes place during teaching practice. Correspondingly, the development of technology-supported learning can contribute to the creation of new opportunities for flexible, further training for teachers in institutions where they are employed. The relationship between theoretical reflection and learning through practice can be changed in such a way that an increasing part is played by actual educational needs, co-operating teams and participant-oriented working methods. It will be interesting to study and develop the possibilities of creating interaction between several target groups. Experimental initiatives that seek to create a synergy effect in the development of technologysupported learning can contribute significantly in the development of the common basis of knowledge. There is a need to provide in service training to all teachers and teacher-educators with updated computer education skills and IT know-how to utilize the facilities to access updated information and solutions to their areas of specialization. A virtual teacher education centre can be created. All necessary skills and training can be provided in different

due course of time, new and sophisticated technologies were invented and used to expand the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently across longer distances even longer periods of time. The invention of printing technology was a revolution in the area of communication technology. It was, however, first used for reproduction of religious works. As early as 868 A.D., the teaching of Lord Buddha was printed by the Chinese. It took centuries before the merchandised printing press came into existence and first newspaper, the London Gazette, came out in 1665. Due to advancement in communication technologies, the processes of printing become mechanical. More recently, computer and laser technology were added to printing technology. Today, we have the most sophisticated electronic devices to produce, store, maintain and distribute the printed texts. The first printing press in India came by chance on September 6, 1956. It was set up by a Christian Missionary and used for printing religious books. The audio-visual media are the product of the Twentieth Century. The audio media came in the 1920s and grew very fast after the World War II. They are now used for entertainment, education and information all over the World. The visual media came later in the sequence but expanded very fast. Now, more sophisticated technologies, such as video cassettes, cable TV, computer, video text, video disc, videophone, facsimile etc. are used for communication the world over. The communication satellites are geared to bring the world together for the welfare are geared to bring the world together for the welfare of human beings. The growth and transfer of technology is confronted with a number of problems. The factors such as political will, economic strength of a society, cultural determinants, technological complexities and the educational system itself, influence the growth and utilization of communication technologies. These factors play very important roles in developing countries for both expertise and financial assistance. A strategy for Information Technology in training of teacher must take into account the fact that there are several target groups- students –teachers, teachers at college and heads of these institutions where commitment is necessary if lasting results are to be obtained through follow- up activities. It is important that students, teachers, teachers are colleges of education and teachers of universities should be encouraged and enabled to achieve the IT qualifications through teacher training programmes at different levels. In this context, the following points can be reckoned with. Teachers must have a basic qualification including IT related topics from the viewpoint of their professional, pedagogic and didactic considerations. It this goal is to be achieved, it will require that teachers have the following qualifications:  General knowledge of how IT helps education.  Knowledge of methods and concepts in IT based, technology-supported learning, teaching and education.

models on the network. IT should incorporate all the available IT facilities like telecommunication, teleconferencing, floppy diskettes and CD-ROM in teaching. Networks like Ernet, Internet and the futuristic concept of bringing satellite channel directly to home (DTH) service and expert talks through classrooms can also be made available. At par with libraries, banks and research network, teacher education centres should also have a separate network. This enables them to exchange information, style of functioning, new strategies and experiments and innovation in their fields. There will be a possibility for a standardized system of training. Teachers must be given excellent training in setting and grading the question papers and preparing assignments. These can be used in teaching training networks. Excellent simulated models can be made available to access the network. Teaching in higher education mostly concentrates on giving information which is not the sole objective of higher education. The objectives are multidimensional in nature, so as to achieve all these, the appropriate methods should be used in an integrated manner. It is an accepted fact that not a single teacher is capable of giving up-todate and complete information on his subject. IT can fill this important gap because it can provide access to different sources of information. It will provide information correctly, as comprehensively as possible, in different formats, with different examples. IT provides this facility so that learners can exchange their presentation of the contents which help learners in concentration and better understanding and long retention of information which is not possible otherwise. The super highway and cyber space also help in qualitative improvement of teaching-learning process. Internet facilities should be made available to research students and teacher educators. All the departments should have Internet connectivity. The networking of research bases and the creation of information highways have already changed the methodologies of research. Today, a research worker has access to unlimited information and is exposed to awider spectrum of ideas and concepts. A researcher can conduct research in collaboration with his/her counterpart from other countries. The research data sharing analysis and interpretation has improved to a great extent. It has improved the reliability of research findings. Consequently, acceptability has also increased. With research contribution getting much exposure, improvement in quality can be foreseen. Today, a faculty member and a researcher have a different modus operandi for learning and research in their areas. In addition to the print material they generally have: i) An e-mail address of the library or the department; ii) Connection with on-line e-print archive, dealing with ongoing research in their respective areas with access to the World Wide Web and other databases on the Internet. Usage can get daily listing of research titles and the abstracts. iii) Access to data transmission lines, terminal and laser printers;

iv) Access to electronic library as a gateway to knowledge; v) Access to global reference room via internet; vi) Access to electronic journals and books. Quality of information and the number of scholars and researchers have grown in geometrical progression during the last hundred years. If the quantity changes, the quality changes in our higher education? People in our universities have to probe into this phenomenon. Over the ages teaching techniques have changed for better understanding by learners. IT has also influenced and variated it. In teaching techniques, there is lesser emphasis today on the education and intellectual impact as such, and more emphasis on the very process of search for objective knowledge, with a spirit of inquiry by the learning. The Gutenberg revolution, centuries ago, shifted oral method of teaching to self study by individual students. Now IT and multimedia have changed the pattern of teaching where the learner uses technology through critical thinking, to manipulate and query data in newer ways instead of just lecturing or reading activity. In this IT era, we have moved from old reading activity. In this IT era, we have moved from old practice of memorizing facts to discovering data and information; and synthesizing them for problem solving. Learning understands of concepts as against memorization alone for examinations. It is problem solving. Learning should enable one to use what one has learned. Learning requires active involvement of the learned. Learning requires active involvement of the learner in the learning process as against passively absorbing the information. Elements of learning cover reading, thinking analyzing, education, meditation, writing work and discussion etc. Learning requires discovery of relevant information through navigational techniques out of various sources- print and non-print material. Hypertext and hypermedia assist in linking the source of learning, if proper navigation is done. There is much information today which a teacher has to encounter. The Sheer volume of information becomes unmanageable until librarian assist through reference techniques and filtering devices in learning processes. Research today understands of ideas, activity and text, by evaluating their context or frame of reference. In research, there is greater emphasis on general theories and on novelty. It is often focused on the present or recent past. Quantitative methods have regenerated social sciences during the later part of the twentieth century. Expressions of everyday life in a society or region have no emphasis in modern research. The definition and scope of â&#x20AC;&#x153;informationâ&#x20AC;? have become wider in present day research covering non-print materials. Technology makes research more convenient and efficient. It connects and helps in synthesizing disparate bits of information in print as well as electronic information. Both are available in various sources crossing the boundaries of a specitic library. There has to be co-operative arrangement in providing for information needs of researchers and learners. Research today, in many areas, touches or covers almost all disciplines. Modern research requires navigational tools and filtering of information electronically and

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professionally, by generating tools and by developing filters. Packaging and dissemination of print and electronic information has to be done by a modern librarian. Libraries are required to support teaching learning nad research by incorporating electronic and digital information and professional skills. Finding out relevant information in an electronic organization in general, and in the Internet in particular depends on the structure of the software, which in turn stands on the five facets viz., queries, filters, spatial navigation, links and agents. Software works in these five stages to pinpoint a user-specific subject for providing information. These stages provide editorial services for identifying a user’s need. These steps also minimize garbage or noise. It is this sector of software engineering which needs help from the theories of knowledge classification for individualizing one specific subject out of many subjects or one specific subject out of many subjects or one document out of many documents. The librarians could be of help to software engineers in developing efficient services to users. The new generation of technology promises more than an improvement in educational productivity. It may ultimately deliver a qualitative change in the quality of learning itself. The shift to an information age requires school to teach students a different set of skills than those emphasized in the models based on earlier pedagogy. The intellectual skills become increasingly centered on analysis, synthesis and evaluation with the easy accessibility of tremendous amount of information and the possibility of multiple option in the presentation of that information, being able to select the best option from the menu of choices, analyse the data implications, synthesize with open knowledge and evaluate its outcome. Thus, the portions of education that stress fluency in lower order congnitive skills will gradually be de-emphasized in favour of building proficiency in high-order abilities. The technology-based teaching echoes a new way of thinking in educational theory. It acts as a powerful enabling device to promote active learning and open new learning approaches. The use of new techniques that involve two way students-teacher interaction, studentsstudent interaction and inter-disciplinary approaches is gradually replacing the one-way information flow-typical of traditional classrooms where a teacher addresses a group of passive students. Apart from synchronous, face to face instructor-students interaction in a distance-based tele-conferencing, there is enormous potential for asynchronous interaction between instructor and students via e-mails, bulletin boards and electronic publishing. The synchronicity provides an opportunity to the group members to reflect on the issues and prepare responses offline. This delay between the receipt of stimuli and responses in synchronous situations is said to contribute favorably to critical thought. It also provides an opportunity to all members of a group to contribute to a conversation at their own schedule as asynchronous classrooms operate virtually twenty-four hours a day. Online communication thus offers the advantage of place and time independence. The changed mode of delivery of instruction is increasingly conducted electronically and

enables educational institution to integrate many aspects of education that have long been segregated in separate buildings. The electronic access to online data base and library catalogue eliminates the need for much reference space but it may increase the need for computer disk space. Another significant characteristic of the online education is the possibility of ‘many to many’ communication that facilitates group learning. Any student can communicate with all students in a group, network or conference and each student, in turn, can reply not only to the sender but to everyone in the network-a situation drastically different from the traditional teacher to studenta one-way exchange where teacher lectures and students passively absorb information. Defeating the downward communication channel from the teacher to students, the dynamics of ‘many to many’ communication provides an opportunity for every student to have an equal chance to participate irrespective of status and role. The democratic element inherent in online communication is the strength of on-line education. Students can not hide by sitting in back rows. On the other hand, the lack of their uninvolved group member literally disappears. The interaction in online education tends to be more evenly distributed as a student does not physically attend class and may be engaged somewhere spatially. The role of the teacher in the neo-education process would also change. Instead of lecturing, he/she would be advising or coaching students on issues such as choosing materials, topics and career paths. As computers take over routine ‘busy-work’ chores of record-keeping and information management, his job would become less boring and instead would demand more creativity and imagination. Given the vast amount of information available, there is a tendency for learners to get lost in ‘hyperspace’. Large amount of easily accessible information increases the possibility of cognitive overload and the evidence suggests that many learners do not posses the higher order skills necessary to make informed judgment regarding as to which options to pursue (Carrier, 1984). Access to and availability of information are not in themselves, particularly satisfying educational goals. The skills which enable learners to know where to find information, what question to ask and what is the significance of the information obtained are considerably more significant. Understanding these questions are fundamental issues of educational philosophy which address whether students should learn through browsing the available information or by staying on task with clearly defined objectives. Educational and teaching philosophies will determine which scenario is preferable, though the current educational practices emphasis the importance of basic skills mastry and a product-oriented approach that is at odds with the open-ended, explanatory possibilities offered by online education. II. TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION: THE INDIAN SCENARIO The University Grants Commission (UGC), National Council of Educational Research and Training

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(NCERT) and Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) are using satellite bond to the national network for various educational programmes. India Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is also transmitting educational programmes over the national network to reach out to distance learners. There is no possibility of interaction in satellite broadcasting such as students can not ask questions and can not get the clarifications. Now there is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;talk-backâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; terminal available; the phone call or the audio channel from the classroom can come back to the studio and the teachers sitting there can listen to the students who may be anywhere in the country and thereby answer their questions. Now the students can send a question through fax and e-mail. IGNOU uses this satellite and then it is received by 150 receiving terminals at the various regional centres and study centres. This has been the major advantage of having access to outstanding and excellent resource person over the country and a student can ask questions and the resource person can answer them. This kind of network could be used by all the Open Universities to mange transaction among regional centres, study centres and distance learners. All India Management Association uses this network of conducting diploma programmes. The National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) use this technology for training lacs of primary school teachers and that too in regional languages. This is a programme called Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and almost every village has an ICDS worker who is a village woman from the same or nearby village. This technology is used for training, 500,000 ICDS workers and Panchayat Raj Groups. The UGC has used it for special training programme on new communication technologies orienting its staff at various EMRCS. This Particular network, namely the INSAT system, covers no only India, but also most of the adjoining countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives to some extent.

through continuous qualitative improvement. This process of improvement has gathered enough momentum to bring qualitative transformation not only to the distance education system but also to restructure the present university education system entirely. It is expected that in the coming decade or two, most of the universities will get restructured into virtual Universities of this new genre, where the distinctions between on-campus and off-campus, full time and part time, and local and distance education students will almost vanish. It is also expected that restructuring will be neither easy, nor simple, nor uniform. In addition, it would have some distinct local customization in quality or quantity. In India, the education is primarily the responsibility of the State, and at present, it is not at all able to fulfill the social demand of education, neither in quality nor in quantity. In the last couple of decades the private sector has been encouraged to setup educational institutions and a large number of such institutions for higher education have been set up. These institutions could not produce professionals up to the expected quality level. In addition, India has to face continuous shortage of high quality staff in the fields of information technology, medical sciences, etc, as good teacher in IT sector shifted to other developed countries. We strongly feel that the social demand of higher education, in such a large quantity with appropriate quality, can not be solved through the education delivery mode of the present university system. The concept of the Net University, a two-tier virtual university, can satisfy the present societal demand of higher education. We also propose that each university of repute must co-operate and co-ordinate with a few universities and institutions to build a Net University so that with the good number of quality staff, large number of quality professionals can be produced and trained without any geographical constraint or relocation.

III. THE NET UNIVERSITY: AN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE The university education system is expected to go through a revolutionary structural change in the coming decade or two. More than two decades ago, the distance education appeared as an evolutionary extension of the university to cover students who either can not commit their full time to studies or can not co-locate themselves with University or College town. In the recent past with the integration of computer and communication technology, continuous decrease in the price of personal computers, along with the explosion of the World Wide Web, the nature of the distance education system is going

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IV. REFERENCES 1. 2. 3.

Mohanty Jagannath, Teacher Education, Deep & Deep Publications Pvt. Ltd. Mangal S. K, Advanced Educational Psychology, Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd. Edt. Rao Sudha K, Educational Policies in India, Nstional Institute of Educational Planning and Administration Gupta S. C., Emerging Challenges in Education, Arya Book Depot

Significance of Employability Skills and Solutions to Enhance Employability for Students P.Isakki alias Devi Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India dhevimani@rediffmail.com Abstract: Educational institutions need to create employable graduates to meet the challenges of an increasingly globalised world. Employers recruit graduates who have employability skills. This paper highlights the importance of employability skills for IT and postgraduate students in IT industry. The students must have analytical and critical thinking. However, as participation in higher education continues to increase, new graduates may find the employment market more competitive. This paper also suggests possible solutions to enhance the employability. More internship training, frequent industrial visit, implementation of real time projects and practical training from corporate are the good solutions to enhance employability. Keywords: Employability; global; team work; self evaluation; self learning; problem solving skills. I.

INTRODUCTION To successfully gain employment, new graduates need to be capable of operating in a global workplace, proficient in the soft skills commonly associated with professional environments such as working in teams comprising experts from different disciplines and nationalities. IT and postgraduate students are needed to be able to contextualize and complement their traditional knowledge and skills with further knowledge of the multidimensional impacts on and influences of a complex and globalised world. First, we need to identify the global employability skills and knowledge gap and then enable the students to first recognize and then address their personal employability skills deficit. II.

KEY EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS The following are the key employability skills for the development of IT and postgraduate students.  Communication skills  Team work  Self evaluation  Problem-solving skills  Self learning  Technical skills  Analytical and critical thinking Although development of these key skills is well embedded in most courses, students often fail to value them or to relate them to an employment context. New initiatives place increased emphasis on encouraging students to relate these essential skills to their future employment. Academics can help students to do this by embedding skills development activities that are clearly employment orientated. In a timely article on transferable skills Burke identify two different approaches to skills development, those that closely mimic the work environment (high fidelity) and those focusing on cognitive skills (low fidelity) [3]. College students consistently list interesting and challenging work as the most important characteristic they seek in a job [1].

If it is acknowledged that both the development of a student's theoretical knowledge base and his/her capacity to apply this theory in a professional context are of equal importance, then there needs to be a focus on the simultaneous development of both academic and employability skills and attributes. Moreover, these skill sets should not to be seen as opposing, as they often have an underlying common theme that allows greater connections than may first be apparent. Indeed it has been argued that academic and employability skills are the same, and should not be viewed as oppositional. Research on this topic also supports the notion that both academic and employability skills can be embedded in the curriculum [4]. One Company states that “We need to maintain a professional attitude to our work, our quality of design and our considered use of technology [5]. Work placements are a valuable way of helping students to develop work related skills and are highly regarded by potential employers. Those students unable to secure a work placement can be disadvantaged when competing with those who have undertaken placements. Even those students returning from an industrial placement may have gained variable experience due to the wide diversity in the placement experience. Therefore, the provision of department-based activities designed to develop employability skills and career awareness can be justified for all students. The University Learning and Teaching Strategy identify both employability and internationalization as key themes [8][9]. Employability skills cover the following areas:

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Developing key transferable skills

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Planning and personal development skills

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Career planning and gaining employment

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Successfully contributing to the role once acquired

Continuing to develop within a career throughout their working lifetime A. Communication Skills An important aspect of learning is for students to be able to communicate what they know, or think they know. The best way for teachers to encourage communication from all students is through classroom discussion or small group work. Teachers need to encourage their students to verbalize their own knowledge so that they can learn more efficiently. Students on the listening end also benefit from hearing their classmates explanations. When students listen to each other, they often benefit from hearing concepts being explained from different points and in ways that might be closer the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way of thinking. When students listen effectively, they generate questions to further thinking and learning. In order to have good discussions, teachers need to provide problems that have multiple solutions or methods of solution. These types of problems are best in simulating discussion, creativity and risk taking. When teachers are trying to encourage a meaningful discussion it is crucial that they give their students plenty of time to respond and think about what they want to say. The students must present seminar without any stage fear. They need to practice for the seminars. It will be useful for their career. Another way to encourage students to communicate, especially if they are too shy to speak up, is to have them journal. Research suggests that dialogue journals provide a purposeful activity in which students communicate their thoughts and feelings. It is important that teachers collect these journals and respond to them. The teacher doesn't necessarily need to evaluate them, but she/he could ask the students questions to further their thinking. Such as, "Why do you think that?", "What could be another reason?", and so on. Students can also exchange journals to share their ideas and get responses from others Debate is another way teachers can provide their students with the opportunity to practice their communication skills. Research suggests that debate encourages different types of responses, helps students to develop convincing arguments, and allows teachers and students to learn from one another. This also encourages students to back up what they believe and it allows teachers to really get a good idea of what kind of conceptual knowledge students have about certain topics. B. Team Work Teamwork is defined in Webster's New World Dictionary as "a joint action by a group of people, in which each person subordinates his or her individual interests and opinions to the unity and efficiency of the group." Students can rate their group working most highly of all of the weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sessions in a question relating to their development as a student and graduate engineer [6]. The most effective teamwork is produced when all the individuals involved harmonize their contributions and work towards a common goal. There are actually stages of team growth and teams must be given time to work through the stages and become effective. Team growth can be separated into three stages.

Stage 1: Forming. When a team is forming, members cautiously explore the boundaries of acceptable group behavior. They search for their position within the group and test the leader's guidance. It is normal for little team progress to occur during this stage. Stage 2: Storming. Storming is probably the most difficult stage for the group. Members often become impatient about the lack of progress, but are still inexperienced with working as a team. Members may argue about the actions they should take because they faced with ideas that are unfamiliar to them and put them outside their comfort zones. Much of their energy is focused on each other instead of achieving the goal. Stage 3: Performing. By this stage the team members have discovered and accepted each other's strengths and weaknesses, and learned what their roles are. Members are open and trusting and many good ideas are produced because they are not afraid to offer ideas and suggestions. They are comfortable using decision making tools to evaluate the ideas, prioritize tasks and solve problems. Much is accomplished and team satisfaction and loyalty is high. Since working as part of a team can improve learning and is a much needed skill in today's workplace, some team exercises should be included in the classroom. With well planned out tasks, careful guidance, and close observation, instructors can make team exercises extremely valuable learning experiences. C. Self-Evaluation In order to become lifelong learners, students need to learn the importance of self-evaluation. They can do this by filling out self-evaluation forms, journalizing, taking tests, writing revisions of work, asking questions, and through discussions. When students evaluate themselves, they are assessing what they know, do not know, and what they would like to know. They begin to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses. They become more familiar with their own beliefs, and possibly their misconceptions. After they self-evaluate they will be able to set goals that they feel they can attain with the new knowledge they have about themselves. Teachers should encourage self-evaluation because self-assessment makes the students active participants in their education. There are a variety of ways for teachers to provide the students with self-assessments. Research suggests that the simplest tools to encourage student selfassessment are evaluative questions that force students to think about their work. Some examples of these questions include the following: 1. How much time and effort did you put into this? 2. What do you think your strengths and weaknesses were in this assignment? 3. How could you improve your assignment? 4. What are the most valuable things you learned from this assignment? It is important for teachers to model self-assessment too. Teachers need to show their students that it is important for everybody to self-evaluate by doing their own self-evaluations. One thing teachers can do is to ask their students for feedback on how the class is going and

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what the teacher is doing well and not so well. In this way the teacher is showing that they want to make improvements where needed. Teachers could put up a suggestion box, and they can hand out evaluation forms at different times of the year. This shows the students that continuous improvement is important.

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 D. Problem-Solving Skills Employers often identify as being an important quality when hiring college graduates is their problem-solving skills. Students need to develop the ability to apply problem-solving skills when faced with issues or problems that are new to them. The development and use of problem-solving skills also improves learning. The role of the student changes from a passive recipient of information to a participant in the creation of understanding. The problem should captivate students' attention, be meaningful, and allow a wide range of individual responses." Begin with the simple question, "What is data mart?”. Have the students use journals and the chalkboard to record their ideas. Then collectively discuss the ideas and write down a summary of the "best thinking so far" on the subject of heat. Next, say the magic words, "Let's find out" and begin exploring information and experimenting. In this example, the teacher gathered the students' prior knowledge so that he could assess their background and then decide how best to approach the problem. The students could also be given the opportunity to "own" the problem instead of just being given a problem that they may not have interest in or any prior knowledge about. This can be done by simply asking the students what problems they would like to solve. Having a process for solving problems helps to keep efforts focused. Problems solving usually involves the following steps:  Identify the problem  Analyze the problem and gather information  Generate potential solutions  Select and test the solution  Analyze/Evaluate the results Some of the tools used in problem-solving include:  Brainstorming: This technique is used to encourage participation from each member of the team. Brainstorming helps to break people out of the typical mode of approaching things to produce new and creative ideas. It creates a climate of freedom and openness, which encourages an increased quantity of ideas.  Root Cause Analysis ("Five Why's?"): The objective of Root Cause Analysis is to find the fundamental cause for a problem. One way is to ask "Why?" five times or more to really get at the root of the problem.  Cause and Effect Diagrams: This diagram is drawn to represent the relationship between an effect (the problem) and its potential causes. The diagram helps to sort-out and relates the interactions among the factors affecting a process.

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Pareto Charts: A Pareto Chart shows a frequency distribution where each bar on the chart show the relative contribution of contributing problems to the larger problem. It helps to identify where to focus energy to obtain the most positive impact. Flowcharting: A Flowchart is a map that shows all the steps in a process. It helps in understanding the process and making sure all steps in the process are addressed. Decision Matrix: A Decision Matrix is useful when faced with making a difficult decision. The options or alternatives are listed in the left-hand column and the selection criteria are listed across the top row. Each of the options is rated against the selection criteria to arrive at the best logical decision.

E. Self Learning Self-learning is taking in information, processing it, and retaining it without the need for another individual to be teaching it in order for the understanding to occur. Simply stated, self-teaching (or self-learning) requires the ability for a student to work independently. Self-taught students are motivated by the sense of a job well done. They are self-motivated because they have the confidence that if they don’t know an answer to a question, they know how to use the resources available to find out the answer. Self-teaching should be ingraining in the student a concept of continual success, gradual and steady success that results from diligence and the pursuit of excellence. The following figure1 shows the self learning cycle.

Mind-set Feedback

Plan

Outcome Feedback

Achievemen t

Monitor Figure 1. Self Learning Cycle F. Technical Skills As a software developer technical skill is constantly evaluated and tested by managers and co-workers. It’s a topic of your performance review and is the most highlighted topic on your resume. If you fluffed up your resume to land that job you’d better study hard nights and weekends to deliver the goods; this is not a skill you can fake for long. Keeping up with the latest technology is tough and requires many hours of personal time to read about and

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play with the latest and greatest of technology X. Technology moves too fast to keep up with it all so narrow your focus to specific areas of interest and become an expert those areas. Remember that technology is only a tool for implementing software designs. The selected technology, or programming language, should not dictate your software design rather your software design should dictate which technology you use to best implement the design. Students must have a solid understanding and the ability to work in all layers of an application from the user interface to the back end database code. Through their open-minded learning, students will have developed the skills demanded by today's employers [7]. G. Analytical and Critical Thinking Analytical and critical thinking is a key part of university study. Many first year students receive comments such as 'not analytical enough' on their early assignments. In brief, this means looking very closely at the detail and not taking what you read or hear for granted. Tutors will expect you to:  Evaluate how far materials are appropriate, and up-to-date.  Evaluate how far the evidence or examples used in materials really proves the point that the author claims.  To weigh up opinions, arguments or solutions against appropriate criteria.  To think a line of reasoning through to its logical conclusion.  Check for hidden bias or hidden assumptions.  Check whether the evidence and argument really support the conclusions. III. INTERNSHIP TRAINING Internship is a system of on-the-job training for whitecollar and professional careers. Internships for professional careers are similar to apprenticeships for trade and vocational jobs. Although interns are typically college or university students, they can also be high school students or post-graduate adults. Generally, the internship works as an exchange of services for experience between the student and his or her employer. They can also use an internship to determine if they have an interest in a particular career, create a network of contacts, or gain school credit. Some interns also find permanent, paid employment with the companies in which they interned. Thus, employers also benefit as experienced interns need little or no training when they begin full-time regular employment. Practical knowledge will be improved. If more internship programs during vacation, the students will gain more knowledge. IV. INDUSTRIAL VISIT Industrial visit is a part of the professional courses during which students visit companies and get insight on the internal work environment of the company. It also provides an insight on how companies work and also useful information related to the practical aspects of the course which cannot be visualized in lectures.

V. REAL TIME PROJECTS The students must implement more real time projects before their final year project. The academia can give training for the real time implementation. “Agile Methods” is a general title for several recently proposed software development approaches, including Extreme Programming. Academics have given these approaches a cautious welcome [2]. These methods are particularly appropriate where there is uncertainty about the system features, where frequent contact with the customer is guaranteed, and where there are no requirements for high software reliability or for extensive maintenance documentation. The students can implement any project with proper software process models. Students must be familiar with software testing also. If they mention their real time projects in resume, it will be an added advantage for their placement. The following are some real time projects in different area.             

Facial image compression Student information systems Online banking systems Online shopping Finger corporate authentication system with photo identification College admission management system File transfer and LAN chat Video compression and decompression Online discussion forum Spatial query processing over LAN An acknowledgement approach for the detection of routing misbehavior Enhanced security for online exams using group cryptography Robust and efficient password-authenticated key agreement using smart cards for campus management

VI. CORPORATE TRAINING Institutions can give lot of corporate training for IT and post graduate students. The current requirement of industry can be identified by the student through this training. Students can individually evaluate their technical skills. They may able to identify their knowledge. Lack of technical skills can be avoided in future. Many students can be placed in industry through placement cell. VII. CONCLUSION This paper highlights the importance of employability skills for IT and post graduate students. Some students are familiar with theory subjects only. They must improve their employability skills. Technical skills are most important in industries. Institutions can have deal with industries for practical training. More internship training, frequent industrial visit, implementation of real time projects and corporate training are the possible solutions for enhancing the employability skills.

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VIII. REFERENCES 1. 2. 3.

Archer.W & Davison.J, “Graduate Employability: The views of employers”, 2009. Boehm.B, “Get ready for agile methods, with care”, Computer, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp.64-69, Jan 2002. Burke.V, Jones.I, and Doherty.M, “Analysing student perceptions of transferable skills via undergraduate degree programmes”. Active learning in higher education, Vol. 6, No. 2, pp.132-144, 2005. Cox.S, & King.D, ”Skill sets: An approach to embed employability in course design". Education & Training, Vol. 48, No. 4, pp.262-274. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00400910610671933 http://www.redweb.co.uk/approach/quality.asp

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Horn.R, Murray.P, Armstrong.S and RodriguezFalcon. E, Inspiring Global Employability Skills in a 1-week project. The Higher Education Academy STEM Conference, London, April 2012. Shiel.C & Jones.D, “Global Perspectives and Higher Education: taking the agenda forward in a Business School”, The Development Education Journal, Vol. 10.3, pp. 10-12, June 2004. The University Of Sheffield, 2011a. Global Education in a Civic University: Learning & Teaching Strategy pp. 2011-2016. Url: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.91035!/ file/TUOSLTS.pdf (04/04/2012). The University Of Sheffield, 2011b. Sheffield Teaching Assistant. Url: http://www.shef.ac.uk/lets/sta (04/04/10)

Enhancing employability: The importance of industry and academia in improving Basic skills Sreeja.S.S Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India sreeja.s@thakureducation.org Priya Sinha Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India priya.sinha@thakureducation.org Abstract: As technology is advancing, more and more individuals and society rely on technical education. As a result number of institutes and colleges offering technical courses are also increasing. This results in increase of technical graduates in such a high ratio that results in unemployment of IT students. Here comes the importance of enhancing the employability of IT students. Keywords: employability; industry-academic linkage; academicians; enhancing employability; university commitment I.

INTRODUCTION According to NASSCOM, each year over 3 million graduates and post-graduates are added to the Indian workforce. However, of these only 25 percent of technical graduates and 10-15 percent of other graduates are considered employable by the rapidly growing IT and ITES segments. Lack of skilled employees across various industries is emerging as a complex challenge in India’s future [4]. Every year so many graduates and post graduates are passing out but it lacks skilled employees. This creates a gap between pass out students and students getting placed. To avoid this we have to do something to enhance employability. As a result of so many case studies it is noted that a shared mentality of employer and university is required for enhancing employability. A wide variety of factors are there that affect the employability enhancement that can be considered together and can be embedded. II.

EMPLOYABILITY Employability is defined as "A set of skills, knowledge and personal attributes that makes an individual more likely to secure and be successful in their chosen occupations to the benefit of themselves, the work force, the community and the economy.”(Yorkke, 2006)[3] .Employability is about making closer links between education and the world of work [2]. Usually skill development is considered as a secondary activity in academics. But along with academics skill development should also be considered. Then only it will enhance employability. III.

ENHANCING EMPLOYABILITY When we are considering employability, demand – supply gap is emerging. The main problem is that universities are not producing quality products. In India the number of technical colleges is very high and that many students are increasing. Due to this at the same time

the quality of the students are decreasing. Best universities generate few graduates with good quality. To enhance employability three main factors are to be considered A. University commitment B. Working in partnership C. Employer’s Involvement A) University Commitment Universities and educational institutions have been unable to update their syllabi in tune with the high speed changes taking place in the world of technology. Hence, the students churned out are not equipped to meet the current industry requirements and often companies have to incur additional expenses (time and monetary) to train new hires. Besides the technology aspect industries also evaluate competencies ranging soft skills, team building, overall attitude, and values [4]. University has to constantly revise and update syllabus regularly to cope up with the sudden changes in the technology. The syllabus of universities is not up-to-date with the latest technology. By the time a student passes out of the course, technology becomes obsolete. For this, we believe, the initial years of a course must include the subjects that develop basic understanding of students, such as Software Engineering, Management Information System, Mathematical Subject, Basic programming languages etc. In the final phase, more stress should be laid on practical applications of the subjects studied earlier and some latest technologies. In addition to academics parts University has to develop co-curricular activity also. Employers emphasize the importance of basic skills [3]. Universities has to pay attention three main points a. Subject review b. Institutional review c. Conduct national programs on enhancement themes

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Universities have to do subject level review. They have to check whether that particular subject will be useful for the students in their future life. They also have to do institutional review. It is the responsibility of the university to make sure that all institutes coming under them are conducting the course properly. In addition to this university has to conduct national programs on enhancement themes on regular basis. B) Working in partnership This provides a facility for the academicians as well as the students to work together with the industry. Industry in India often looks for consultants in academic community- basically experts who can guide them in solving their problems.[5]. After considerable time together, common issues can be identified and addressed by common research. For this, industry can invite academicians at their facility, interacting with their researchers and practitioners. For this work, academicians can be offered incentives by the industry. This incentive will act as motivation factor for academicians. Both sides need to start spending considerable time with each other, which can be in the form of faculty visits to various industries or vice-versa. This will make faculties aware of the latest technology being used by these industries and students can be trained in such areas to some extent. To provide partnership between industry and students, we can invite experts from industry to evaluate student’s project. Industry people must be called who can give their perspective on practical aspect of their work. Student’s development programs must be conducted by industry people. C) Employer’s Involvement This again refers to partnership between academics and employers. Here we are talking about employer’s responsibility in producing employable graduates. Employers can give suggestion to the universities about the subjects to be included in syllabus. They can ensure whether the schemes are meaningful to produce quality graduates. They can also check whether the co-curricular activities meet their needs in terms of skill development. They can measure the success of these activities by collecting feedback from students, alumni and staff. They can provide facility for the students to contact with employer’s representative. As reported by Lokesh Mehra, Regional Manager, Corporate Responsibility, South Asia, Cisco Systems, many IT companies are partnering with engineering colleges and universities. Infosys has launched a program called 'Campus Connect' to align the education being given at various engineering colleges, with the requirements of the industry. Wipro has also started a program called the Wipro Academy of Software Excellence, in association with BITS (Pilani) to prepare fresh graduates for careers in software programming and provide them with the necessary skills. Many multinationals have also established alliances with academic institutions on specific initiatives covering

faculty up gradation, internships, curriculum revision workshops, research incubation, etc. aggregating the architects of the new global economy.[4]

Fig 1: Enhancing Employability IV.

INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC LINKAGE Traditionally, academia and industry had a producerconsumer relationship, wherein the former produces knowledge and trained human capacity for consumption of later. History of technological evolution shows that most breakthrough industrial innovations had come through advancement in fundamental academic research. Industry, in general, remains apprehensive that majority of academics research bears no or little relevance to them. A study has revealed that academic research is mainly driven by academics needs alone, but it is still possible for industry to extract industrial dividends by skillfully converting them into sizeable technological opportunities through coordination between academics and industry. Industry-academic interaction can take place in various ways. Industry linkage can be established keeping two perspectives in mind, from academician’s point of view and from student point of view. In addition to syllabus updating, universities need to be constantly in touch with the industries. Regular up gradation of syllabus curriculum will generate the manpower in ready to use mode that could be absorbed and utilized by industries. FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS Issues discussed above can be incorporated in our current education system for improved employability. Considering the current scenario of education, if in future we want our students to become more employable, we will have to reform our education system. Here, we will talk about certain issues related to our education system. If we go through the complete procedure of admitting students, first step is the eligibility criteria for admission in certain courses. Every year, universities are lowering the eligibility percentage of students to get more students in certain courses. This leads to dilapidation in quality of

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students because of which industries don’t find them suitable for absorbing. Nowadays, anyone can open an institute and all these institutes keep no or very low criteria for captivating students. This produces low quality manpower that cannot compete with requirements of industries. Universities will have to review eligibility criteria set for all courses. AICTE and Universities will have to make sure that colleges and institutes are following the criteria set by them. Let us draft a system, where flexibility is given in right direction to students. With this we mean to say that, let our students endeavor something new if they fail to perform in one course. Our education system doesn’t allow Arts graduate to go for science. Why not give them freedom to choose any subject anytime to brighten their future prospects?

graduates is more. But they cannot meet the demands of industry. To overcome this problem both industry and academia has to put effort. Both of them have to interact and as a result they can improve the current system. By making desirable changes in current system we can improve the quality of education and skills of graduates. In addition to industry-academia interaction, students attitude and values towards education will also count in employability. All these together will result in enhancing the employability of IT students VII.

VI.

CONCLUSION The major issue in our country is the gap between demand and supply of quality products. Since a large number of technical institutes are there, supply of

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REFERENCE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk www.qub.ac.uk Enhancing employability, recognizing diversity(universities uk) Research paper: enhancing Graduate employability : The importance of basic skills www.cisco.com Challenges in Industry – Academia Collaboration by Pankaj Jalote, IIT Kanpur

Enhancing Employability: Perspectives of Educator, Student and Employer Ms. Neelam Naik Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India neelam.naik@thakureducation.org Ms. Rupali Jadhav Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India rupali.jadhav@thakureducation.org Abstract: In the scenario of highly technological and organizational changes, educated people always need to be aware of diverse opportunities in job market. An employability of a person is a result of various factors responsible for the academic as well as professional growth of the person. This paper discusses different perspectives of educator, student and employer to look at employability and suggests a framework to improve employability of students for the fulfillment of needs of future jobs in the market of jobs. Keywords: Employability, enhancing employability, employer perspective, educator perspective, student perspective I. INTRODUCTION The world of work has changed significantly since the 1980s. Commerce and industry, the public sector and the voluntary (not-for-profit) sector all have to operate in a world of continuous change driven by the information revolution, the growing need to be responsive to stakeholders, and the increased pressure from global competitors. In a climate of technological and organizational change characterized by downsizing, delayering and outsourcing, graduates cannot expect either a job for life or linear career progression. Graduates need to be aware of diverse opportunities, often in non-traditional areas or in jobs formerly done by non-graduates. There has also been a considerable cultural shift in higher education and a growing awareness among academics of the need to develop students’ employability (Mason et al. 2002). This is paralleled by a revival in interest in pedagogy and a focus on student-centered learning. However, despite a growing engagement with the employability agenda, there are reservations, not least because of the continuing debate about the purpose of higher education. Employability is a property of the individual. In essence, the core notion of employability relates to the propensity of graduates to obtain (and retain) fulfilling work (Hillage and Pollard 1998). Employability is not a product but a process (Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) 2002). Employability should not be confused with the employment rate of graduates from an institution. Employability cannot be used to refer to the institution itself: an institution is not employable. An institution may develop graduates’ employability and enhance the attributes that make them employable. The employment rate of graduates from an institution is not an employability measure. Employability can only be applied to individuals.

II. PERSPECTIVE OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE An educational institution is one among many factors that influence the employability of graduates. While the institution might contribute to a graduate’s knowledge, skills and experience, graduates also draw on other life experiences, including paid and voluntary work. The employment rate of graduates also reflects a range of factors including the subject mix of the institution, the characteristics of the undergraduate entry and the mix of full and part-time students (Gould and Harvey 1999).

Figure 1: Model of employability Employability is about how individuals engage with opportunities, reflect, and articulate their skills and experiences. The core processes impact on employability is the pedagogic process that encourages development of employability in students. The employability of students can be improved through following tasks.  Establishing the needs of businesses and of students  Achievement of marketable skills within academic learning  Work experience embedded within the educational programme.

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 Enabling students to experience the reality of business operations  Introducing students to business owners, specialist advisers and business networks  Providing practical evidence of personal and skill development that is validated by the sector  Employer inputs into the course.  Balancing academic and vocational requirements  Development of links between the university and local and national employers  Developing flexible attitude towards the needs of students on the course.  Using a range of training and assessment methods.  Academic recognition of the value of work experience  Training students as mentors.  Balancing and connecting academic and vocational requirements  Flexibility of attitude towards the needs of students on the course.  An integrated work experience and employability strategy linked to learning and teaching  Identifying opportunities for students to undertake voluntary work experience, placements relevant to their career aspirations. III. PERPECTIVE OF STUDENT Three core processes impact on employability: first the pedagogic process that encourages development; second, self-reflection by the student; and third, articulation of experiences and abilities. Figure 2 shows how these three factors lead to the enhanced employability of students.

Figure 2: Model of employability development Student can improve his or her employability through following tasks.  Development of employability attributes  Development of self-promotional and career management skills  Willingness to learn and reflect on learning.  Understand learning process and relate their learning to a wider context related to industry.  Improving general skills for study and career management  Articulate personal goals and evaluate progress towards achievement

 Encouraging oneself to develop a positive attitude to learn throughout life  Active engagement with employers  Employer assessment and feedback  Self-reflection through presentation of oneself  Developing time-management and communication skills  By putting theory into practice - real assignments.  Recognizing the value of work experience in today’s degree programmes  Co-operating with academics and employers Employability is about attribute development, building confidence and self-promotional skills, and encouraging lifelong learning. IV. PERSPECTIVE OF AN EMPLOYER Recruitment practices of the employer are a key element in the process by which graduates get jobs. Although large companies with very different activities and concerns recruit graduates using selection criteria that are very similar (Bennett et al. 2000) the process is not always as transparent as it appears. Almost all employers have exhibited some bias in their recruitment processes, most noticeably discriminating against older graduates (Harvey et al. 1997). With the expansion of higher education, the longtime concerns of employers about graduate attributes have become more pronounced. Employers are looking for something in addition to a degree. Through the 1990s, employers in all sectors, especially large-scale recruiters of graduates, became more explicit about the skills they sought and more sophisticated in identifying them in their recruitment procedures. Many research studies have revealed a consistent core set of desirable skills, often independent of the degree subject, and a periphery of organization specific requirements. The core set consists of interactive attributes - communication skills, interpersonal skills and team working - and personal attributes. Personal attributes include intellect and problem solving; analytic, critical and reflective ability; willingness to learn and continue learning; flexibility, adaptability and risk-taking. These are, in short, the attributes that help organizations deal with change. An understanding of the world of work, some commercial awareness, and an appreciation of work culture are often desirable attributes. In some cases, subject knowledge and understanding are desirable, as are specific technical skills. Some employers have gone beyond compiling lists of desirable attributes, to examining how these attributes enable graduates to be effective at work. The innovative element is an identification of attributes necessary for the 21st century, but the exploration of the relationship of attributes to the roles that graduates will play in the flexible organization. Students play different roles in different settings. It is important that they have the attributes to know when to fit into the work place and do the job; when to take risks and persuade people of the merit of new ideas; and when to think laterally, take the initiative and the responsibility, and move the organization forward. Employers used to ask potential employees what

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they had done and, implicitly, what skills they had acquired. Now they ask what it is that students have learned from their experiences and, implicitly, how well equipped they are to learn and continue learning. Employers want graduates who can help them deal with change. Employability is about more than recruiting employable graduates. It is also about developing the existing workforce. Employers frequently assert that their workforce is their most important asset and are aware of the need to ensure development opportunities to enhance their skills and abilities. According to employer, continuing professional development (CPD) is an area of expansion in most higher education institutions. Employer can contribute to employability enhancement in following ways.  Finding the right graduates for the right jobs  Demonstrating to business the usefulness and cost effectiveness of the scheme  Building links between universities and businesses.  Traditional placements on sandwich courses and short periods of work experience on non-sandwich programmes  Clinical or practice placements on some professional degrees  ‘Live’ project working: collaboration between students and employers  Embedded placements  Assistance with part-time work  A responsive programme that accommodates industry changes through good links with past graduates  Skills development alongside theoretical understanding  Providing inputs into the curriculum course development. Employers tend to be favourably disposed to work experience and there is a growing trend towards recruiting graduates who have undertaken work placement with companies.

supported throughout their programme by their academic tutor and a Learning at Work module. Workplace support is an essential element of Learning at Work programmes, and employers are asked to provide a workplace mentor for each student. Mentors support and advise the student when preparing the Learning Agreement and when carrying out work-based study. VI. CONCLUSION Employability is about making closer links between education and the world of work. Educator should provide cooperative education experiences should be designed to provide opportunities for students to develop in the areas of relationship building as well as teamwork and cooperation in order to increase their likelihood of employment as graduates. Student has to facilitate the development of competencies including the ability and willingness to learn and to use of initiative and personal organizational skills. Employer can support in enhancing employability by developing a mutual awareness between graduates and industry, providing information on jobs and graduates seeking work in industry and by providing central training and mentoring support for graduates in industry. VII. REFERENCES

V. THE FRAMEWORK The proposed framework can enhance the employability of students by considering above mentioned perspectives of educator, students and employer. The Framework is based on a three-way partnership, in which an academic tutor, an employee and an employer negotiate a programme of study that will achieve the aims of the award and the partners. The programme teams validate programmes according to principles in the Framework. Students negotiate how they will address the programme outcomes through a combination of taught and work-based modules, and present this for approval in the form of a Learning Agreement. They are able to gain accreditation of past projects through an Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) portfolio, and then develop new learning through work-based activity and taught modules. Students are

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2. 3.

Bennett, N., Dunne, E. and Carré, C. (2000) Skills Development in Higher Education and Employment. Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press,Buckingham. Gould, F. and Harvey, L. (1999) ‘Redefine the finishing line’, Guardian, 30 November 1999. Harvey, L., Moon, S. and Geall, V. with Bower, R. (1997) Graduates’ Work: Organisation change and students’ attributes. Centre for Research into Quality (CRQ) and Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), Birmingham. Hillage, J. and Pollard, E. (1998) Employability: Developing a framework for policy analysis. Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) Research report, RR85, London Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) (2002) Generic Centre: Programme for Employability, Summer Term 2002, http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/genericcentre Lee Harvey, William Locke, Alistair Morey, Main report on “Enhancing employability, recognizing diversity- Making link between higher education and the world of work“, 2002 Mason, G., Williams, G., Cranmer, S. and Guile, D. (2002) How higher education enhances the employability of graduates. Institute of Education and NIESR for HEFCE.

Psychological obstacle in e learning CA Baijul Anand Mehta, Accounts Dept, Thakur collage of Science and Commerce, Mumbai, India, kananibaijul@yahoo.com Manoj Mishra Accounts Dept, Thakur collage of Science and Commerce, Mumbai, India manojkumar321@rediffmail.com Abstract: E-learning is the use of computer and network to enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. E-learning applications and processes include Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual education opportunities and digital collaboration. The past two decades of the era has led to tremendous growth in the education sector through technology and media. Due to the development of mobile, computer and various other tools for communication education has become much easier as the distant learner can communicate with the teacher as and when they want. Today as we know that undergraduate going student can use the latest technology for submitting the good assignment. But of the all various users like teachers, student etc say no to e-technology or e- learning because of fear of technology. Different user may use different version or different method of technology like virtual class room, power point or white board etc but common in all is the technology. Only difference between the e-learning technique and traditional technique is the use of the technology in the traditional learning much technology is not required while in the latter case it is of upmost important. Negativity towards e-learning from the student or a teacher can create obstacle in e- learning. Cause for this fear may come from the past negative experiences with technology or computers and can be applied even other parts of their lives with reluctant behavior towards all the other technology assisted issues in the society. The objective of this research is to highlight the various methods through which one can be overcome technophobia. For the purpose of this study the respondents from the five different undergraduate’s colleges will be selected through questionnaire method. This questionnaire will be distributed amongst teachers and student from colleges. Finding of the present study will be helpful to the student at different level to overcome their Psychological problem. The study will help in reducing the risk of dropping out from the development of learning in the education field. Lifelong learning in today’s society will sustain only when there more usage of computers and technology. Keywords: Psychological, technology, e-learning, technophobia, computer, users I. INTRODUCTION In today’s fast developing era message can be sent from one person to another in just in fraction of time. In such a technology era every student has to overcome traditional learning to e –learning. E-learning means “Electronic learning”. E- Learning is other ways of teaching a learner. E-learning is the use of the technology to enable people to learn anywhere and at any place. Usually this means over the web, however it also includes CD-Rom or Video Conferencing through satellite transmissions. The definition of E-learning is broader than, but includes, "online learning," "Web-based training," and "computerbased training." The definition also includes “on line learning”, “web based learning” and “computer bases training”. The learner can access educational content anytime and at any place through e learning. The student of an undergraduate level can study at one place and work in another city. The best of the world's educational content and opportunities are available to an increasing number of people, especially in developing and underdeveloped countries. The e-learning in India is still at the growing stage. The main goal is to replace the traditional intuitive and folk psychological interaction analysis and design with scientifically justifiable and reliable methods, concepts and theories.

II. HYPOTHESIS Our research is based on the primary data so the hypothesis of the research. H1: The users (students and teachers) are having the technophobia towards e- learning H2: The user does not have technophobia towards elearning. III. IS AN E-LEARNING TECHNOPHOBIA? E-learning is now a day’s very important teaching tools and widely used in many college and university. Even though in spite of its importance in the modern world it always in the limelight with the issues. There are many problems which the user like teachers and students faces them are: cost points of view, trained teacher are required, attitude problem of teacher and students and many others. But in this paper we are going to highlight students and teacher Psychological obstacle in e-learning. This includes attitude towards e-learning it may be positive as well as negative. For some users it is frustration using computer and sometime this frustration is to such an extend it led to Technophobia. Technophobia is not among who are not using computer but also among who uses the computer. Even due to past experience not only with them but also with other show negative towards new adaption. Negative towards the e-learning or you can says new technology

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becomes very difficult to adapt the new changes. In addition, online instructors and teachers require more knowledge about online teaching, as they must use teaching methods which differ to those used in traditional teaching There are also attitude problems even among teaching staff towards implementing e-learning. Negativity or technophobia towards e-learning will slow down the development of the technology and will divided the people in two segment one who like the technology and other are not interest in the technology. First group of people will enjoy more benefit not only in the technology level but also at advance personal’s development. Other negative emotion also includes irritation, embarrassment and shame. In e-learning student becomes more frustrated when things do not operate as they hoped this show their disappointment in learning technology. The negative cycles starts with a failure in using the e-learning system or some trouble in the area of operation like not getting proper tutor or some other reasons. This led the student to loss their interest in elearning. This negative cycle led to drop out of the student for new technology and e-learning. IV. OBJECTIVES 1. To study technophobia related problems among the user’s i.e. students and teachers. 2. To create awareness among people regarding elearning by eliminating technophobia. 3. To remove negative impact about the computer and its operation among users. 4. To develop self discipline and confidence among students about e-learning. 5. V. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The student and teacher of e-learning were given questionnaire in which we have included around 10 questions. From that we have made statistical tally mark and from that date, chart was prepared. Respondent was required to give answer in either yes or no. Respondent were basically undergraduate college (students and teachers of Degree College and junior college). The above categories have been selected as they cover maximum area of e-learning. The answers are the respondents' subjective opinions regarding the usability of the e-learning system. VI. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION There were 10 questions in the questionnaires. The sample was collected from various colleges and from that data graph was prepared for each question to understand and get the clear idea on our research. First and fourth question was asked on whether respondent was aware of computer and e-learning , second question was ask on whether the users has the past negative experiences with technology or e-learning, third question asked was whether the respondent want to update their self in technology, fifth and sixth question asked was on elearning resources is used for learning and teaching purpose and their advantage, seventh and eight question was based on whether respondent was aware of difference between e-learning and traditional learning and traditional learning more advantage than e-learning, ninth question

was based whether respondent feel that lifelong learning in today’s societies will sustain only when there’s more Usage of Computers and technology and last question was based on E-Learning we can reduce the no of drop outs in the educational field. From the questionnaire filled by the respondent the statistical tally mark was prepared. From tally mark graph was prepared. Answer was analyzed using tally marks and graphs. Question No. Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q10

Yes 120 160 140 120 60 120 60 100 70 130

No 80 40 60 80 140 80 140 100 130 70

VII. RESULT From the above data and graph H1 is fulfilled while H2 is now not valid. Each question was analysis from the sample and graph was prepared. From the above graph we can come to the conclusion that users has more worse to computer skill and new technology. Our first question was based on awareness of computer skills and majority of sample were given positive answer. It shows that more numbers of samples were aware of basis computer skills. Second question was based on whether the samples were having past negative experiences of the technology. Majority of samples were given positive feed back, which show that majority are having bad experience in past with the technology. Third question we asked them whether they want to upgrade themselves in terms of technology. Majority of the samples are ready to upgrade themselves. Fourth question we asked them about the awareness of e-learning and majority of the sample were aware about it. Fifth question was based on usage of e-learning in teaching and learning process and majority of sample were not using it. Sixth question was asked on advantage of e-learning more number of samples gave positive feedback.

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Seventh question was asked that whether sample was aware of difference between e-learning and traditional elearning majority of the user were not actually aware of it. Eighth question was asked which teaching and learning process is more effective and feedback came to be equal. Ninth question was based on benefit of e-learning to the society and majority says no. Last question was based on very serious problem of drop outs and majority of samples said yes. More and more numbers of students are showing negativity towards e-learning. This shows that level of skill the users have towards technology or computer is simply depended upon the emotion of each student towards computer or technology. This can be overcome by teaching or giving them basic knowledge of technology or computer. But the problems with these kinds of users are that they are very reluctant to learning new skills in this technological area. VIII. SUGGESTION We know that technophobia led to the risk of dropping out from the development of learning in the education field. Lifelong learning in today’s society will sustain only when there more usage of computers and technology. Traditional teaching has the limitation of class room boundaries whereas e-learning and technology is free from such limitation. If we are encouraging e-learning and technology in today’s educational pattern than definitely we are going to reduce number of drop out. We have highlighted in this paper many points through which we can overcome technophobia. There should be enough tutoring not only to student but also the teacher so that they can come over the technophobia. Negative perception and misconception led to fear and anxiety. When sampling was done we could find out that if the proper awareness is created among the students and teachers then their negativity can be come out. We should become familiar with the things so that we do not waste time in fear. This can overcome by becoming for familiar with education system. Negativity of the users can be come up by chating or e-mailing the users who are techno friendly. College and university should organized lectures not only for students but also for teacher, by this fear can be come up. Even users who are having the fears should talk with the person who has the knowledge to technology and elearning in this their old perception may change. The students must be given targeted aid in overcoming the frustration by means of offering positive success experiences.

teaching is suffering with many limitations this can be overcome with the help of e-learning and technology .The student does not know the basic of the computer and they are reluctant towards new technology. Their emotion towards the e-learning is negative and the uses of computer or technology make them worse. Technophobia can be cause through several reasons. The reason should be found out so can student can overcome this fear otherwise there will be great fear that student being drop out not only from the education but also from the life lone development. There should be proper tutoring of the student to over the psychological fear. Sometime teacher can use traditional learning for e-learning this would help out more number of students drop out. Giving the required information not only to the student but also to the teachers about the e-learning this would help to come out of the fear and new view towards technology and e-learning. College should take interest in organizing lectures on elearning and e-technology this will not only help to over difficulty in using the computer but also to overcome their negativity. While conducting the research we found that use of e-learning and technology make a teaching and learning process more attractive and fruitful. X. REFERENCE

IX. CONCLUSION This research shows how the technophobia can cause trouble the student and teacher in e-learning. Traditional

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6. 7.

Weare, K., Developing the Emotionally Literate School. 2004, London: Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd. Juutinen, S. and P. Saariluoma, Some emotional Obstacles of E-learning, in Digital Learning India,. 2006: New Delhi, India. Power, M. and T. Dalgleish, Cognition and emotion: From order to disorder. 2nd ed. ed. 2008, New York, NY, US: Psychology Press. Stanley, R.O., and G.D. Burrows, “, Varieties and functions of human emotion”, In (Eds.). in Emotions at work: Theory, research and applications in management,R.L. Payne and C.L. Cooper, Editors. 2001, Wiley Chichester, England. Juutinen, S. and P. Saariluoma, Emotional obstacles for e-learning - a user psychological analysis. European Journal of Open, Distance and E-learning, 2010(I). Kahneman, D., Attention and effort, 1973, NJ:Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs. Lazar, J., A. Jones, and B. Shneiderman, Workplace user frustration with computers: an exploratory investigation of the causes and severity. Behaviour & Information Technology, 2006

Essential Skills for Enhancing Employability in IT Kiran K. Dubey Librarian, MCA Dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Kandivali (E), Mumbai 400101 Pankaj Mudholkar Asst. Professor, MCA Dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Kandivali (E), Mumbai 400101 kiran.dubey@thakureducation.org mudholkarpankaj@gmail.com Abstract: Employability refers to a person's capability for gaining and maintaining employment. For individuals, employability depends on the knowledge, skills and abilities they possess, the way they present those assets to employers and the context of personal circumstances and labour market environment [7]. As such employability is affected by both supply-side and demand-side factors which are often outside of an individual's control. This paper briefly explains employability, components of employability, assets, marketing and deployment skills, presentation skills, personal circumstances and labour market, duality of employability & techniques required for interview This paper looks at the links between enhancing student’s employability and academic integrity in the areas of business, management, hospitality, leisure, and sport and tourism education. Keywords: employability, components, assets, skills, academic integrity, skills for interviews I. INTRODUCTION Employability refers to a person’s capability of gaining employment. On one hand a person’s employability depends on the knowledge, skill & attitudes, on the other hand labour market rules & institutions have significant impact on the ability of an individual to gain employment. Hence a person with the same knowledge & skills characteristics might charge very differently in different national or regional labour markets. The concept of employability has been in the literature for many years. Current interest has been driven by two factors:a) The changing nature of public employment policy with increasing emphasis being given to skills-based solutions to economic competition and work-based solutions to social deprivation. b) The supposed end of careers and lifetime job security, which have, of course, only ever applied to a minority of the workforce. The greater uncertainty among employers as to the levels and types of jobs they may have in the future, and the need to build new relationships with employees. [20]

c) Ability to obtain new employment, i.e. to be independent in the labour market by being willing and able to manage their own employment transitions between and within the organizations. d) Quality of work or employment people may be able to obtain work but it may be below their level of skill, or in low paid, undesirable or unsustainable jobs, and so forth. Although there has been much discussion about the meaning of employability according to Yorke [19] Employability is “a set of achievements – skills, understandings and personal attributes – that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy”. III. COMPONENTS OF EMPLOYABILITY This suggests that we can separate out four main elements in respect of individual’s employability. The first three are analogous to the concepts of production, marketing and sales; the fourth is the marketplace in which they operate.

II. DEFINITION There is no singular definition of employability; a review of the literature suggests that employability is about work and the ability to be employed such as:a) Ability to gain initial employment, hence the interest in ensuring key skills, careers advice and an understanding about the world of work are embedded in the education system. b) Ability to maintain employment and make transitions between jobs and roles within the same organization to meet new job requirements.

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A) Assets: An individual’s employability assets comprise their knowledge, skills and attitudes. There are as follows.: a) Baseline assets: such as basic skills and essential personal attributes and attitudes (i.e. ranging from basic levels of reliability, common sense, attitude to work and integrity; through to those such as problem solving, initiative, self management and commercial awareness. b) Intermediate assets: such as occupational specific skills at all levels, generic or key skills such as communication and problem solving, and key personal attributes i.e. motivation and initiative. c) High level assets: involving skills which help contribute to organizational performance such as team working, self management & commercial awareness etc. The importance of the transferability of above skills in occupational or business context are increased attention of employers for the softer attitudinal skills in selecting employees. Merely being in possession of employer-relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes is not enough for an individual to either move self-sufficiently in the modern labour market or realize their potential. People also need the capability to exploit their assets, to market them and sell them. Thus they also need marketing and deployment skills and Presentation skills. B) Marketing and deployment skills Career management skills and life skills are commonly identified as self-awareness (i.e. diagnosing occupational interests and abilities) opportunity awareness (knowing what work opportunities exist) and their entry requirements (i.e. labour market knowledge), decision-making skills (to develop a strategy of getting from where you are to where you want to be) and transition skills. a) Job search skills - finding suitable jobs. Access to formal and informal networks is an important component of job search and employability. b) Strategic approach - being adaptable to labour market developments, realistic about labour market opportunities & willing to be occupationally and locationally mobile. There is obviously an important inter-relationship between assets and deployment. The extent to which an individual is aware of what they possess in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes and its relevance to the employment opportunities available may affect their willingness to undertake training and other activities designed to upgrade their skills. C) Presentation Skills Another key aspect of employability is being able to get a particular job, once identified —included under career management skills, but is given prominence as a separate element here due to its crucial importance to securing employment. It centers on the ability to demonstrate employability assets and present them to the market in an accessible way. This includes: a) Presentation of CVs (including Records of Achievement) b) Qualifications individuals possess (both academic and vocational), perhaps accredited through prior learning

c) References and testimonies d) Interview technique, work experience and track record. D) In the context of personal circumstances and the Labour market: Finally and crucially, the ability to realize or actualize employability assets depends on the individual’s personal and external circumstances and the inter-relationship between the two. This includes: a) Personal circumstances: e.g. caring responsibilities, disabilities, and household status can all affect their ability to seek different opportunities and will vary during an individual’s life cycle; while b) External factors: such as macro-economic demand and the pattern and level of job openings in their labour market, be it local or national; labour market regulation and benefit rules; and employer recruitment and selection behavior. IV. DUALITY OF EMPLOYABILITY An alternative account of employability takes a more relative approach. [1] Brown and Hesketh (2004) define employability as “the relative chances of getting and maintaining different kinds of employment” Employability not only depends on whether one is able to fulfill the requirements of specific jobs, but also on how one stands relative to others within a hierarchy of job seekers. Taking the supply and demand of labour into account challenges the idea that credentials, knowledge and social status alone will guarantee a good position in the labour market. [1]Brown and Hesketh, identify two ideal types of individuals entering the labour market. Those who will do anything to get a top job are ‘players’. Players are not afraid to take on a different identity if they feel that is what the employer is looking for. The second one 'purists', are those who believe that job market outcomes should reflect meritocratic achievement. For purists it is important to maintain an authentic sense of self as this will ensure a good fit between individual capabilities and occupational demands. Purists may be as competitive as Players but feel that Players are cheating in order to get ahead. This view of employability incorporates the dual aspects of supply and demand of labour to show that advancing one’s position in the labour market by gaining credentials is partially dependent on structural factors outside the individual’s control. The recent financial crisis demonstrates that global economic factors can and do have a significant impact on the likelihood of an individual securing a job regardless of their skills, credentials and social status. V. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY FOR ENHANCING STUDENTS EMPLOYABILITY Over the recent decade, in parallel with a growing emphasis on enhancing student employability in higher education, there has also been a focus on preventing and managing student plagiarism. This is not to say that there is direct linkage here. But it is interesting to find that in both these areas it is well- recognized that assessment, at the

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programme or course level, has a vital part to play in developing students attributes and skills. It is through the use of authentic assessments that we can ensure that students can create original work and gain a range of transferable skills that are valued in varied contexts, including the workplace. A number of pertinent issues concerning student plagiarism have been considered in the literature, including whether there has been an increase in cases of student plagiarism in higher education, identifying the likely reasons for unacceptable academic practice, and how educational approaches and tools can be used to prevent inadvertent plagiarism. [13, 16, 17] There has been a move towards recognizing that need to promote academic integrity as part of an institutional approach developed to address plagiarism through educational measures and robust regulations “The academic enterprise is rooted in a culture of integrity, founded on honesty and mutual trust. Academic integrity should be valued and promoted by the institution and it should support all aspects of its teaching and learning strategy.” [12] (Park; 297-298). How such values as honesty are instilled in students? Clearly teaching, learning and assessment strategies have an important part to play, as do regulations or codes of conduct, to which students are typically introduced through university induction programmes. However, empirical work has indicated that although students may well be aware of university policy covering unacceptable academic practice, they do not necessarily read it or know what it covers [13, 14] These findings suggest that it is insufficient to assume that providing coherent policy and procedures to students will make a difference to their understandings about academic practice and the associated behaviors and skills. As [14] Ryan and associates note that students do not necessarily relate policy to their own study and the strategies that they may use to produce assignments. Innovative approaches to assessment can help students learn about good academic practice, but complementary tactics are also needed to engage students in discussions about academic honesty and established practice. An additional challenge is how we might enable students to see the links between academic integrity in an educational environment and personal integrity in the work place. [4] Clarkeburn and Freeman have described an institutional strategy designed to promote Academic Honesty which has involved a range of approaches including business students taking an online module covering academic honesty, staff development opportunities on assessment design, and teaching sessions involving staff-student dialogue about Academic Honesty. Importantly the focus here has been on encouraging good academic practice: “This is in line with the tertiary educational process, developing students to graduate as ethical self-regulating professionals. External rules-based strategies addressing motivations to be dishonest are inadequate in achieving this on their own”. It is widely recognized that students currently entering higher education bring with them a wide range of experiences and skills. They need opportunities through

orientation and induction programmes at the subject level to gain skills for higher education study, particularly those required for researching and presenting information, and academic writing (including citation and referencing). Over recent years, there has been an emphasis on assessments involving group work to help students gain skills in working collaboratively. In this area, students must be given opportunities to understand the nature of collaborative working, as there can be confusion leading to student collusion Indeed, it has been suggested that with an educational focus on group and team working may have contributed to possible increases in cases of collusion [14] VI. DEVELOPING STUDENTS: CRITICAL STRATEGIES AND ISSUES Higher education can not only help to foster the development of attributes and skills that are important for employability, but can also enable students to develop an understanding of good academic practice and associated values. It is vital that programmes in HEIs provide opportunities for students to learn and rehearse the competences for personal or academic integrity, information literacy, communication and collaborative work. It is also clear that educational approaches must be designed to support students’ personal development planning and the development of critical thinking skills, so that they can readily assess their own learning and progress [2] The following areas relate to what can be termed critical strategies that can be employed to promote the development of students’ skills relevant to both student employability and academic integrity. a) Student Mentoring Peer mentoring or e-mentoring has been used to support student’s transition to higher education [8]. It is also an approach that might be beneficial in helping new students come to understand and take on the values and behaviors associated with personal and academic integrity. Indeed, as part of their multi-faceted strategy to promote academic honesty within an institution. [4] Clarkeburn and Freeman have reported that peer mentoring has become an important way to bridge new student’s experiences of university, along with induction events and activities that involve the student voice in encouraging good academic practice. b) Assessment Design Approaches to assessment can have important implications for whether students have opportunities to acquire an understanding and the necessary skills for good academic practice and accordingly, whether the possibilities for inadvertent plagiarism are minimized. Good practice guidance has described “how educators can design out plagiarism through re-thinking assessments for students”. Interestingly, it is not the designing-out that really matters, if there is a focus on devising authentic assessment tasks that are original, meaningful and interesting then students are likely to engage in the learning

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process and develop usable skills that will serve them well in all sorts of contexts. [3] [6] Graham (n.d) has outlined the use of real or live projects involving students taking hospitality, tourism, and festival and event management who work in a group acting as consultants for an external organization. Here, groups of students carry out particular projects provided by an organization, who meet on a regular basis with them. The client organization gives feedback on the project work and students team working as well as contributing to the marks for the reports. With support from the tutor and organization, student teams develop a methodology, study the presenting issue, and provide an oral and written report. Graham notes how this kind of assessment helps students to acquire skills and qualities, such as those for team working, professional behavior, communication and time management. McGowan and Lightbody [10] have stressed the importance of re-visiting the matter of plagiarism and referencing throughout a programme of study. In the context of a financial accounting course, these researchers have described the use of a particularly inspired assignment to educate students about plagiarism. Students completed an online workshop covering plagiarism and referencing, and then to read a prepared plagiarized essay on an area of accounting and the associated information sources, and to appropriately include the citations. This prepared essay included a number of different forms of plagiarism such as changed quotations. The students were also required to build on the essay by writing a conclusion for the topic. Findings indicated that this assignment helped students gain an understanding of plagiarism and referencing, importantly, there were no cases of plagiarized material identified in the students written conclusions or on a following course assignment c) Web Technologies and Tools In recent years, there has been a move towards using web technologies and tools, such as blogs and wikis for the purposes of assessment. These can be used effectively for collaborative learning and to support the development of transferable skills [11] However, a recent project has looked at the possibilities and challenges for assessment and academic integrity when web tools for authoring and collaboration are used [11] Lecturers reported issues related to how studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; work could be openly viewed by other students on a wiki. Students might be concerned about publishing their work online, thinking that other students might copy it. Issues relating to supporting students in employing different styles of writing for online authoring were also apparent, as challenges faced in assessing and marking student contributions in web 2.0 environments [18] In the areas of business, management, hospitality, leisure, sport and tourism education, it would be valuable to look at the implications of using web tools for assessment, academic integrity and the development of transferable skills.

VII. SKILL REQUIRED FOR GETTING A JOB IN IT Getting a job in IT requires a number of other assets and techniques in interview for the position. Employability is essentially a composite of skills, effectiveness in presenting and communication.

a) Education A degree is not always necessary to break into an IT career; it is a base passport for career. IT education does not end with the receipt of degree. If people want to remain competitive, they need to constantly improve their skills and keep up with developments in languages or frameworks. Qualifications alone will not get a job it requires continue additional educational routes, demonstration of aptitude and a willingness to continue learning in particular professional training courses, Microsoft's offerings - Cisco Career Certification. b) Experience Regardless of qualifications on paper, the breadth of experience is a major factor in employability. A degree in database systems is one thing, ten years working is quite another. For university leavers, the lack of experience is a hampering factor. Many job listings state that they require a certain number of years of professional experience, which may seem insurmountable to those who have dedicated the last three-plus years to the study c) Confidence This is the hardest skill to attain, but confidence is a great skill to have in an interview situation. IT world is filled with introverts, many people are greatly skilled, but cannot convey their suitability for the post. Confidence does not mean to know answer of every question, but it mean that people should not be fazed when they come across a query in a subject with which they are unfamiliar. There is no perfect solution to dealing with unknowns, but try answer back to the areas in which you are capable. Be cautious of arrogance do not come across

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as confident to the point of rudeness. Performance in interview should be a balance between confidence, likeability, and a touch of modesty where needed.

million of professionals and technocrats’ contribution to the Indian labor market but employability among these pass out professionals is commonly discussed topic in almost every HR forums.

d) Enthusiasm People do not need to be fresh-faced to be enthusiastic. A passion for IT, or a specific area, is undeniably a boon in terms of getting a job. Genuine passion for a subject usually shines in the interview - if the interviewer sees that people willing to talk at great length about a particular subject, they will probably note that as a key interest make sure that it is relevant to the role! It is not just ability to wax lyrical about a subject that will convey enthusiasm either - extra-curricular activities, such as maintaining a relevant blog on a technical subject or indulging in personal projects, will help in showing your enthusiasm and dedication to a given field. e) Demonstration The best thing bring to a job interview is a direct demonstration of skills. People could talk about how many years experience they have, also demonstrate a concrete example of those skills. For certain skills, this may be tricky - but in the field of Web development or design a solid portfolio of live URLs that are demonstrable of suitable skills are invaluable. The visual aspect is important - whether it is printouts, screenshots, or live demonstrations - such assets will ably illustrate talents, and in a much more memorable way than simply discussing such work. During the interviews demonstrable ability in the form of a good portfolio has always been a good indicator of the skills of an interviewee. The effectiveness of communication skill set to an interviewer is the key to maximizing chances of getting a position. VIII. CONCLUSION Employability is a concept that has joined the mainstream of individual, human resources and national policy vocabulary. It has been summoned as the means by which individuals can cope with changing employment conditions. Organizations can maintain their ability to adapt and succeed and the nation can enhance its competitiveness. It is found that innovative and authentic approaches to assessment are important in higher education. It connects students by producing original work, also encourage them to develop the transferable skills that employers value highly. It would be fruitful to further explore the important links between student employability and academic integrity by undertaking empirical work of a longitudinal nature. This could investigate how personal and academic integrity and skills associated with good academic practice are viewed and valued by organizations helping to assess the impact of current graduates. It is observed that students have great potential with regard to IT Product companies if their quantitative and English communication skills are improved. They do better than if Programming Skills, Logical and Quantitative ability is improved. The mushrooming of the technical and professional institutions in India has resultant into the

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IX. REFERENCES 1.

Brown, P. and Hesketh, A. (2004) The Mismanagement of Talent: Employability and Jobs in the Knowledge Economy. Oxford, Oxford University Press. 2. Buswell, J. and Tomkins, A. (2008) Enhancing employability through critical reflective learning. In S. Graves and A. Maher (2008) Developing Graduate Employability. Case Studies in Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism. Newbury, Berks: Threshold Press. 3. Carroll, J. (2007) A Handbook for Deterring Plagiarism in Higher Education. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development, Oxford Brookes University 4. Clarkeburn, H. and Freeman, M. (2007) To plagiarise or not to plagiarise: an online approach to improving and motivating honest academic writing. International Journal of Management Education, 6(3), 21-33. 5. Five Key Assets to I.T. Employability http://www.itjoblog.co.uk/2008/08/5-key-assetsto-it-employabili-1.html 6. Graham, J. (n.d) Live Projects. Employability case study http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/hlst/resources/cases tudies/employability 7. Hind, D. and Moss, S. (2011) Employability Skills. 2nd Edition. Sunderland, Business Education Publishers. 8. Hill, R. and Reddy, P. (2007) Undergraduate peer mentoring: an investigation into processes, activities and outcomes. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 6(2), 98-103. Accessed 18 January 2011 from: 9. MacDonald, R. and Carroll, J. (2006) Plagiarism – a complex issue requiring a holistic institutional approach. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(2), 233-245. 10. McGowan, S. and Lightbody, M. (2008) ‘Another chance to practice’: Repeating plagiarism education for EAL students within a discipline context. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 4(1), 16-30. 11. Minocha, S. (2009) A Study on the Effective Use of Social Software by Further and Higher Education in the UK to Support Student Learning and Engagement (Final Report). http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/projects/socialso ftware08.aspx 12. Park, C. (2004) Rebels without a clause: towards an institutional framework for dealing with plagiarism by students. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 28, 3, 291-306.

13. Power, L. G. (2009) University Students’ Perceptions of Plagiarism. The Journal of Higher Education, 80(6), 643-662. 14. Ryan, G., Bonanno, H., Krass, I., Scouller, K. and Smith, L. (2009) Undergraduate and Postgraduate Pharmacy Students Perceptions of Plagiarism and Academic Honesty. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 73(6), 1-8. 15. Schneider, K. and Otto, H-U. (2009) From Employability Towards Capability. Luxembourg . 16. Selwyn, N. (2008) ‘Not necessarily a bad thing ...’: a study of online plagiarism amongst undergraduate students. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 33(5), 465-479 17. Walker, J. (2009) Measuring plagiarism: researching what students do, not what they say

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they do. Studies in Higher Education, 35(1), 4159. 18. Waycott, J., Gray, K., Clerehan, R., Hamilton, M., Richardson, J., Sheard, J. and Thompson, C. (2010) Implications for academic integrity of using web 2.0 for teaching, learning and assessment in higher education. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 6(2), 8-18. http://www.ojs.unisa.edu.au/ 19. Yorke, M. (2006) Employability in higher education: what it is – what it is not. Learning &Employability Series 1. Enhancing Student Employability Co- ordination Team, The Higher Education Academy. Accessed 17 January 2011from: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ 20. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employability

Towards Enhancing the Employbility in India â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Overcoming the Barriers and Issues between IT Industry, Students and Academia Puja Agarwal Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India puja.agarwal@thakureducation.org Abstract: The meaning of employability differs with time, place and industry. For example, in India, there was a time when requirement was mostly for unskilled and semiskilled workers. A large population was uneducated and people with little education also were in demand. With the evolution of employability concept in Indian IT industry, demand for people with specific technical skill set is now a necessity and soft skills are now mandatory to become employable. People with diversified knowledge and team skills are preferred. Industry demands people with innovative thinking, smarter solutions and is ready to share their profits with their employees. The relationship between industry, academia and students is based on need, efforts, mutual trust and commitment. However, due to different factors like fear, lack of funds, changing business scenario, and dissatisfaction etc. few barriers develop and try to affect the relationship. Such developed barriers lead to issues, which ultimately impact employability. Continuous and warm communication is must to maintain a healthy relationship. Academia requires inputs from Industry to design its curriculum to make its students employable. Similarly, industry requires input from academia to automate its processes, infuse new technologies and to gain technical expertise over its competitors. In the same manner, students need knowledge from academia to make them employable and inputs from industry to build up their future. With the help of this paper, I am trying to use the concept of employability in Indian IT Industry context to understand issues, barriers, drivers and possible solutions to converge academia industry relationship. Keywords: Employability, Academia, Student, Relationship, Barriers, Drivers, Skill I. INTRODUCTION There is a huge demand of Software Engineers in Indian IT industry since last decade. People will technical as well as non-technical backgrounds are welcomed in the industry. However, industry is suffering from shortage of workforce. To meet industry demand, there was an exponential growth in the number of colleges to develop students with the required aptitude and technical skills. However, there are some issues like quality of Intellectual capital, difference in values and priorities between industry and academia, scarce of funds, knowledge confidentiality are still making employability more difficult and both industry and academia should take steps to bridge the gap for healthier relationship. II. EMPLOYABILITY Employability can be defined as a set of achievements, technical and non technical skills, understandings with others and personal attributes such as behavior, honesty, motivation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their selected occupations, which benefits themselves, the industry , the community and as a result the economy of India. Over a period of time, the concept of employability has evolved significantly in India. Table I demonstrate how the types and characteristics of the concept of employability has evolved in India in last 50-60 years:

Table I. Evolution of Development of Employability in India

The quality of being employable means having the qualities to maintain employment, progress in work place and able to be employed in different work place. From the point of view of the employers, employability skills are the generic skills, attitudes and behaviors that they require in all their employees. Acquiring skills would suffice employability requirement when employability is thought from labor perspective. However, a departure from the division of labor, first to interactive, then to integrative modes of employability, requires a lifelong learning process as shown in below figure. [6]

Figure1: Employability Learning Curve

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The employability learning curve explains how employability increases in case when employee continuously improves his flexibility and soft skills. Initially, it is required to satisfy screening process in the job market. Upon entry, two choices are open: first is to specialize in a particular skill without considering future changes; second choice is to prepare for functional flexibility by acquiring complementary skills. First option is a process aiming normal flat learning curve, while second option means labor pursues a learning process aiming employability. To become functionally flexible an employee needs for enhancing behavioral and social competences, mainly to communicate through dialogical learning. This drives employee further to higher order learning, acquiring behavioral and social skills. The process, through which performing multiple roles, moves towards versatility required in a holistic firm. Lifelong learning through enhancing the skills improves the employability. Despite of different concepts, there is a general agreement that three types of qualities are important while assessing the employability performance [6]. These are: A. Key technical and academic skills specific to the job Skills such as reading, writing, knowing multiple programming language, critical analysis, doubt solving attitude, bug finding talent, oral & written communication, oral and written presentation, global awareness, creativity self-management and selfcontrolling are often tested by the employer before recruiting the person for a job, and to great extent academic curriculum prepares the students to gain them. As an example a person who is good in oral presentation but technically weak so for this instance, a skill of ‘oral presentation’ will be beneficial in a manufacturing unit as would be reporting clearly to the coworkers and superiors, this same skill for a middle level manager would be beneficial in the form of refined nature of a boardroom presentation. B. Process skills Unlike the key technical skills, which are demonstrated at the time of job interview, process skills need to be demonstrated on the work. These are problem solving capacity, decision making, planning and work allocation, ethical sensitivity, understanding business and its commercial interests, ability to work in team with persons from diversified backgrounds, prioritizing, and negotiating. It is difficult to measure these skills since many of them could be demonstrated at the work place during certain instances. In addition to this, learning from the application of general reasoning capacity and exposure to work place, it is the work experience which matters to develop them. C. Personal Qualities Qualities like self-confidence, self-control, selfesteem, social skills, honesty, integrity, adaptability, flexibility, willingness to learn, emotional intelligence, stress tolerance, punctuality, efficiency

and reflectiveness are very much embedded with the personality type and shaped through life-experiences. It’s easy to teach and examine key technical and academic skills, however, process skills and personal qualities are difficult to teach but more desirable. Industry mainly focuses on Personal and process skills. A graduate of Master of Computer Applications (MCA) could be overqualified for the work they do, but the companies recruit them primarily because, in addition to professional training, the best students in the best colleges acquire analytical skills and learn to solve problems for themselves, whereas students in other colleges do not. But if college graduates in history, for instance, could analyze and solve problems equally well, the companies would recruit historians and they would be just as good at software engineering. III. RELATIONSHIP In nut shell, relationship between industry, students and academia is a three way communication and prompt efforts are to be made from all sides to maintain this healthy and sustainable relationship.

Figure 2.Communication among Students, Industry & Academic A. Industry – Academia Relationship Industry–academia relationship could be based upon their dependencies on people and knowledge. These two basic necessities are explained in detail here below:  Streamlining Access Organization need help for finding research capabilities that are relevant to employee, and they need help in building relationships and developing collaborative projects. A cultural gap is identified between industries and academics so as results there are major differences in their objectives: Business required maximum profit while academics try to gain more and more knowledge according to the current trends. The difference in objectives translates into a different way of getting things done: Industries are pressurized economically to deliver measurable innovative results on time scales of weeks or months, whereas universities offer updated syllabus according to the required technology to explore and share ideas on a time scale measured in years. The differences that barricade the application of academic and research capabilities are most strongly noted in matters relating to intellectual property, project management and technology integration. Streamlining access to programs and policies

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become these challenges easy for industry-academic collaborations. It also plays the role to become bridge among all the bodies. Industry, academia and government have all pointed to the confusing array of programs and initiatives that offer support for innovation projects [7]. The following opportunities have been identified for streamlining access: o Facilitate Intellectual Property Management o Increase commercialization Success o Integrate Technology

o o o o o

Connecting People & Skills Every person should have excellent knowledge and skills for organization’s innovation and these are also essential for commercialization success. Very less number of people is in the market those have business and management skills as per requirements involved in system of innovation. The key barrier to advance the innovation is lack of resources and person’s talent to integrate new ideas and technologies. The following opportunities have been identified to connect people with advanced skills to business o Develop non-technical skills o Build receptor capacity in Industries

B. Industry – Student Relationship Student committees like Placement Cell, Alumni Club, and Industry Interface Cell etc. are different modes of communication between students and Industry.



o o o o

C. Student – Academia Relationship Staring from curriculum design after taking feedback from industry to final placements, students rely on academia. Academia helps them grow as Intellectual Capital for the industry. D. Characteristics of Relationship For a healthy industry-student-academia relationship, the balance between freedom and responsibility is to be maintained. Basic characteristics of this relationship are as follows [5]: o Objective to benefit the society, overcome self interest, promote relationships that encompass research and innovation, as well as education and service o Based on legal agreements that include equitable intellectual property and commercial rights o Understand that the interests of different stack holders are not mutually exclusive or incompatible. Academia’s primary function is education, learning, Understand that academia’s primary function is education, learning, research, and knowledge generation, while that of business is to produce products and services for societal needs with an economic return, but also understand that the two primary functions are not mutually exclusive or incompatible o Maintain transparency, openness and flexibility

o o

Do the respect to each other in work environments, ethical standards, values, goals, and objectives The communication should be clear to establish long-term partnerships Encourage inter-cultural understanding Use of free and open sourcing of data and information for collaboration Hire the people as facilitators those who have worked in both industry and academia Minimize and mitigate environmental impact by using technical tools Learn to communicate clearly with the others in the language to help establish long-term partnerships Build trust and good working relationships Encourage inter-cultural understanding The customary basis for collaboration it uses free and open sourcing of data and information. Patenting can be desirable and beneficial and that both publication and patenting promote openness, but on different terms and conditions Facilitate students and academics to gain experience in business settings and industrial professionals to work in academic settings Use people as facilitators those who have worked in both industry and academia To establish the intellectual property policies and industrial collaborations, help the academic sector in developing countries build capacity through scientific research. To minimize and mitigate environmental impact ,use the tools of science and technology, along with others Promote an active dialogue between academia, industry, and the public sector Identify the international science and other organizations which can do to assist and promote different cooperation.

IV. DRIVERS & BARRIERS In this section, we will try to examine the root causes of major issues relating to industry academia relationship. These root cause could be explained in terms of barriers to communication. Later, we will also discuss about the drivers, which can help everyone to overcome these barriers. A vast majority of academics would agree that the most relevant barriers are bureaucracy and lack of funds. Whereas, most relevant drivers could be their relationship which normally would be based upon mutual trust, mutual commitment and shared goals. A barrier provides a hindrance or obstacle to do something, while a driver provides the motivation to do that. [2]Barriers can be grouped under following three types: A. Usability of Results Barriers due to usage of R&D results could be: o The focus on producing practical results by business

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o o

Confidentiality of research results Fear of disclosing business knowledge

B. Funding Barriers Barriers generated due to availability of funds from both external and internal sources: o Lack of external funding for academia o Lack of financial resources of the business C. Relational Barriers Barriers generated through interactions and relationships could be: o Lack of business awareness o Limited absorption capacity for projects o Difference in values / motivation o Bureaucracy o Limited ability to absorb research findings o Lack of awareness about opportunities generated o Gap due to difference in mode of communication o Non-technical point of contact from business o Relations. Ideally, administration should be based on No appropriate initial point of contact from industry Drivers are those factors that facilitate the academia. They can be grouped under the following types: D. Relationship Drivers Drivers relate to relationship between the academia and industry, which are: o Mutual Trust o Mutual Commitment o Shared goal o Prior relation o Cooperation to address social issues o Communication E. Business Drivers Drivers relate to business factors, which are: o Employment / Placement o Interest of business accessing scientific knowledge o Possibility of accessing financial resources of business for working o Access to business research & development facilities o Motivate the others for their point to complete Following table represents the drivers and barriers comparison under two heads: Table III. & Barriers

Industry Academia Relationship Driver

There could be many such ways to overcome barriers mentioned above. In the next section, we will try to identify the possible solutions to improve industry academia relationship. V. INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC ISSUES Although issues are generated in the student-industryacademia relationships due to many reasons, but some of the issues can be controlled by promoting drivers and overcoming barriers. For rest of them, different stake holders can coordinate with each other to overcome the uncontrollable issues. Some of issues between student, industry and academia are as follows: A. Accelerated growth of Higher Education Since last two decades, there is increased awareness and funding from private sector into higher education. This has helped academia to provide supply of educated manpower to aggressively growing software industry. However, due to the pace at which higher education has been increased, issues related to quality of students and their education is now more common. B. Management of Education We are still following education administration systems of last decades. Administration of educational institute directly impacts the industry relations. Ideally, administration should be based on principle of participation, decentralization, autonomy and accountability. C. Incentives and conflicts between public and private knowledgeSome Common Mistakes Issues related to confidentiality of sensitive information leads to conflicts between Industry and academia. Public knowledge is the technical and business knowledge available to everyone. On the other hand, private knowledge is confidential. Industry hesitates to share information related to its uniqueness in the industry and key business figures. Academia hesitates to share the latest research results with the industry. D. Conflicts over IP and university administration There could be conflicts within different departments of academia over the handling of Intellectual Property (IP) also. Administration could ask the researcher not to share its findings on a specific project with the industry for economic interests. Academia also needs funds to manage different research projects. Therefore, industry should also understand the important of efforts and resources academia puts in on research projects E. Faculty have a theoretical/ academic orientation Academia administration also needs to motivate its faculties to provide consultancy to industry which can help them significantly. Academia should develop such an environment that research attitude becomes a part of academia culture. One way of doing this is to break

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facultyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teaching periodically for helping the industry / consulting.

Table IV. solutions

Industry

complaints

and

possible

F. Selection of faculty should not be based on degrees/ doctorates This is another issue raised by industry that faculty selection should be based on their attitude towards research and should not be based on degrees and doctorates they have. Selection should be based on the ability to transmit new learning, quality of industry exposure, passion for teaching and student feedback. G. Core faculty has the deepest influence on students It is observed that faculties with core subjects influence more the students. However, as discussed earlier, industry is more interested in other than technical skills. Students get input for the development of those skills non-core courses. This results into another area of conflict between industry and academia. Academia should take feedback from industry for course design. Ideally, there should be 50:50 ratios in core and industry faculties. Case studies should be used from standard sources and relevant. Table II summarizes the difference in perception of industry towards students and perception of students towards industry. These perceptions are very important for the point of view of student-industry relationships. Even if students possess the qualities which industry require, there could be a chance that student do not get employed by the industry based on these perceptions. Table II. Industry Student Perception about each other

Putting the responsibility of employability on academia alone is a clear power imbalance. The employer-ability to promote life-long learning and to incentivize an environment of learning of skills needs to be balanced. While, employability intervention at the academia side is often uniform in nature, the discretion has been left to the industry and work- specific situations. It is also interesting to observe a good number of practices in India are carried out by the corporate sector as part of gaining trained personnel for the firm. [6] There could be three important factors that influence the effectiveness of industry academia relationships by which the barriers can be reduced: A. Experience of collaboration In university industry linkage, find that prior collaborative experience results in standard protocols that are used as starting points for negotiations on IP ownership, facilitating the setting up of new collaborative agreements. [3] B. Breadth of interaction channels The interaction between students and industries can be done through multiple channels such as participation of the students in the industries cultural activities, training for new technology, industrial visit, doing summer projects and internship etc.

There could be more issues in the student-industryacademia relationships. Personal interests, personal ego could damage this relationship significantly. However, promoting drivers of relationships could reduce these issues. Some of the possible solutions are explained in the next section.

C. Inter-organizational trust Inter organizational trust is a necessity to remove the barriers between students and industries. In the time of recession when no industry is interested to hire the students, cause of inter organizational trust they hire the students.

VI. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS In general, overcoming barriers of relationship and promoting drivers reduces the complaint level. For example, table IV explains possible solutions to some of the common industry complaints.

VII. EXAMPLES Following are some examples where Industry has joined hands with academia to overcome relationship barriers [6]: o Big industries such as Microsoft, Infosys (with Institute of Economic governance), have joined hands with local NGOs for accessing to communities or academic institutions looking for technical expertise to provide IT related skills training to young persons. The rationale behind such trainings is to increase the career options of these persons. o Bangalore-based MeriTrac Services Pvt Ltd (MSPL) has been roped in as assessment partner for B-SAT (BPO Skills Assessment Test) in Karnataka, by the

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Government of Andhra Pradesh for Graduate Employment Test (GET) and by the Government of Kerala for Kerala Employability Enhancement Resources Programme. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Wipro, Infosys Technologies Ltd, IBM, Mind Tree, Robert Bosch and Caritor have promoted the University Level Skill Assessment Test (ULSAT) project conceived by Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) of Bangalore in Karnataka. These assessments revealed that only 25% of engineering graduates possessed employable skills. Such as scenario has given rise to skill-bridge courses aimed at engineering colleges in Tier-II and Tier-III cities to run the 8monthprogramme that will make all engineers employable. NASSCOM has come up with a number of programmes to increase the employability of the Indian workforce particularly for IT and ITeS related jobs. NASSCOM has categorized the technical workforce into three parts of a) those with highly skilled b) persons with skills required in mainstream and c) persons with basic technical skills. Particularly for the mainstream second category, which forms the largest demand group NASSCOM has designed a programme called ‘Finishing School’. In the summer months this programme reinforce some basic engineering skills and in addition, acquire industryspecific knowledge and skills, soft skills, and management and employment skills, which are being delivered by trained faculty and practicing IT and ITES industry consultants.

demand. Student should try to develop their personal skills and keep them updated with the latest business scenarios IX. ACKNOWLEDGMENT I would like to thank the management of TIMSCDR to provide me this golden opportunity. I also thank all those who directly or indirectly helped me in preparing this paper. X.

REFERENCES 1.

4. 5.

6. VIII. CONCLUSION There is a need of helping each other for mutual interests and development and to build sustainable relationship in current scenario. At one side Industry should understand the problems and challenges academia is facing, academia should also understand the business needs and design courses to match industry’s specific

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Werner Thomas, Hudson David, Hadgraft Roger. “Towards forging stronger links – overcoming the communication barriers between industry, students and academia” Proceedings of the 2007 AaeE Conference, Melbourne, 2007 Todd Davey, Thomas Baaken, Victoria GalánMuros and Arno Meerman.“Barriers and drivers in European University – Business Cooperation” Science-to-Business Marketing Research Centre, 2012 Ammon Salter, Johan Bruneel, Pablo D'Este. “Investigating the factors that diminish the barriers to university industry collaboration” “Industry – Academia Convergence - Bridging the Skill Gap” FICCI& NMIMS "Scientific Relations Between Academia and Industry: Building on a New Era of Interactions for the Benefit of Society" A Report from an International Workshop on Academia-Industry Relations Sigtuna, Sweden, 22-25 November 2011 R CDatta, Sony Pellissery,Bino Paul G D. “Employability: Concepts, Indicators and Practices” Discussion Paper from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, 2007 “Strategy for Partnership and innovation”. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), 2009

Enhancing Employability: A Long Term Challenge Ms. Rupali Jadhav Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India rupali.jadhav@thakureducation.org Ms. Neelam Naik Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India neelam.naik@thakureducation.org Abstract: Enhancing graduate employability is of increasingly central concern to all higher education institutions. This paper focus on the approach to enhancing graduate employability by taking different steps by Administrators, teachers, parents ,business representatives and community members to develop an applied and integrated college-to-work curriculum. Keywords: Employability, enhancing employability, employer perspective, educator perspective,, challenges I. INTRODUCTION Enhancing graduate employability is one of the increasingly central concern to all higher education institutions. This paper focus on the approach to enhancing graduate employability By fully integrating project activity to ensure ‘fit’ with institutional, regional and national priorities. It also identifies evaluation strategies and critical success factors at both institutional and academic College level for this integrated approach in a changing environment where new challenges such as expanding participation and an increased emphasis on enterprise and entrepreneurship must be also addressed. “Employability” define as , the capacity to move selfsufficiently into and within the labour market, to fulfill potential through sustainable employment. Such a definition includes notions of moving not only into a first job or further study, but onto longer-term employment too, implying an ability to manage one’s career and continuing professional development. In addition to the acquisition of subject-specific knowledge, students need to developed employability skills, which may include:  cognitive skills – higher level intellectual or academic skills (e.g. interpreting, analyzing)  subject-specific skills – practical or professional skills related to the degree subject (e.g. design skills)  key skills – personal skills and qualities which are generic to a range of both academic and employment settings (e.g. enterprise, teamwork, planning and organizing) and the skills required to manage ongoing career development (e.g. self analysis, networking). Following figure shows employability themes and terminology.

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Figure 1: employability themes and terminology.

Teaching and learning strategies should aim to develop students skills to help them to become better (and more independent) learners, which will, in turn, improve their employability. Colleges can implement the models that best meet the needs of their students and community. Regardless of the models chosen, an integrated college-to-work curriculum must be supported by appropriate instruction and assessment. Instructional methods for this integrated curriculum often include "applied teaching methods and team-teaching strategies" so that learning is "more contextualized, more integrated or interdisciplinary, student-centered, active, and project based. A. A student-centered approch: A student-centered approach encourages students to be active participants in their own learning. Instead of emphasizing memorization and abstract learning, teachers focus on authentic instruction to promote contextual learning. Contextual learning refers to "learning that occurs in a real-life context or a close simulation of a real-life context".

B. Learning method : Besides implementing new methods of instruction and assessment, colleges must have openness to changing the structure of the College. Class periods may vary from the standard 50-minute period to allow time for project development and teamteaching activities. If teachers in different subject areas are teaching integrated units, classes must be scheduled so that the same students are in class with each teacher in different blocks of time. Because most teachers have been trained to teach curricula that are college-based and subject-specific, professional development is necessary for teachers to adopt different roles and teaching strategies. States that teachers need to increase their knowledge of workplace practice and authentic applications of their subjects, to create high-quality integrated curricula that combine academic and vocational skills, to adopt teaching roles that support authentic learning, and to develop alternative assessments that provide meaningful feedback. A case-study approach may be helpful in preparing teachers to successfully integrate vocational and academic education. Time must be provided for teachers to plan lessons, visit businesses or colleges, and meet with the curriculum team. Some of this staff development time will involve going out into the business community to see what current computing trends, programming language and occupational skills are required in the contemporary workplace. Faculty members also may wish to participate in teacher externships, short-term experiences at a business or industry in which teachers spend time in a work environment that reflects their fields of interest. II. GOALS Educators, with input from business and industry, revitalize the existing college-to-work curriculum or design a new curriculum that is applied and integrated in order to enhance student learning. Instruction and assessment support this curriculum. Academic and vocational teachers plan and work together to link learning activities in classrooms with a full range of work-related experiences. Educators work with parents and community members to develop meaningful learning experiences that will help to prepare all students for employment and/or further education after graduation & post graduation. Administrators support an collaboration between academic and vocational teachers, new assessment strategies, and the involvement of business and industry. Students leave high college with the skills and academic knowledge necessary for success in postsecondary education and the workplace. III. ACTION OPTIONS Administrators, teachers, business representatives and community members, and parents can take the following steps to develop an applied and integrated college-to-work curriculum.

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ACTION PLAN FOR CHANGE: A. Administrators: Reach out to business, industry, and the community for current information on workplace and the Community. Create a planning team made up of teachers, college staff, and business representatives to develop a common philosophy that guides the college-to-work curriculum development and decide on strategies for implementation of an integrated academic and vocational education. Support the development of college-based curriculum and instruction relating to college-to-work reform. Explore funding options made available by federal legislation relating to college-to-work transition. Use a checklist for excellence in college-to-work transition to assess current practices and set new goals for integrating academic and vocational education. Promote effective curricular strategies, effective instructional strategies, effective cooperative efforts, and effective administrative practices and procedures for integrating academic and vocational education. Create a college climate that leads to an understanding of the equality of academic and vocational education as well as exploration of options for integrating academic and vocational education. Anticipate resistance from students, faculty, and administration, and develop plans to address this resistance. Facilitate their acceptance by helping them understand the myths and realities of integrated academic and vocational education. Restructure colleges to allow for the development of career academies or flexible scheduling that will allow students more time to work on academic and vocational activities and projects. Provide professional development on college-to-work issues so that teachers understand what work requires of colleges. Develop schedules, staff assignments, and access to resources conducive to teacher collaboration. Provide planning time for academic and vocational teachers to observe and experience hands-on activities in each other's classrooms. (Refer to the Critical Issue "Finding Time for Professional Development.") Provide opportunities for teachers to meet with business and labor representatives in order to develop curricula that are practical and meaningful for students. Encourage development of teacher externships so teachers can acquire first-hand experiences that will help them understand skills their students will need for career opportunities and how they can incorporate those skills into the subjects they teach. Support efforts at integrating academic and industry skill standards to add rigor and practical applications to the curriculum. Work with the curriculum team to develop alternative assessments that evaluate student progress based on skills taught; identify goals that students are expected to achieve.

Support teachers' use of student journals and projects to support traditional teaching materials and field trips to replace straight lectures. Ensure that the college counselor's role in planning and integrating basic skills is clear. College counselors should inform all students of their full range of options regarding further educational opportunities--not only in college but also in apprenticeships, technical colleges, and employment.

and activities derived from real experiences at the worksite. Provide information to teachers and college counselors on current industry practices. Offer tours of various businesses and industries for students and teachers. Offer on-site opportunities for students to participate in job shadowing and internships and for faculty to participate in teacher externships.

B. Teachers: Learn about college-to-work transition in classrooms. Support academic and vocational teacher collaboration .Work in interdisciplinary teams to show connections between academic and vocational subjects and to integrate academic and workplace lessons; develop strategies for curriculum integration in college-to-work systems. Visit the classrooms of other team members to develop an appreciation of each of the other disciplines; visit businesses to develop an understanding of needs in the workplace. Meet as a team to review textbooks, examinations, projects, syllabi, and outlines to determine integration strategies. In vocational courses, incorporate more academic skills based on workplace situations. In academic courses, teach concepts that relate to reallife occupational situations so students see the relationship between what they are learning and the skills they will need to compete for a good job. Design lessons and units that have real-world vocational applications. Encourage students to work in teams to accomplish goals. Develop student projects that involve both academic and vocational concepts, such as integrating science and math in vocational education. Look at other models of integration, such as a design for a unit in mathematical modeling. After the necessary organizational and administrative structures are in place, make an effort to learn more about the current workplace. Update knowledge of skill requirements through teacher externships, meetings with business and labor representatives, and awareness of changing technology. Work to ensure that content standards, instructional standards, and assessment standards reflect the integration of academic and career development. Use alternative assessment strategies to evaluate students' work.

D. Parents: Parents should support the for developing an integrated college-to-work curriculum. Participate on planning committees to voice input about curriculum development.

C. Business Representatives and Community Members: Meet with educators to voice concerns about the skills needed by future workers and to explain the needs of the workplace. Participate on planning teams seeking input on curriculum design, student assessment, and workplace skills. Provide examples of classroom concepts applied in the workplace through industry standards, documents,

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IV. DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW Some educators voice concern that involving businesses and industry representatives in curriculum planning will produce a watered down academic focus and an overemphasis on workplace skills and training. They believe that business and industry should not dictate what schools should be teaching to students. Some educators view an applied curriculum as a series of stand-alone applied courses that are taken by students bound for work, associate degrees, or technical training but not necessarily by those bound for four-year colleges and universities. They may consider applied courses to be intellectually inferior to academic courses. This misperception often arises because low-level courses often are called "applied" even though they merely are watered down versions of academic courses V. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR The success of these development activities, in relatively short time-scales for curriculum Development can be attributed to several interrelated factors. A. The institutional level: The teaching and learning strategy places high importance on improving the employability of our students. An employability statement and strategy with attendant resources highlights practical ways for academic staff to implement strategy . A pool of development staff that is respected by academic colleagues and can provide support for curriculum innovation with credibility and without being seen as tied to a single initiative. Senior management support from both Pro-Vice-Chancellors and Faculty management has created a culture which promotes and recognizes innovative practice. B. The School level ‘Champions’ with empathy for the employability agenda have helped to build an environment receptive to curriculum change Establishing partnerships with academic colleagues to provide appropriate educational development support Providing small scale ‘pump-prime’ funding to assist academics in

realizing curriculum innovation by, for example, buying-out existing staff time Embedding project-led developments in the curriculum from the outset to overcome problems of sustainability VI. CONCLUSION Enhancing student employability is likely to remain high on the agenda for Higher Education and must be addressed in the context of increasing student numbers drawn from a broader spectrum. Taking a strategic view can help to ensure that project-led activity really is used to stimulate new and innovative approaches by integrating project outcomes into institutional and business plans and programmers from the outset. The experience of the Careers Service at the using project based activity to add value to the mainstream, building capacity and capability, has enabled a move to a position where the strategy drives the projects rather than the projects driving the strategy.

VII. REFERENCES 1.

Ottoms, G., Presson, A., & Johnson, M. (1992). Making high schools work through

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integration of academic and vocational education. Atlanta: Southern Regional Education Board. Boyer, E. (1992, November). Curriculum, culture, and social cohesion. Leadership Abstracts 5(2). Laguna, CA: League for Innovation in the Community College. Grubb, W.N. (1995, May). Reconstructing urban schools with work-centered education. Education and Urban Society, 27(3), 244259. Grubb, W.N. (1996, April). The new vocationalism: What it is, what it could be. Phi Delta Kappan, 77(8), 538-540. Grubb, W.N., Davis, G., Lum, J., Plihal, J., & Morgaine, C. (1991). The cunning hand, the cultured mind: Models for integrating vocational and academic education (MDS141). Berkeley, CA: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (1993). 1994 project application guidelines: Tech prep projects. Madison, WI: Author.

Enhancing Employability of IT students through Academia-Industry Interaction Tejas Rajendra Chavan Student, Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India tejaschavnan1190@gmail.com Priya H. Dagli Student, Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India daglipriya@gmail.com Abstract: Dynamic nature of IT industry and rapidly growing competition has necessitated the demand for highly skilled human resources. In response to the growing demand from the industry, university and industry which have been operating in isolation for long have to come closer. Intersecting needs and mutually interdependent relationships requires identifying the ways in which academia-industry interaction can be enhanced. This paper is aimed at exploring different ways through which education institutes can work closely with industry, study the dimensions of academia-industry partnership and identify possible ways through with industry can contribute to academia to build an efficient system producing highly skilled human resources. Keywords: Enhancing employability, academia, industry, interaction, Information Technology I.

INTRODUCTION The information technology (IT) industry has become of the most robust industries in the world. Information Technology is the study or use of systems (esp. computers and telecommunications) for storing, retrieving, and sending information. Information technology, and the hardware and software associated with the IT industry, are an integral part of nearly every major global industry. IT, more than any other industry or economic facet, has an increased productivity, particularly in the developed world, and therefore is a key driver of global economic growth. Because of the high demand for IT products and services the competition in IT industry has substantially increase over the years. The Information Technology Association of America has defined IT as "the study, design, development, application, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems". Extremely dynamic nature of business and the rapidly developing knowledge based service economy have increased the demand for highly skilled professionals to run the business effectively and sustain in the market. And this is predominantly the reason why the student community or even professionals are getting more and more attracted towards Information Technology. The number of graduates coming out of technical colleges increased to over 700,000 in 2011 from 550,000 in FY 2010.[5][6] However, 75% of technical graduates and more than 85% of general graduates are unemployable by India's high-growth global industries, including information technology and call centers.[7] II.

CURRENT SCENARIO The rapid advance and growing use of IT have been accompanied by qualitative and quantitative shortages of human resources needed to support its further

development. As a result, developing IT human resources is becoming an urgent task. A massive upsurge in the number of business schools was observed post 1991 when India was liberalized and opened to the global world. Many multinationals entered India bringing with them increased demand for professionals. Business education now moved beyond the domains of government control with establishment of many private institutions. Resurgent India sees wealth creation as a great equalizer amongst all sections of the society. In such a scenario a knowledge worker who can work at the cutting edge of technology, add value to the bottom-line, and provide competitive advantage to industry has become a hot commodity to acquire. Due to highly challenging industry requirements experienced professionals are preferred for key development positions over fresh recruit which reduces the number of job opportunities for fresher. The reason behind this is the practical knowledge and lack of exposure to the industry on the part of fresh recruits. IT is now an integral part of economic activities and underpins the social infrastructure. At the same time, industry as a whole has become globalized and entered an age of mega-competition that transcends national boundaries. Along with these developments, securing human resources in the IT industry is gradually becoming more difficult. A number of factors underlie difficulties in securing IT human resources. These include intensifying international competition accompanying the rise of emerging nations; a disparity between classroom curriculum and the actual human resources needed by industry; shorter delivery times and an increase in manhours for development along with the growing complexity of products.

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Though the very advent of higher education institutes in India was to cater to the demands of the industry, the two entities have traditionally been operating in separate domains and more or less in an isolated manner. III.

RESEARCH & OBSERVATIONS Academia- Industry Interface could be defined as interactive and collaborative arrangement between academic institutions and business corporations for the achievement of certain mutually inclusive goals and objectives. Traditionally, educational institutes were looking for placements and internships for their students and the industry for fresh recruits who are well trained and equipped with the right knowledge, skills and attitude to be able to contribute to organization’s growth. Today, the educational institutes have realized the importance of ‘academia-industry interaction’ for the following reasons:  Vital importance of human competence in sustaining the organization’s competitive advantage in the market.  Increasing needs of the industry.  Growing complexity in academics and industry.  Industry’s motive to make their fresh recruits productive and efficient right from day one with the aim of reducing the training cost and time.  Need for constant innovation and adaptability to maintain high standards.  Intense competition in student placements with rapid increase in the number of graduates being produced every year in the increase in the number of technical institutes. These are the reasons why the role industry as a partner of academic institutes has immensely increased. At the same time industry has also realized their advantages in academia-industry interaction. Industry is ready to invest their time and effort in the academic activities to get the highly skilled and well developed professionals according to their requirements. There are a number of ways, through which business schools can collaborate with industry. Some of the commonly used ways are: 1. Guest Lectures by industry representatives. 2. Suggestions in curriculum designing. 3. Joint seminars by academia and industry both for executives and students. 4. Academia generating ideas and acting as incubators to new business. 5. Inclusion of industry experts in governing councils and other board of studies. 6. Industry providing financial and infrastructure support to business schools for their development. 7. Funding academic and applied research.

IV. PROPOSED MEASURES A] Research-Development-Implementation model (RDI Model) This model aims to bridge the gap between classroom curriculum and the actual human resources needed by industry (Industry Requirements). It is mainly focused at fostering the academia-Industry interaction. RDI model provides benefits to both academic institutes as well as to industries. So the Industry and academic institutes come together for their common interest that is enhancement of employability in IT industry. To implement this model there are some prerequisites as follows: 1) Every Management Institute providing Higher education (Professional Master’s degree courses) for technical courses should have a tie up with at least 2 or more IT companies. 2) IT companies have to invest their time for facilitation of the institutes and assign their corporate trainers to train the students in two sessions of 10 days per year. Explanation of this model is given in reference to 3 year post graduation professional degree courses (It can be applied to 2 year professional courses as well). It is basically an annual exercise in which the students have to submit a live project assigned by the companies having tie-up with their respective institutes at the end of every academic year. Students will be asked to submit projects based on the technologies they have learned in their respective training program and academic curriculum. These projects will be evaluated by the panel consisting of internal faculty members as well as corporate professionals and students will be assigned marks which will be a part of their annual aggregate scores. This model consists of three phases and can be implemented in an academic structure which as follows:

a) Research Phase: This phase starts off with the 10 days training program given by the corporate trainers at the beginning of the year. There will be two training programs scheduled at the beginning of the year and in the mid year to provide students with consistent support. Along with this training students will have to their own research for the project as everything can’t be covered in the training programs.

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b) Development Phase: After the completion of the first training program IT companies will assign some projects or part of the project on which they are working on to their partner institutes. This will be a group project. Students are given a time span of 8 months to submit their projects. After which they will be asked to present their projects in front of the evaluation team. The evaluation team will evaluate the projects, assign marks and provide their views on the projects. The scoring structure will be as follows: Academic Year

Scores out of

First Year Second Year

100 marks 100 marks

Third Year

200 marks

Total Scores

400 marks

Implementation Phase: After the evaluation phase projects members of the projects which are approved by the judging panel will get an opportunity to work with the company as a part time intern for a period of 2 months. This will give students a direct exposure to the industry and will prove to be a valuable experience for the students.

The aggregate scores of the project work done in all the years of the professional course present another dimension to the eligibility criteria for the recruitment process of IT companies. Cost-Benefit Analysis: Cost or Effort: To implement Research-Development-Implementation model IT companies have to put some monitory investment behind the training programs and evaluation conducted by corporate trainers and professionals. And students will have to go an extra yard to gain practical knowledge and experience which is of paramount importance when it comes to employability.

 



eligibility throughout’ criteria in SSC, HSC , degree and Masters scores. Students scoring above 75% can be retained by the IT Company assigning the projects. Presents a fair chance to all the students based on their practical knowledge and recent academic performance instead of achievements in the past. Students can get valuable inputs from industry professionals through direct interaction.

Benefits to Industry:  The RDI model will produce professionals having practical knowledge and experience of working in Industry.  Judgement of any candidate in one meet i.e. interview is a challenging task. But this model presents a unique opportunity to the Companies to start the assessment of students well in advance.  It will provide free interns to the company.  Reduces the workload of the industry professionals and shorten the project completion time as they will have the interns to assist them.  Reduces the time and effort put in the induction training program given by the company post recruitment. Through all these benefits Research-DevelopmentImplementation model promises to enhance the employability of IT students as IT industry would get more efficient and experienced professionals. B) Concept of specialization It is observed that there is great amount of disparity between academic curriculum and industry requirements. Because of this disparity a fresher needs to go through an extensive induction training program (usually of 4-6 months) after joining any IT company. Without these training programs an employee is not assigned a project work due to lack of practical knowledge. The concept of specialization promises to provide a solution to these problems. According to a research there are mainly three different streams in terms of technology and job profiles as follows:

Benefits: The RDI model presents many benefits to both the parties of academia-Industry Interface as follows. Benefits to students:  Opportunity to work on a live project every year where they can put their knowledge to application.  Opportunity to gain Industry Experience i.e they get a clear picture of the working procedures of the companies and get a reality check in advance.  Students scoring more than 60% in their project scores of the professional course will be eligible for all the company’s placements process without the consideration of standard ‘above 60%

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Fig.3 Proposed streams for final year students

Many professional courses offer various subjects of each stream in the final year of the course. But because of this structure students get the very basic and insufficient knowledge of all the streams and Students end up being in a position where they are ‘Jack of all trades-Master of none’. It is observed that it is not feasible to include all the latest technologies of all the streams in the curriculum at a time. So instead of the existing approach specialization concept proposes to offer a choice to the final year students to choose any one area of specialization. In that case the final year syllabus will contain four essential common subjects for all streams and two specialization practical subjects of a chosen stream. There is one prerequisite that subjects needed to build the basic understanding of all the proposed streams should be part of first and second year syllabus. Application of this model presents an opportunity to introduce the latest technologies of preferred streams as an academic subject eliminating the subjects related to other streams given as an option. There are two ways by which this concept can be implemented. (a) At university level online virtual training will be conducted. It provides economies of scale in terms of cost as very few corporate trainers can conduct lectures for many institutes easily. The infrastructure for the online Virtual Training will be set up by the university. (b) And the other way of implementing this concept is having faculty members for each of the specialized streams. Cost-Benefit Analysis: Cost and effort:  University would have to invest in the infrastructure set up.  If the online virtual training approach is implemented all the participating institutes will have to decide a common schedule for the lectures conducted for the specialization subjects.  Or if the other approach is implemented, in order to give three choices to the final year students the institute must appoint three or more faculty members which may not be feasible for all the institutes. Benefits: Benefits to Students:  Students will get to learn new technologies thoroughly.  Students will get an opportunity to choose their area of specialization.  This focused approach will prove to be very helpful for their final year placements.

V. 



Benefits to Industry:  Industry will get professionals having specialized skill sets.  Process of sorting people according to their specialization will be automated.



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CONCLUSION It is imperative for educational institutes to bring Academia and Industry closer and build strong collaborative relationship; Each educational institutes needs to identify the areas where they can build an effective academia-industry relationship. They need to revisit their mission and academic model to be able to identify the right Interface mix; Academia and Industry need to build effective relationships, with long term strategic intent contributing to growth and development of both the entities; The research supports that Indian educational institutes have been traditionally using guest lectures as the most preferred medium of industry collaboration. They are not only considered as a medium to establish industry networks, by giving latter an experience of institute and the students and increasing placement opportunities but also add to the learning value for students. Educational institutes essentially have collaborated with corporate to provide training and internships to students. Two-month internships are integral part of business curriculum in India with certain credit assigned. This is seen as one of the best methods of giving students both the theoretical concepts and their applications and enhancing their ability to relate the two for decision making purpose; These initiatives on the part of business schools trigger industry’s interest to collaborate by assisting them in development and training of their human capital, hence increasing the mindshare and enhancing the image of the business school. This kind of partnership model is still in initial stages in India, with a need to work on appropriate strategy for mutual benefit. Including industry inputs has been perceived quite beneficial by educational institutes in improving the quality of output and making them competent of surviving in rapidly changing business environment. However, not many institutions have been able to work on the right method of including the industry’s viewpoints into curriculum and structuring the course for student and corporate benefit. This research validates the above-mentioned statement that collaborative research is still in the infancy stage in India. Curriculum Development Committee hasn’t been able to integrate internships, project work, case studies and practical sessions with academics that well, which is not only loosing on a effective collaborative methods but also denying Indian management education of critical and innovative knowledge and inputs. One area, which has not been effectively explored by business schools, is Industry

participation in student mentoring. Mentors who are friends, philosophers and guides, are top professionals, who have willingness to impart knowledge & skills and hence bridge gap between classroom and marketplace reality.  Educational Institutes need to evaluate the effectiveness of various modes employed by them objectively, so that future course of action can be designed with specific goals and well planned procedures. Educational Institutes have to move beyond the phenomenon of ‘working with employers’ towards the concept of ‘working with partners’. The collaboration between the two is dynamic and complex. A synergistic relationship has to be carved between the educational institutes and the industry so that both can benefit and also contribute to enhancing the entire teaching-learning process.

TIMSCDR, Mumbai for their helpful comments and suggestions. VII. REFERENCES 1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

VI. ACKNOWLEDGMENT Authors thank Shrish Kamat(Legal consultant, TCS) , Preeti Kamat(Corporate Trainer) and faculty members at

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_technol ogy http://www.economywatch.com/business-and-3. economy/information-technology-industry.html http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/201202-28/news/31107310_1_aicte-engineeringcolleges-management-colleges http://www.waset.org/journals/ijims/v1/v1-12.pdf Nandakumar, Indu (2011-11-24). "Number of tech graduates swells; salaries at IT firms stay stagnant". The Economic Times. Retrieved 201203-19. "Knowledge Professionals". Indian IT-BPO: Trends & Insights. NASSCOM. Retrieved 201203-19. Anand, Geeta (2011-04-05). "India Graduates Millions, but Too Few Are Fit to Hire". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2012-03-19.

Enhancing Employability of I.T. Students Via Tie Ups of Educational Institutes with S.M.E. and Planning their Expansion at Rural Areas. Bhaskar Mishra, Student, Fr. Conceicao Rodrigues College of Engineering, Bandra (W), Mumbai, India bhaskar10mishra@gmail.com Abstract: This paper aspires to present the practice of establishing tie-ups or joint ventures of the educational institutions with the SMEs (Small and medium scale industries) or rural area industries as a solution to curtail the intensifying problem of unemployment of IT graduates and post graduates. Initially, the paper exhaustively explores the various reasons for the problem of unemployment of IT graduates and post graduates from various educational backgrounds. Then the solution of tie-ups is further elaborated and presented. The after-effects of applying this solution is further analyzed and studied with the help of two case studies conducted at M/s GenNext and M/s Formertron. Thus, the solution is inspected for its strength from both qualitative and quantitative viewpoint. It is found that the suggested solution effectively tackles the problems that form the basis of unemployment, thus proving to be a potentially practical and effectual solution to curb the problem. Keywords: IT in rural, IT with SME, SME automation, process automation for SME. INTRODUCTION The present declination in India’s employment scenario of IT graduates and post graduates poses a severe challenge to the Indian economy and its future. The current unemployment rate as per the data from financial express for July 2012 is estimated at 3.8% for India1. Moreover, the IT industry of India is usually severely affected by global economic crisis2. According to the survey conducted in July 2012, the unemployment rate is significantly higher for females (6.9%) than males (2.9%) [3] . This research paper aspires to present the practice of establishing tie-ups and joint ventures between educational institutes with Small and medium scale industries and with the rural area industries as a solution to curb the problem of unemployment. The paper first explores the major reasons for unemployment of IT graduates and post graduates. Then, after establishing these, the solution stated is explored and investigated further to evaluate the effect that the solution can have. The paper also covers two case studies that emphasize the strength of the suggested solution. The practical and social implications of this suggested solution are also considered and discussed. I. LITERATURE SURVEY The literature referred is from various sources like magazines, internet articles, newspapers, statistical data, published research papers & thesis of management professionals. Following are some of the research papers/articles referred: a. D. Mazumdar & S. Sarkar, The employment problem in India and the phenomena of the missing middle, Canadian Economic conference, Vancouver, June 2008. b. T.S. Papola, Employment trends in India, Article, http://isid.org.in/pdf/EmployTrenz.PDF. c. Little, Ian; Mazumdar, Dipak and page, John (1987), Small Manufacturing Enterprises, oxford, New york.

d. Papola, T.S. (2005), ‘‘Emerging Structure of Indian Economy—Implications of Growing Inter—Sectoral Imbalances, Presidential address of 88th Annual conference of Indian Economic association, Vishakhapatnam, December 27-29. II. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The overall research methodology is summarized in the below flowchart: Start

Exploring the present unemployment scenario

Establishing the reasons for unemployment of IT graduates Stating the solution of establishing tie-ups between educational institutes with the SMEs and the rural area industries

Investigating the effect of the suggested solutions: Qualitatively: Finding the qualitative improvements expected. Quantitatively: Covering two case studies that reflect the effect of such ventures. Finalizing the research with a profound and strategic solution.

End

Fig. 1. Flowchart showing research methodology

The above sequential steps clearly explain the research methodology. The data is gathered from various reliable sources like yearly financial reports, reputed magazine and newspaper articles, authentic research thesis and papers by management professionals across the world. The paper also discusses two case studies conducted at M/s GenNext

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(an IT educational institute) and M/s Formertron, India (a medium scale Indian manufacturing industry). III. INSPECTING REASONS OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN IT SECTOR: There may be numerous reasons for the declination of employment rate in IT sector. But following are some of the major reasons[6],[7]:  Huge competition: With the mushrooming of IT training institutes, colleges and various different courses of specializations, there is a heavy competition for newly passed graduates.  Phenomena of Casualisation 4: The situation of increasing casualisation is yet another detrimental phenomenon that is affecting the employment scene. This is basically backed by unrealistic and easy going attitude of job seekers.  Attraction to city life: A huge population of urban people is attracted to urban life and strives to seek job there. This also brings up the competition and unevenness in job market.  Crowding of educational institutes in urban areas: The burgeoning of various IT training centers and educational institutions in cities and towns leads to uneven scenario of available opportunities.  Attraction to big names: A very much prevalent occurance is the attraction to big tycoons and business brands for jobs. This also escalates the problem of heavy competition and thus uniform distribution of job seekers into the market.  Unrealistic presumptions: Many students have this unrealistic presumption of everything being golden and flowery in IT markets. When such presumptions are realized to be false, some amount of dissatisfaction builds in and professionals either leave jobs looking for better alternatives or stop functioning at the expected standards.  Lack of enthusiasm and interest for field: A huge population of students is dragged into IT courses due to mass or herd mentality. This ultimately results in students failing to develop genuine interest in subjects of IT. This also hampers the students to develop enthusiasm for the field.  Lack of adequate qualitative input from students during education: Some of the students while in course of their preparation for the degree; lack the genuine interest and fail to put enough hard work and effort into studies. This is often seen when students duplicate the project work for their final year exams or when they pursue education with insincerity. After studying from various research papers and referring numerous articles, reports and statistical data, it was noted that the very fundamental problem underlying all the above that generates the problem of unemployment is – ‘Categorization’[6]. This categorization is into the category of rural and urban area (people preferring urban areas) and

into SMEs and MNCs (people preferring MNCs). This whole thing and the preference towards one disrupt the balance; the after effects of which is problem of unemployment. Below diagram shows the explained point more clearly: CATEGORIZATION (Recognized as the basic Problem)

Rural & Urban Areas: Jobseekers prefer urban areas; educational institutes are prevalent in urban areas

SMEs & MNCs I.T markets and solutions are relatively less for SMEs. The MNCs become target for jobseekers thus creating problems.

Fig. 2. Diagram showing Categorization

IV. SUGGESTED SOLUTION The suggested solutions are as follows:  Tie-ups of educational institutions with SMEs o If the educational institutes plan to create specialized programs with SMEs (Small and medium scaled enterprises) that can be taken up by the students as summer internships or final year projects or researches, then there is a great possibility of creation of a diverse and broad market for exposing students to a very rich and rewarding experience. o The SMEs often feel shortage of dedicated professionals and sustenance of employees in India5. Thus, replacing the monotonous and repetitive operations with IT solutions or computer programs can prove to be a profitable solution for the company. In an effort to develop such systems, the experience can be very useful and rewarding to the IT students. Hence, the SMEs present the students with a rich and varied market for projects, researches and business opportunities.  Tie-ups with industries at Rural areas o The tie ups of educational institutions with rural area industries can also be a solution similar to the one explained above. Additionally, it will prevent the unevenness in job seekers prevalence in urban areas; thus checking the non uniformity in availability of job opportunities. This tie-up can be multifaceted in the way that it can be for jobs, projects, researches, business

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opportunities and even providing simple IT training to people. This will require motivating people to settle in rural areas which can be challenging.  Planning expansion of educational institutions in rural areas o There is a prevalence of people immigrating into urban areas for better opportunities and educational and job prospects. This is because of the unevenness in educational provisions in India. The urban areas have problem of institutions mushrooming all over while the rural areas face the problem of scarcity of reputed and good quality educational institutions or I.T training centers. This problem can be solved if the reputed institutions, universities or colleges plan for expansion into rural areas. Thus, the main idea is to target two prime entities: the SMEs and the rural areas.

8 V. ANALYSIS OF THE SOLUTION The suggested solution now needs to be assessed and analyzed to judge its strength and credibility.  Analyzing the reasons w.r.t suggested solutions At first, this is done by assessing the suggested solutions against the very reasons forming the base of problem of unemployment. Below table analyses this as follows: Table 1. Explaining how suggested solutions shall curb the problem of unemployment S Reasons of No. unemployment 1

Explanation as to how suggested solutions shall help curb the problem Huge competition The opportunities available through tie-ups with SME in rural and urban areas shall help even out the market of job offers. This will reduce the spike of high supply of students vs. low demand of jobs. The expansion of I.T educational institutes in rural areas shall help balance out the student population in India. Phenomena of Pursuing researches or projects or Casualisation internships at SMEs will enable the attitude of seriousness into students and impart into them the sincerity and realistic scenario associated with I.T work. Attraction to city Working with SMEs shall impart life enthusiasm and seriousness thus rendering attraction to city life as a secondary or trivial need. Expansion in rural areas shall help bring in developments thus upgrading rural areas.

Crowding of educational institutes in urban areas Attraction to big names

Expansion in rural areas will directly begin to solve the problem.

Working with SMEs shall help students understand the relevance of project nature compared to the place or company of work. Expansion in rural areas may open a whole new world to students. Unrealistic Handling solo projects in SMEs or presumptions engaging in research based work shall help students gain exposure of real world and hence will diminish the unrealistic beliefs. Lack of Working with SMEs right from enthusiasm and conceptualization of IT systems interest for field till their development shall ignite a lot of enthusiasm in students. This also will heighten their interest & help them evaluate the right field for them. Lack of adequate The undertaking of projects or qualitative input internships at SMEs shall help from students generate the necessary interests during education and required seriousness in students.

The above table analyzes how the underlying reasons of unemployment for IT graduates and post graduates can be tackled using the suggested solution. From above discussion, it can be concluded that the suggested solution is certainly a powerful approach to curtail the problem. Economically, this solution aims at balancing out the unevenness arising due to rural and urban categories in job scenarios and due to categorization into MNCs and SMEs.  Case Study I: Interaction with SMEs by M/s GenNext M/s GenNext is an IT training centre. In 2009, the company’s students were interviewed and the results of employment from that year were recorded. In 2010, the industry’s entrepreneur, Mr Rakesh Penkar took the initiative (on author’s advice) of interacting with SMEs to help them interact and work on small projects for those companies. Thereon, the employment rate started to increase dramatically as it was seen that realistic experience on projects helped students gain superior understanding and also imparted richness and value to their resume.M/s GenNext first conceived a set of activities and assignments that students could learn in the companies. At first, it called for some heavy amount of planning and strategizing from the training center’s side to invest in understanding the requirements of companies. Then, it t took effort to make plans to analyze and decide how IT developments could be applied in the company. Thus, after understanding the various processes of companies (SMEs), process automation was decided as one of the ways to contribute into their development. Other than that, some companies were interested in training their employees to learn using the application

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softwares while some even required basic understanding of computers. Below table 2 shows data recorded in the company at different years. Table 2. Result of case study at M/s GenNext showing increase in employment percentage YEAR  Total annual intake (number of clients) Number of clients successfully employed Employment percentage

Year 2009 120

Year 2010 90

Year 2011 110

25%

35.5%

41%

Thus, we observe a steady rise in the employment rate year by year after applying suggested solution as shown in below graph:

Fig. 3. Graph showing increase in employment percentage with years. 

Case Study II: A yearlong project at M/s Formertron[8]: The second case study was conducted at M/s Formertron by Mr. Bhaskar Mishra. The aim of the project was to devise a GUI based solution for automating the process of design and manufacturing to highest degree possible. This was achieved by compiling a “CLF design Tool” that was a GUI based software solution encountering the design analysis of work of over 12 days in a mere 3-4 minutes. It also had additional quality control features and cost analysis, design comparison features that enable production managers to inspect their production quality with ease and flexibility. This proves that there is a scope of extensive work of providing IT solutions of high quality at various SMEs (enterprises and manufacturing units). All that is required is the will and persistence to work hard.

Ignition of deep enthusiasm and genuine interest in student. c. Imparting great value and richness to student’s resume. d. Elimination of detrimental factors like easygoing attitude, unrealistic presumptions, false attractions and insincerity in students. e. Restoration of balance and evenness in the market of jobs in I.T sectors with evenly matching supply of students versus demands of industries (both SME and MNCs). Additionally, a lot of benefits will accumulate on the side of industries, Indian economy and educational institutions as the suggested solution if strategically applied will result in evening out the imbalance created due to categorization. VII. PRACTICAL LIMITATIONS OF SUGGESTED SOLUTION The suggested solution obviously has some severe practical implications as its application can’t be immediate. It will require gradual application and sustained effort on the part of authorities. It will also call for strategic and thoughtful implementation procedure that also predicts the forthcoming anomalies or disruptions in advance and addresses them accordingly in a safe manner. Such anomalies can be dissatisfaction among classes, strong resistance from employees at SMEs, reluctance by students to undertake challenging projects. Hence, to handle such problems, a careful and intelligent approach certainly needs to be strategized by an efficient team. Only then, can anyone expect a viable answer to curb the problem. VIII. CONCLUSION In conclusion, it is successfully assessed that the suggested solutions of tie ups with SMEs and expansion of educational institutes in rural areas is a viable solution. The case study at M/s GenNext shows the increase in employment percentage with years. The case study at M/s Formertron shows the scope of need for IT solutions in SMEs. But, it is also assessed that its viability is only tested and seen successful on small scale. On a large scale, it may encounter certain practical difficulties. Hence, to make the overall solution practical and effective, an intelligent and strategic implementation scheme needs to be devised. Thus, the suggested solution of tie ups with SMEs and expansion of educational institutes in rural areas is found to be a very profound, impeccable and comprehensive solution. IX.

REFERENCES 1. 2.

VI. BENEFITS ACHIEVED The suggested solution when implemented shall benefit the students in following ways: a. Significant improvement in student’s educational performance.

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http://www.financialexpress.com/news/indiasunemployment-rate-at-3.8/972203/2. http://www.financialexpress.com/news/it-sectorin-india-may-lose-50-000-jobs/402839/. GOI report, Employment and unemployment scenario in India, http://dget.nic.in/dex/empscenario.pdf.

5. 6.

T.S. Papola, “Employment trends in India”, Article, http://isid.org.in/pdf/EmployTrenz.PDF, page 7. Little, Ian; Mazumdar, Dipak and John (1987), “Small Manufacturing Enterprises”, oxford, New York. Papola, T.S. (2005), ‘‘Emerging Structure of Indian Economy—Implications of Growing Inter—Sectoral Imbalances”, Presidential address of 88th Annual conference of Indian Economic association, Vishakhapatnam, December 27-29. D. Mazumdar & S. Sarkar, “The employment problem in India and the phenomena of the

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missing middle”, Canadian Economic conference, Vancouver, June 2008. Bhaskar Mishra, N.M Joshi (2012), “Process Automation as a solution for business growth and productivity enhancement for a medium scale manufacturing industry”, Published at proceedings of International conference on Management perspectives at Amity University Rajasthan, 2012.

Rectruitment: Factors in Consideration with Special Reference to IT Industry Pankaj Mudholkar Asst. Professor, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India mudholkarpankaj@gmail.com Kiran K. Dubey Librarian, MCA dept. Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India kiran.dubey@thakureducation.org Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview on recruitment policies, procedures and the factors considered during the recruitment and selection process in IT industry. The paper also focuses on the relationship between employee selection and different strands of education, training policy and practices. The intention of the paper is not to offer a comprehensive literature review, but to act as a catalyst for trying to understand the recruitment process, problems, and solutions and to investigate strategies used by the companies to hire IT personnel. Keywords: recruitment, policies, procedures, factors I.

INTRODUCTION The recruitment and selection process is of paramount importance in order to recruit staff with the necessary skills and attributes to enable the IT companies to fulfill their corporate aims and objectives. The Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedures aim to provide clear guidance to managers in relation to both the selection and appointment of staff. This policy promotes and supports good practice for those with responsibility for recruitment. This policy and procedures aim to achieve the following objectives:  Recruit staff with the appropriate skills, both technical and personal, in order to meet the Company’s current and future needs.  To ensure that staff appointed to posts involving project leader, manager responsibilities are qualified to carry out such duties or are working towards an appropriate qualification.  Work to a fair and effective recruitment procedure, which is consistent with employment legislation and the Company’s Equality and Diversity policies and practices.  Develop and enhance the public image of the company, both as an employer and as a quality provider of the IT products they developed. Internal candidates or others personally known to the interview panel must be treated in exactly the same way as all other candidates. Additional guidance on the procedures to be followed in the recruitment of atypical and casual staff is provided separately. II. THE RECRUITMENT POLICY IN IT SECTOR Recruitment can be described as a process of attracting sufficient job applicants who have the necessary potential and competencies to fit the job requirements. The main purpose of recruitment is to get competent employees who will assist the organization in achieving its objectives

(Schultz, 2001:226). A recruitment policy guides the company’s recruitment policy and generally includes the following:  Whether internal or external recruitment will take place;  Whether relatives of existing employees may be hired;  Whether part-time or any flexi time workers will be considered and  Whether people over the retirement age may be employed (Schultz, 2001:226). Cascio (1998:172) suggests that the following criteria, related to discrimination, affirmative action and employment equity, may also be included in company policy on recruitment:  Passive non-discrimination, by treating all races and both sexes equally.  Pure diversity-based recruitment, which is a concerted effort not to exclude applicants because of past or present discrimination; and  Hard quotas, which represents a mandate to hire specific numbers of women or minority group members. III. THE RECRUITMENT PROCEDURE FOLLOWED BY IT INDUSTRIES The recruitment, selection and assessment process begins when a vacancy becomes available in the organization or when new posts have been identified through manpower planning. When recruiting and selecting employees at IT industry, managers must compile a job description (JD) and job specification (JS). The recruitment procedure comprises of two processes: pre-interview and interview A. Pre-Interview This is the process where the applicants are shortlisted for selection procedure and proceed for the recruitment and

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selection process. The process is comprises of the following: 1) Initial Contact with Potential Applicants: Advertisements are designed to attract the attention of applicants, who are then encouraged to view the web site for further details / information and to download a recruitment information pack from Human Resource Department (HRD). A hard copy format will be sent if requested. 2) Application form and Curriculum Vitaes: It is company policy that applications are made by completion of a application form for all posts. Some companies directly ask for resume and depending on the resume they will intimate the applicant for further process. This may be accompanied by a curriculum vitae and supporting letter of application if appropriate. Candidates are encouraged to apply via the web site to improve efficiency and to reduce costs. However, application forms can be provided in alternative formats where required. 3) Receipt of Replies: This requires that all applications are logged by HRD and referenced appropriately. HRD will endeavour to release applications to Departments after the closing date. Please note that applications must be collected by the Chair of the interview panel or her/his nominee. If the chair is sending a nominee, s/he must advise HR of the name of the nominee who will be collecting and signing for the applications which will be handed over in a sealed envelope for the confidential attention of the Chair. Equality and Diversity monitoring forms will be separated from the application forms with the information recorded and monitored anonymously 4) Confidentiality/Security: The Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy is that the confidentiality of an applicantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s details is of paramount importance. It is the HR managers individual responsibility to ensure that suitable arrangements are made within her/his area for this confidentiality to be maintained. It is important under the Employment Practices Data Protection Code to ensure that personal data (such as application forms, CVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) is shared only with those that need to know involved in the recruitment process. Where it is necessary for applications to be taken off site for consideration, the utmost care should be taken regarding their security. For example, applications should not be left unattended in a vehicle or in any public place. 5) Shortlisting: It is the responsibility of the Chair of the panel to make appropriate arrangements for shortlisting, which will be undertaken by at least two members of the panel. The shortlisting should be undertaken against the information compiled on the Job Description and the Person Specification. It is important to ensure that there is a consistent approach to the way in which personal data is used and assessed in the shortlisting process. It is more important that the selection criteria used is applied in a fair and consistent way rather than that the criteria are in themselves fair. Companies are more probably conducting aptitude and general awareness test before selection for an interview.

It is company policy that notes be kept on candidates to justify any decisions made regarding selection for interview. These must be written on the shortlisting form provided by HRD, in order to maintain the appropriate records. The notes should, therefore, be relevant to and necessary for the process itself. It should be noted that applicants would normally be entitled to have access to notes about them which are retained as part of the record of the shortlisting exercise. All records must be handed to HRD by the Chair of the panel. It is the responsibility of the Chair of any panel to collect any copies of application forms and/or CVs once decisions have been agreed. All surplus copies must be shredded to ensure confidentiality. Out of consideration for applicants, shortlisting should be undertaken within the agreed timescales. B. Interviewing Following shortlisting, selected applicants will be invited for interview by HRD. The purpose of an interview is to facilitate the selection of the most suitable candidate for the post, although it should be recognised that this is only one part of the selection process. 1) Invitations to Interview: Candidates should be given at least one weeks clear notice of an interview date. The invitation should include the details of any skills assessments and related preparatory work that they will be required to undertake prior to or as part of the recruitment process. Candidates should also be asked to bring with them satisfactory evidence of their eligibility to work for the post and the originals of any qualifications required for the role. The candidates should also be asked whether any reasonable adjustments are to be made for the interview. 2) Composition of Interview Panels: The interview is conducted by a formal panel members consisting of project manager, project director, business analyst and HR manager depending on the specialization required for the post. 3) Conduct of the Interview: When conducting interviews every member of the panel mus t make notes of questions asked and answers given. This will provide feedback and evidence of why the candidates have been selected or rejected. These notes must be signed and given to the Chair, who will hand them to HRD. Just as with shortlisting, these notes should be relevant to, and necessary for the process itself. It should be noted that applicants will normally be entitled to have access to interview notes about them which are retained as part of the record of the interview. These notes will periodically be monitored and checked by the equality and diversity co-ordinator for Equality and Diversity monitoring The panel must determine, prior to the interview, the questions and areas of discussion which will be put to each candidate. Care must be taken to avoid questions which are discriminatory. IV. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This study examines the problems and solutions in enhancing the recruitment process. This examination is done by analyzing the strategies with regard the the

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current recruitment procedure adopted by the IT industry for recruiting the personnels. A. Target Populations This research is exploratory research in nature since it attempts to find out the qualitative factors such as skills required for recruitment process, knowledge, academics and other attributes on the basis of the recruitment is done. Hence, it is targeting HR professionals who were involved in handling recruitment process. Those people are aware of the the requirement, their eligibility and the skills required.

been trained We are providing training to the candidates after selection Aptitude and General awareness plays an important role in our selection process Relocation is mandatory in our selection process criteria

50%

60%

B. Sample Size The survey includes approximately 50 professionals involve in the recruitment such as project manager, project director, business analyst and HR manager depending on the specialization required for the post. The study is based on the both primary and secondary data. C. Primary Data Survey questionnaire was administered to empirically assess the factors involved in considering for the selection. A survey questionnaire will be completed by professionals involve in the recruitment such as project manager, project director, business analyst and HR manager. D. Secondary Data The secondary data is obtained through the Net, books and related journals. Various factors involved in recruiting process is studied websites, and referred journals.

Weightage given for the Recruitment from Professionals Figure 1.

V. RESULT AND DISCUSSION Data is collected from the professionals involved in the recruitment and selection process in the IT industries. A questionnaire based the factors considered during the recruitment and selection process is distributed. The following table shows weightage given by the professionals for recruitment and selection process: Weightage given for the Recruitment from

Table I.

Professionals Factor No

Factors

We are giving importance to academic performance We are giving importance to only eligibility criteria Communication skills plays an important role in our placement We evaluate on the basis of technical skills We are giving importance to specialization We are preferring the candidates who has already

F2 F3

F4 F5 F6

%age of professionals agreed 85% 60% 80%

As shown in the table, it was found that most of the companies are focusing on academic performance and on an average they are focusing on all the factors. VI. CONCLUSION The recruitment and selection process is of paramount importance in order to recruit staff with the necessary skills and attributes. The Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedures aim to provide clear guidance to managers in relation to both the selection and appointment of staff. The study of recruitment & selection process from professionals found that the highest 85% weightage is given to academic performance of the candidate whereas 80% for communication skill, 70% to technical skills and 60% weightage is given to eligibility criteria, subject specialization, performance of candidate & aptitude & general awareness. Only 50% weightage is given for the training to candidates after selection. Thus the most important selection criteria are academic performance of the candidate.

70% VII. REFERENCES 60% 1.

60%

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Atkinson, J., and Williams, M. 2003. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Employer perspectives on the recruitment,retention and advancement of low-pay, low-status employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;,

5. 6.

Strategy Unit Occasional Paper Series No. 2, London: Cabinet Office. Bloomer, M., and Hodkinson, P. 2000. ‘Learning careers, continuity and change in young people’s dispositions to learning’, British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 26, No. 5, 583-598. Brown, P. 2003. ‘The opportunity trap: education and employment in a global economy’, European Educational Research Journal, Vol. 2, No. 1, 142180. Callaghan, G., and Thompson, P. 2002. ‘We recruit attitude’: the selection and shaping of routine call centre labour’, Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 39, No. 2, 233-254. Cascio, W.F. 1998. Managing human resources, 5th ed. US: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. Fagan, C., Rubery, J., Grimshaw, D., Smith, M., Hebson, G., Figueiredo, H. 2005. ‘Gender mainstreaming in the enlarged European Union’, Industrial Relations Journal, Vol. 36, No. 6, 568591. Forde, C., and Slater, G. 2005. ‘Agency working in Britain: character, consequences and

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regulation’, British Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol. 43, No. 2, 249-271. 8. Keep, E. 2002. ‘The English vocational education and training debate – fragile‘technologies’ or opening the ‘black box’: two competing visions of where wego next’, Journal of Education and Work, Vol. 15, No. 4, 457-479. 9. Nickson, D., Warhurst, C., Dutton, E., and Hurrell, S. 2008. ‘A job to believe in: recruitment in the Scottish voluntary sector’, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 18, No. 1, 20-35. 10. Schultz, H.B. 2001. Recruitment and selection. In Journal of Human resource management, 5th ed. Cape Town: Oxford. 11. Thompson, P., Warhurst, C., and Callaghan, G. 2001. ‘Ignorant theory and knowledgeable workers: interrogating the connections between knowledge, skills and services’, Journal of Management Studies, Vol 38, No 7, 923-942. 12. Wolf, A., Jenkins, A., and Vignoles, A. 2006. ‘Certifying the workforce: economic imperative or failed social policy?’, Journal of Education Policy, Vol. 21, Issue 5, 535-565.

Enhancing Employability of IT Students through Academia-Industry Interaction Nisha Maurya Student, Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India mauryanish91@gmail.com Abstract: Effective Academic-Industrial interaction will help Faculties as well as students to understand and fulfill the requirements of the current IT companies in market. The companies do visit some well-known colleges for Campus Recruitment process and conduct various Tests and Interviews which fortunately happens at the end semesters. Till then it’s the faculties who guide the students for the better employability in IT sector. Thus we need to concentrate not only on increasing the quality and skills of the students but also on quality of teaching for the Faculties and making them more interactive towards IT industries. It will help faculties who are not from IT industry to get the exact scenario of these Industries as well as those who are experienced will get to know about the latest technologies and trends in IT industries.Practical scenarios need to be implemented for the students during their academics. Keywords: Employability, Recruitment, skills I. Introduction Through this research there is an aim of getting the requirement thoughts of people to the need of making industries interactive to the college academics in-order to make students and faculties aware about the IT scenario their need as per the skills required for being getting recruited. During this research inputs and ideas were taken from the surrounding people including IT training institute’s Manager, Faculties, Engineering and graduate Students passed out. Various Ideas and scenarios have been evaluated from the placement team of these institutes. Factors like students not getting selected from the campus, joining the Training Institutes after their academic completion of studies have been taken into consideration. Educators in technical programs share in this concern for developing well-trained graduates who are competent in a variety of quality related topics. Technology-based programs typically include one or two courses focused on quality topics. As in industry, educators spend a great deal of resources and effort developing appropriate quality related courses, faculty, and facilities. We need to consider the perceptions of both the Faculties at college level and those at Industrial Level working as corporate trainers. The differences at both the teaching skills and letting the Faculties work as Trainers who not only make them learn but guide them for the actual scenario. II. OBSERVATIONS When interacted with some of the IT Training institutes, their faculties, managers, councilors. It was found that most of the Graduates and Engineering students enquire their institutes for getting into IT industry as a developer or in testing field. These students are from both IT graduate as well as from Non-IT background. Percentage ratio of the students joining as a Graduate or joining institutes during their Graduation course is 90% to 95% students respectively. Hence most of the students join the institutes after their academic studies. Reasons for this found is:

“Not getting selected in the CampusRecruitment”.  Lack in technical knowledge. Under-Graduate students join these institutes for the following reasons:  To get Technical knowledge from the people who have already worked in the Industries.  Not satisfied with the academic inputs to make them enough technical.  Getting selected in the Campus-Recruitment of their colleges. Some of the Institutes give placements to the students. Hence they have most frequent interactions from the IT industries they have tie-ups with. Although these companies don’t visit such institutes most frequently but the Training staff is technical enough to cope up their students with the latest IT technologies. When spoken to the Managers and Trainers of the institutes, the kind of training they plan to give students is actually what is required in the academic scenario. They not only train the students for the courses they have opted in. But they provide extra skill courses such as Technical Brush-ups on C,SQL which are common requirements of industries. Technical Interview Session, Special Aptitude sessions, Technical presentation conducted by the well experienced corporate trainers. After which each and every student gets evaluated for the corresponding session and the positive as well as the negative points are given to the students and are asked to work upon the same. And finally the marks and grades are evaluated on their final certificates so that it is taken seriously not only from the trainers’ side but also from students’ point as well. Also the students of different technical courses interact with each other. Like testing students take over the projects of the .Net and Java students. This helps students to think Industry point of view as there they have to interact with various teams. Trainers over their have frequent interactions on recent technologies and they take inputs from those working in IT industries. They create an environment of IT-Industry by updating themselves on these upcoming technologies

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and preparing for the technical evaluation which happens very frequently. All the trainers face this evaluation so that they get to know where they lack in technically. Some questions were put up while interviewing the Managers and Faculties, the major points observed is as follows: Q1. What have you found is the major reason for a student not getting selected for placements? Faculties:  A huge gap between academic standards and industry practices  No collaborations between colleges and industry  Project works are even academic and do not have practical implementation  Repeating same academic projects  No updates on current affairs Manager:  Weak in English Communication  Technically weak  Poor concepts  Poor at practicals  Poor attitude  Laziness  Habitual to spoon feeding Q2.Do you think college professors lack in technical knowledge. Why? What should be done for the same? Faculties:  Because in India training is totally isolated profession from industry’s practical approaches  Trainers and industry both should promote latest happenings and technologies through continuous interaction  Trainers should take live experience by working closely with industry Manager:  Some of them do lack in technical knowledge as got job by some reference and technically not well evaluated  Not motivated enough to teach from heart. Many does just as to fill the working day. Q3.What are the skills students lack in for IT-industries? Faculties:  Communication  Professionalism  Diplomatic approach while answering or communicating  Energy and Enthusiasm  Mastery on multiple but related technologies  Focus and aim Managers:  Soft Skills and  Technical Skills Q4.Is there gap between Industrial Requirement and Academic studies? Approximate gap? Faculties:  Yes. 50% Managers:  Yes. 30%

Q5. Give ratio of IT-students Conceptual and practical knowledge.(State of your student you have found before teaching them conceptually n practically.) Faculties:  Ratio before to after 30:70 Managers:  Ratio before to after 30:70 Q6.Your opinion on students getting into IT from other fields like micro biology, B.Com? Faculties(Best Answer): “IT is everywhere in microbiology, physics and in B.Com stream too. Software are everywhere but student forgets this and run around the same bush of website development. While microbiology people can work in IT industries who contributes to ecofriendly technology, s/w for blood sampling, medical robots etc. physics students can work for software industry in rocket science, space shuttling, nuclear reactors, Nano technology. B.Com. students can do marvelous in banking and finance domain of IT industry. Managers: Do basic courses like C, C++, HTML, JavaScript, SQL then learn a particular development stream like .Net or Java. When interacted with the placement cells the above observations were found to be true and the companies always look for highly skilled students. Students who have the good grasping power and able to cope up with the changing demand of the IT industry. The Employability Study conducted by Aspiring Minds shows the actual scenario of the IT Industry in market, I. The current talent pool has very low employability (4.22%) with regard to IT product companies. As the IT industry in India matures, this shall become an impediment for growth due to lack of trained manpower for product based and research based projects. Taking a long term perspective for growth, strong intervention is needed to correct this. II. To improve its competitive advantage, eventually the IT services industry would require industry ready individuals and not those who have to be trained in-house by corporate before they could start working. The percentage of such people is just 5.97%. Intervention in terms of high quality training in IT skills by institutions of higher education is required. III. A total of 62% candidates require training to be eligible for any job in the IT/ITeS sector. IV. 70% of candidates employable to the IT products sector are from colleges other than the top 100 campuses, whereas the proportion is 80% for IT services companies and KPOs. However, it would take three times more effort and money to hire from tier 2 campuses for an IT-product position and two times more effort to hire for an IT services/KPO as compared to the Top 100 campuses. This explains why companies use campus of higher education as a proxy to quality to provide interview opportunity and why the supply of manpower is artificially low. Innovative models and the support of the government is required to

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bridge this gap to create a fair and healthy employability ecosystem. V. The gap in skills for students in Top 100 vs. other campuses is not only in Computer Programming, but equally in English and Logical Ability. The gap in Quantitative Ability is the highest. This indicates that the Top 100 campuses have not done a spectacular job in transforming the skills of the admitted candidates, but simply attract better students at the intake. This requires further study and intervention. VI. It is found that campuses in tier 2 cities have a comparable percentage (to tier 1 cities) of students eligible for BPO and technical support jobs. This indicates great economic advantage in setting support centers and BPOs in tier 2 cities with employees as talented as those in tier 1 cities and at a lower cost. VII. The drop in employability for campuses in tier 2 cities with regard to IT services/product companies and KPOs ranges from 25% to 40%. This still leaves a good percentage of employable people in tier 2 cities and demonstrates high potential which may be developed further. VIII. Contrary to popular belief, the skill gap in tier 2 city campuses vs. those in Tier 1 cities is not only in English. The gap is uniform across all areas ranging from 6 to 9 percentile points. Thus, the current intervention in softskills and personality-development is an incomplete approach to solve the problem of employability enhancement. A more comprehensive approach across abilities needs to be taken for proper employability enhancement. IX. Males and females have equivalent employability with regard to the IT industry, contrary to beliefs otherwise. The ratio in educational colleges is 1 female to 3 males whereas the ratio for females employed in IT industry is 1 female to 4.76 males (as studied in 2003). X. It is observed that MCA students have great potential with regard to IT Product companies if their quantitative and English communication skills are improved. They do better than Engineers in Programming skills, whereas they are not good in English, logical and qualitative ability. The IT industry is one of the largest recruiters of talent in India. With business performance directly correlated to talent, the quality of talent is of utmost importance. Aspiring Minds solutions for the IT industry are designed to evaluate and acquire the right talent while simultaneously increasing the reach and sourcing capability of your organization. AMCAT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; IT is Aspiring Minds assessment suite for the IT industry. Combined with our sourcing solutions it offers a complete solution of sourcing, evaluating and engaging talent.

employable software engineers, chaffing through hundreds of thousands of engineers is a pain alien to none. As per the employability study carried out by Aspiring Minds in the year 2010-11, only around17.4% of all technical graduates are employable. While 30% of them are available in the top 300 colleges, the rest are in over 4000+ colleges. Is your hiring quality consistent across hundreds of locations? Has your test been compromised? Are you missing out on good candidates, whereas hiring the wrong ones? AMCAT-IT has demonstrated exceptional predictive power in technical trainability, soft skill learn ability and on-job success in IT roles. Today AMCAT-IT has been successfully deployed by several of the largest IT product and IT services companies in India. Case Studies Less than 27.4% of all technical graduates are employable. While 30% of the same are available in the top 300 colleges the rest are in over 4000+ colleges. Is your hiring quality consistent across hundreds of locations? Has your test been compromised? Are you missing out on good candidates, whereas hiring the wrong ones? Recently when interacted with the placement cells the previous observations from the faculties and managers were found to be true and the companies look for highly skilled students. IV. CONCLUSION Academic interaction should be must and it is the demand of all in the current market. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the demand of the Students as well as the Managers, Faculties. If not frequent direct interaction possible with the students, faculties should have the must industrial experience and create the same industrial scenario for the students. This can be made possible by not only conducting the Seminars but also by conducting periodic workshops that may give practical knowledge to the students. Students of all levels i.e. juniors and seniors should make a combined project that will make juniors to have industrial scenario from the start. Although, live projects are part of last semester at PG level. From the beginning Dummy Projects should be assigned and students should be guided for the same. Live projects should be made compulsory for the Graduates as well. Workshops by the IT industrialists or Corporate will definitely help Faculties and students to develop the best skill in them as required by the IT Industries. This would definitely increase the campus placement ratio of the students.

III. THE NEED Entry level talent is an essential aspect for ensuring growth and a competitive organization structure. Finding

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REFERENCES

Seed Infotech Ltd. (Interaction with Managers, Faculty members and Students) Aspiring Minds.

the

Rectruitment of Students in IT Industry Mr. Vishaldeep Jain Student, Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India jain.vishaldeep@gmail.com Ms. Varsha Nehra Student, Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India varsha.n8@gmail.com Abstract: The main objective/purpose of this paper is to propose a model which will provide an overview to cope up with the employability related problems faced by the IT students. This paper examines the role of the student work placement in developing such employment competences. In order to do this we draw upon a framework for students on work placements and to examine the skills and competencies developed by students in the learning process. The paper focuses on how university and IT companies can help the students to develop their skills and secure a place in the ITIndustry. Keywords: competencies, work placement, employability, skills, program, university, model, IT Industry. I.

INTRODUCTION For individuals there is a greater emphasis for one’s own ‘employability’, where the university and employers are stepping stones in the pursuit of lifelong learning. At the same time higher education has been moving more towards a focus on competence-based learning and graduate employability increasingly requires the demonstration of hard and soft competences developed through a partnership between universities and industry. At the same time there is considerable discussion about the role of higher education institutions in developing these employability competences, and of the role of practical work experience. As we are familiar with the Mumbai university syllabus, it does not match up with the latest technology used by the IT industries. Hence hardly a percent of our course is utilized. What IT industries expect from us is totally different from what we have in our syllabus. Hence a heavy cost is incurred by the companies on training students after the placements. Even though syllabus has been upgraded but no more emphasis is given on new technologies, some changes have been done in the existing programming languages. University has changed the syllabus to cope up with the latest technologies. But new technologies are coming so rapidly, that the syllabus still lacks behind. Colleges/institutes conduct seminars. They keep guestlectures to enhance communication skills, sessions on personality development, etc. But the employability of students is not enhanced to that extent. As the students lack in the knowledge about the current technologies, IT Companies hire students on their skills.

The following are the skills that are searched in a student before hiring/employing him/her:  Communication Skills  Team-working & Relationship Building Skills  Self & Time management Skills  Influencing & Persuading Abilities  Problem Solving Abilities  Leadership Abilities  Presentation Skills

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But if the companies come across students who have knowledge about current technologies or the technologies they work on, they will hire the students ignoring the other skills mentioned before. Hence, in order to match up with the latest technologies and meet the industry/company requirement, we have introduced a model in this paper. The model proposes a program that will bring IT industry and university together and try to solve the problem of employability of students.

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II. MODEL: STUDENTS ENHANCEMENT FOR EMPLOYABILITY IN IT-INDUSTRY.  University should create tie-up with IT companies.  They should introduce a program in collaboration with these companies.  The program should be scheduled between two semesters or between two years depending on the course (semester-pattern or yearly-pattern).  

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What will be the Program? In this program, IT professional/s (currently working for any IT company) will be allotted to each college/institute. He/she will keep a small workshop on a technology on which the company is currently working on or is planning to work on and which is not covered in the University syllabus. The workshop should not be just theoretical; it should also have hands-on practices too. The workshop duration should be decided by the IT professional as well as with the University. The duration of the workshop could be more or less based on the technology to be taught. After the workshop is complete, the students should be assigned to prepare a small project developed using that particular technology. The projects will/should be assessed by those IT professionals only. Why will the IT professionals/Company get associated with this program? The assessment of the students will be kept with the company too. At the time of placements these companies will consider the results of this program for selecting/hiring the students as employees. This will help the company to reduce the time, effort and also the cost involved at the time of training for the students. The program will also help the company to fulfill their requirements for developers, testers, etc. for any technology. What will be the benefits for the students? The students will be aware as well as will have a practical knowledge of the technologies that they will come across in their professional life in IT industry.

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The program will help the students to realize where they lack and where to improve to be an IT professional. This program will help the students to decide which path they want to choose; to be a developer or a tester or anything else in the IT industry. How can we implement this Program? Initially, the University should approach companies. But, as we know that there are many companies; so, it should be open for companies to collaborate with the University this Program.

IT IT IT for

Example: TIMSCDR had already conducted a similar kind of Program. Mr. Ankush Chauhan and Mr. Hardik Bhatt founders of Orien-tech Solutions, conducted a workshop on WordPress. WordPress is a CMS (Content Management System) technology for developing blogs, static as well as dynamic websites. It was a 2 day workshop for the students of TIMSCDR-MCA. The workshop was not just theoretical; it gave hands-on experience to the students. At the end of the workshop, an small project was assigned to the students (individual project). The students were assessed by Mr. Ankush & Mr. Hardik. The students who scored well were selected for a mini project by the company. This gave the students a live experience of working in an IT industry, that too on a technology which is not included in the University syllabus. WordPress is widely used these days for developing websites as well as blogs.

III. ALTERNATIVE MODEL: STUDENTS ENHANCEMENT AT COLLEGE LEVEL.  College/Institute should take initiative to assign tasks to students, give projects, etc.  Students should be assigned a group and should ask the entire group to give a presentation on current technologies, or upcoming technologies.  Students should form groups and share their knowledge with other students.  This will help each student to learn something from others as well as share their knowledge with others.  This is how they will develop good communication skills, presentation skills, time management, etc.  Colleges/institutes should arrange lecturers from IT Industry who will brief students about the current technologies as well as the environment they work in.

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The motto should be, to spread knowledge and enhance student’s personality.

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Example: We hear a lot about IIT students. This is because the students share their knowledge with the other students. Students conduct small sessions on any upcoming technology or new IT products in the market. These sessions are conducted on a regular basis. Mr. Vivek Shribatri of IIT Madras (M.Tech) currently working at Intel Pvt. Ltd. Bangalore, discussed this idea us, that how the students of IIT share their knowledge. This helps student to enhance their personality and keep them updated with the current technologies and the working environment of the IT industry.

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COMAPRISON OF THE TWO MODELS The first model will be implemented all over the university, while on the other hand only few colleges/institutes would be able to implement the second model.  Students of the whole university will be benefitted by this Program. But in the Alternative

model only a small group of students will be benefitted. In the alternative model the college/institute will have to search for IT professionals and ask for their time and availability, where on the other hand the college just needs to provide some space and rest will be handled by the IT professional.

CONCLUSION As we compare both the models, we come across the limitations of the Alternative Model. The proposed Model will help students to enhance their skills as well as, keep them aware of the current technologies in the industry. The advantage of having this program is that it can reach many students at a time. The use of this model will help increase the employability of students. It will also help the companies to select employees who will require less time and effort to understand the technology, as he/she must have already learnt it, at least its basics.

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REFERENCES

http://www.mu.ac.in/myweb_test/mca_sem1syll.pdf http://www.mu.ac.in/syllabus

Constraints and Future aspects of the Industry-Academia Interaction Ajinkya Gavi Student, Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India ajinkya.gavi@gmail.com Swati Verma Student, Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India swatshak.333@gmail.com Abstract: Today in India, many graduates and post graduate students complain of high level of unemployment and prospects for employment has worsened over time. However, the percentage of graduate unemployment has assumed alarming proportions, especially for graduates of science and technology. Legitimate questions therefore arise - Is the education they receive not in consonance with today’s skill requirements in the labour market? Is the curriculum used in the high institutions too outdated? What is the real situation? Is unemployment of IT graduates a serious problem? How do employers access the qualification of the current IT post graduates? How well do these graduates perform when they are offered employment? What measures can be taken to increase the employability of the IT students in the software industry? These concerns have prompted the present study. It seeks to answer these and other questions regarding the level of graduate preparedness for productive employment. This study was the result of a survey conducted in June 2007. It was based on analysis of a questionnaire distributed to managers from some public enterprises, private firms, education sector, software firms as well as to IT graduate employees of various establishments. An analysis of the result of the survey shows a mismatch between university outputs and software market demands. Keywords: university graduates; graduate and postgraduate employment; technology; qualifications; software firms I. INTRODUCTION Yorke and Knight (2003) define employability as A set of achievements – skills, understandings and personal attributes – that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy. University of Exeter defines employability as “The establishment of clear mechanisms by which students can develop their abilities to use and deploy a wide range of skills and opportunities, to enhance their own academic learning and enable them to become more employable”(Lee,2000). Employment and employability is not the same thing and should be differentiated (Lee, 2002). Being employed means having a job, being employable means having the qualities needed to maintain employment and progress in the workplace. Since the beginning of the new millennium, approach to management of education does not show any significant or precise change in India. The old concepts of education administration still persist and we are stuck with it. Not many universities in India seem to be offering any major developmental programs in educational management. In fact, in India we have not even been talking about the management of education. It was only after the formulation of the national policy on education in 1986, that the management of education became an area of concern. As the question relates to graduates seeking employment and also to employers who consider to employ them, both,

the media and the public, carry out heated debates on these questions. Many a times maximum employers and company expertise complain, that these students are poorly prepared for work with inadequate knowledge in the field of their interest. They also recognize a fact that a degree of the university is no longer a guarantee for the technical skills or technical competence of the degree holder, and that the academic standards have considerably fallen over the past decades. Due to this, most of the students are considered and viewed as ‘half-baked’ and the employers find it difficult to bear the training and induction costs incurred on them. Hence, most of the employers prefer to hire experienced persons rather than ‘freshers’, who have just graduated or have completed their post graduation, in IT. There is a growing awareness in India about the importance of higher education in providing innovation and creativity for the development of a knowledge-based economy, in an increasingly competitive global market. Three major initiated policies have contributed to this aspect, over the last decade  Widening participation and improving retention;  Enhancing Employability;  Life-Long Learning. Both, higher education and the graduate labour market, are changing rapidly .The student intake is becoming more diverse, as far as their age, background, previous educational experience and interests are concerned. Although Government efforts to broaden the social base has recently been characterized as a limited success.

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METHODOLOGY  The authors conducted a survey on the internet for published literature, research papers and other data on related topics.  Some data was also collected from the directors of top IT institutes in Mumbai. The administrators of these institutes were personally interviewed.  They were asked to rate the extent of their institutes collaborating with industry on a scale of 1-5.The means of the responses were taken to get degree of collaboration and the perceived benefits in specific areas.  As per the data, guest lectures are the popular mode of industry interface. Guest lectures are sessions taken up by executives in addition to classes taken up by professional teachers.  The objective of this is to give students an overview of industry practices and help them relate to theory of real-time applications.  Also there must be some financial help from industry for academic activities.The inclusion of executives in the governing Councils and Board of Studies also plays an important role in bridging the gap between the industry and the academics.  The cash rich private institutions are less dependent on industry for funding and infrastructure support. They not only have donors in the form of students but also from consulting, executive education initiatives to support their function.

III. DATA COLLECTED: A. Extent of collaboration with the industry The top five modes by which IT Institutes collaborate with industry are: Table 1 S. No. 1 2 3

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Areas of collaboration Guest Lectures Training and Internship of students Including industry into Governing Councils and Board of studies Executive Education programmes Industry inputs in curriculum designing

Mean score 3.9 3.7

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The least preferred modes of collaboration are:

Table 2 S. Areas of collaboration Mean No. score 1 Faculty selection 1.5 2 Joint community 1.7 development services 3 Helping industry in training 2.0 and selection of their staff 4 Financial support from 2.2 industry for academic activities 5 Providing incubator services 2.2 for start up companies/ ideas

Standard Deviation 1.08 1.30 1.51 1.55

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The inclusion of executives in the Governing Councils and Board of Studies in IT Institutes is yet another preferred mode of collaboration. The objective of having industry representation is to include the latter’s view in governance and other activities of IT Institutes. Adorning these councils with the known names in industry is perceived to enhance the image and recall value of the institution, which not only attracts prospective students, donors and other stakeholders but also work in favour of IT Institutes during ratings and rankings. Many IT Institutes in India have been inviting suggestions from industry to update their curriculum and include the topics of present day relevance. This is done with a view of imparting the knowledge and skills set, needed by graduating students in constantly changing global business environment. Table 2 gives a brief summary of the least preferred modes of collaboration. It is clearly evident that IT Institutes do not wish to collaborate with industry on their internal issues. Faculty & staff selection, training and development are viewed as in-house activities, where industry’s participation is not invited. In view of government’s increased interest in education and the latter being included as crucial issues in WTO debate, there has been increased spending on development of higher education in India The cash rich private institutions are today less dependent on industry for funding and infrastructure support. They not only have donors but also generate income from consulting, executive education initiatives to support their functions. Academia-Industry interface has not been considered through providing of incubator services to industry for new start-ups by commercializing the ideas given by academic fraternity and helping corporate grow in initial years. Industry has shown limited interest in including academia into their strategic decisions regarding new business ideas, decreasing the chances of partnerships in this area. Joint Seminars are considered to be an effective mode of not only cross-branding but also strengthening the academic relationship between IT institutes and the industry. They are an opportunity for students to gain an understanding of the latest industry trends and industry a chance to gauge the institute and its students for prospective placements. Symbiosis Institute of Information Technology (SIIT) organizes regular workshops for students to keep them abreast of latest industry trends. The respondents perceive

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this particular mode, as one of the most effective profits now and (in sensible companies at least) in the collaboration tool. future. This means that academics might not be interested in transferring blue sky research which they did 10 years ago. IV. RESEARCH & OBSERVATIONS Or they might shy from entering a new sector to start a spin-out. And industry isn’t necessarily interested in a three year research programme when “I need the results yesterday!” The barriers to collaboration are numerous. But there are also many sources of support. Several universities have tied up with venture capital companies to support spinouts. Governments have transfer support schemes such as the knowledge transfer partnerships in the UK. Commercial departments in higher education have the ability to protect and license intellectual property rights. Most academics welcome the opportunity to supervise industrial PhDs, and most institutes support academics in attracting them. Most large companies have research which help to alleviate the The above illustrates the sustainable economy framework departments yesterday! Pressures from the rest of the organisation. focuses mainly on the economic and environmental pillars discussed above. A sustainable economy also provides The real trick is (as it usually is) the right people on both additional social benefits such as job creation, poverty sides finding each other at the right time. And that takes alleviation, and improved environmental conditions. In time. Time to network, time to figure out who’s doing particular, the focus on sustainable agriculture and what, time to determine what you really really want. transportation, as well as more ecoefficient manufacturing, V. MEASURES FOR BRIDGING THE INDUSTRYwill result in improvements in all three pillars. ACADEMIA GAP • Academicians should take part in industrial projects. The projects which are company related and development related should be taken into consideration. This will help academicians to develop a good sense about the work flow in an industry, will help them develop their skills and maintain their spirit of working with an industrial environment. • Professors should be given sabbaticals to work as maintenance programmers. Due to this even the professors attain good amount of knowledge and experience about the industry background and they become familiar with the industrial background with such experience. • Practitioners should attend courses at the universities to refresh their knowledge. Again the industry practitioners need to co-ordinate with the academic environment. attending the seminars and courses will help them with their knowledge and also they will be acknowledged as to Academia is constantly berated for not obeying industry’s how things work in academic environment. demand to “Give Me Something I Can Make Money • There should be common conferences to appeal to both With”, i.e. collaborating enough with industry to create sides in which there are two different standards for new products, generate jobs and (the cynic would say) selecting papers. These references will help different taxes. standards to come down to similar views or conclusion But it shouldn’t be seen as a one way street. Academia about the topic. needs examples to keep teaching current, speakers to give • According to a poll by the IEEE Software, both sides practical applications of theories, new research areas and seek a stronger collaboration, however for that we need a partners to develop careers. better mutual understanding. The problem isn’t working out how the two groups can • There needs to be a common language, i.e. set of terms. work together – there’s a myriad of ways: transfer The rules and terms need to be standardized before hand partnerships, PhDs, long term collaborative research, which will help better communication between the two. contract facilities, training, EngDs, knowledge tranfer • There needs to be a standard set of metrics to measure networks, spin-outs and licensing, to name but a few. software systems and projects. The problem is each world has its own distinct and usually conflicting drivers: academics strive to conduct new research to publish, while industry needs to maximise

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VI. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE CO-OPERATION • Conduct common conferences with a double standard for paper acceptance. • Firms should invite local universities to participate in industrial projects. • Universities should offer continual education programs on evenings and weekends. • Academia and industry should strive to find a common vocabulary by means of standardization. • Academia should offer industry a simple set of metrics with which they can measure their quality, complexity and productivity. VII. CONCLUSION:  Academia and industry need to build very strong relationships with a long intent contributing to the growth and the development of both the entities.  This paper discussed existing research findings on studies and practices of employability skills on eight aspects namely  Definition of employability  Skill sets of employee  Employee needs  Expectations of employers  Matching employer needs  The nature of employability  International prospects on employability  Employability as a key performance indicator. 

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This study concludes that many research studies have revealed a consistent core set of desirable attributes, such as communication skills, interpersonal skills and team working, analytical critical and reflective abilities, self skills and these attributes are often independent of degree subject. Universities are incorporating extracurricular activities into their study program and changing their subject to develop specific skills through specialist modules. We also need to identify the skill set that will best serve the future labor market.

VIII. FUTURE RESEARCH:  Academia –Industry Interface is a less researched area specially in IT education in India.  Though regarded as a critical challenge to IT education in India(Agarwal and Rizvi,2004),less has been suggested on the right path and strategy of cashing on this partnership and aligning it for the benefit of both business and academics  Each of the above mentioned areas must be further explored to identify the nitty-gritty of the association and developing the right strategy to make them work. IX. REFERENCES:

The current changing business environment emphasizes the importance of education for employability, focusing on the development of not only skills but also practical experience. Thus in order to enhance competitive advantages for graduate employment, students needs to develop employability skills in addition to the acquisition of subject-specific knowledge and study programs, need to identifying the way of improving that requirement.

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Challenges in Industry-Academia Collaboration by Pankaj Jalote,IIT Kanpur “Indian Education System” by Karthik Murlidhan Raj Madhavan and Rainer Bischoff “Bridging the gap between Academia,Industry,Government to benefit end-users. Irfan Rizvi and Ashita Agarwal “Making Academia-Industry Interface work” Mike Rake”The Employability Challenge UK Commission for employment and Skills”,April2008

Computer Science Education in India Mannur Neeleshkumar Srinivasan Student, Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India neelesh.srinivasan@gmail.com Bhilwadikar Jatin Student, Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research (TIMSCDR) Mumbai, India newstudent404@gmail.com Abstract: This paper focuses on the current system of Computer Science Education in India. This includes the Syllabus being taught in the institutes throughout India. Apart for that the scheme of evaluation followed by the Indian Universities. This paper throws light over the way a student grabs a particular subject and the understanding of a particular subject. The paper also covers all other aspects of Computer Science Courses in India. Some of the problems are described in the given context with seemly solutions and corrections that can be made to the current system Keywords: Courses; Evaluation; Syllabus; Understanding; Problems I.

INTRODUCTION India is a country known for its intellect and brains. The Indian brains are amongst the best in the world. Even today we see many Indian Scientists throughout the world working on various crucial and vital projects. Coming to Computer Science Education in India, India is the one of the largest exporters of Software and Services in the world. India nearly produces around 4 Lakh Engineers every year in various disciplines. With around 67% of the total Engineering strength just found in the southern part of India, one can anticipate the technological dependability the entire Indian Engineers can provide. But, still India lags behind all the developed countries of the world. This is because we are merely cultivating the Engineers just like how farmers cultivate crops. The quality of the yield is not always the best. It depends upon the manure and fertilizers that glorify the quality of the yield. II. INVESTIGATED PROBLEMS As mentioned earlier, in spite of such a huge figure of the Computer Engineers produced, hardly 3% of the Engineers are employable [5]. Some Engineers can be called passive machines that just do what they are asked to do, but not what they can do. Students memorise everything just before the exam and vomit the entire content in the paper. These Engineers are of no use III. PROBLEMS WITH CURRENT SYSTEM A. Syllabus The punch of every course is its syllabus. Indian Universities do not revise their syllabus on a periodic basis. Even today, students go for Courses at Foreign Universities so that they get an edge over other students of their age. Why is that so? It is mainly because Indian Universities follow an obsolete syllabus. Most of the Indian Universities don’t revise their syllabus as per the Industrial requirements. Today there are subjects that no one in the

Industry uses, but still they form a part of the Indian Computer Course Curriculum. B. Scheme of Evaluation The Indian Evaluation scheme of students is the quite inefficient among all other Universities of the World. It is like there are 3 different individuals with 3 different skill sets and completely distinct personalities who are asked to give the same test. For example, if we consider a Man, an Elephant and a dog, all three are asked to the same thing, it is just not valid. If we compare the scheme of evaluation of other foreign universities, there is lot of diversity C. Biasness A very well know hurdle not only in the Indian Computer Science Education but also other disciplines. Biasness towards a student by a teacher is the worst punishment the teacher gives to a student, wherein the student escapes a chance to correct his mistake and learn what he/she must do. Students don’t work hard and develop a tendency to avoid work which harnesses their natural and original thinking. As a result the student fails to implement the knowledge he has and also misses the opportunity to understand the real meaning of hard work D. Lack of Industry-Academic Bond Very few colleges and Universities in India have the Academic-Industry tie up. Some of the private universities in India have such tie ups but majority of the Universities don’t. As a result of which, the Institute as well as the student doesn’t know what the Industry actually expects from them. If observed from the Industry point of view, students are viewed as illiterate individuals, whom they must train and make employable. Thus they seem to be completely useless in terms of employment.

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IV. SEEMLY SOLUTIONS As it can be seen that our Computer Science Education suffers from such loopholes, it is high time that we come across some suggestive measures that improves the employability and the quality of Computer Science Engineers. Here we suggest some seemly measures to the problems just discussed above. A. Restructuring of Syllabus Though it is not possible to revise the syllabus every year, measures can be taken to curb the RequirementFulfilment gap. It is a known fact that Technology gets stable with time. So, adapting it takes more time. Major focus must be on including the subjects that assist the apprentice in understanding the concepts useful for its implementation in future. For example, a subject like Software Engineering is a must whereas a subject like Discrete Mathematics is not that necessary to be included. On the other hand, Specialisation in a particular subject must be permitted at the final year of the course. B. Subject based Evaluation  A student must be evaluated basically on the scale of understanding a particular subject.  The comparisons of various Indian Universities’ factors of evaluation are tabulated in the Table I.  Theory exams should be avoided as much as possible since the question paper may not cover everything relevant to the subject.  For practical subjects like C, C++, Java, etc. mini projects should be given.  Evaluation for practical and Programming subjects must be as follows:  40% Mini Project  20% Viva Voce  20% Class Performance  20% Assignments  Evaluation for theory subjects like Software Engineering and Management Information Systems must be as follows:  30% Team Work  20% Concept Understanding  20% Viva Voce/ Class Performance  10% Industrial Visits  20% Assignments C. Uniformity among the Students Every student does not come from the same environment. All five fingers of the hand are unique. The biasness factor is one of the unavoidable characteristic in the human behaviour. Well, it is quite difficult to exterminate such practises, but efforts can be taken to do so. Training the Teaching Faculty appropriately and making them aware of the after effects of such practises may minimise such activities.

D. Encouraging Industry-Institute Partnership  Once the Industry requirements are known, students can be trained accordingly to fit the Industry requirements.  As a result, substantial amount of effort could be saved in training the students.  The Figure I below shows the Employability chart across various states in India.  Also, students act rigid when asked to learn a new technology post their academic curriculum. So, they could be trained in their academics well in advance.  Individuals from the Industry must visit the Institute on regular intervals to intimidate the Students about the current trends in the Industry and what should be done to enhance their chances of getting placed in high profile companies.  Students must be encouraged to participate in projects by the Industry, contests and Workshops organised by various Companies, etc. For example, the recent Capgemini Super Techies Show which encourages its employees as well as the Students from the academic section[1] Table I.

Comparitive Chart of Universities of India

Areas of Coverage

Delhi Anna Universit Universit Universit y of y y Mumbai

1. Specialisation 2. Concept Judgement 3. Subject based Evaluation √ √ * 4. Credit Based √ √ √ System 5. Electives Offered *Credit Based System introduced from Academic Year 2012-2013 Sources: [2][3][4]

Figure I-Employability in IT Companies across States and Union Territories Source: [6]

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V. CONCLUSION Apart from the problems discussed here, there are several more problems that must be dealt with. More suggestions and research is required to come to a final conclusion. Participation from the Industry experts as well as Academic experts is necessary for the implementation of such programmes. If subject based evaluation is introduced in the current curriculum, the amount of overhead on the Universities could be reduced considerably as they need not perform correction of papers. Apart from this, if the syllabus is restructured students will find it easier to go about with the course.

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VI.

REFERENCES 1.

2. 3. 4. 5.

J. Aruna, ET NOW & Capgemini announce launch of ‘Super Techies Show’ (Article in The Economic Times dated May 14, 2012) University of Mumbai, www.mu.ac.in Delhi University, www.du.ac.in Anna University, www.annauniv.edu R. R. Ravikanth, “Just 3 Per cent Engineers are job ready” (Article in The Hindu, dated March 12, 2012) Aspiring Minds Research Cell, “Survey of Employability of Engineers State Wise.”

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