Monday 19 April 2010

Should engineers be stopped from joining IT companies?

A friend of mine uploaded a video which contained comparison of Indian and US education system. He posted his comment on the video. Another friend gave his thoughts and then I joined. In minutes few other friends joined and it became a serious, intellectually driven discussion.

Sarang is of the view that engineers should not join IT companies. The companies are bulling them, killing talent. We are working for US companies, increasing dependency. We need to step up and change our mentality from job seekers to Job creator. We are so much dependent on other countries for work, what will happen if they stop outsourcing? We should look for creating robust economy. He is of the opinion that India is an agri-economy. We should produce more farmers; help the poor condition of farmers. If a farmer’s child becomes engineer and joins MNC, who would do farming activity? Narendra agreed with Sarang’s most of the views.

Kalyan is of the opinion that IT industry has empowered the youth, the future. As compared to our father’s time, the salaries paid are lot better. He is of the opinion that job creators are always few in numbers as compared to seekers. The balance is always in this ratio. He also agrees that agriculture is taking second preference due to growing and lucrative corporate option.

Nikhil emphasized that education is not about jobs. Can Education make us a good citizen, well mannered person is important a question as whether it can give us means for living. Just realizing a fat pay cheque doesn’t serve the purpose.

I am of the opinion that IT companies have helped in strengthening Indian economy. Young, talented people are getting employed. The economy which was poor pre IT revolution is now called a developing economy. It might have increased the dependency on other countries for work, but then IT is always a support industry. It supports core business activities to function effectively. We should not be worrying regarding what if outsourcing is stopped for India. We are now a part of their successful business model. We are important entities and it might happen that we change the business model and leave the MNCs high and dry. IT is providing jobs to Bsc graduates, who had no option earlier.

The spending capacity of new, young breed has helped propel various industries to grow. Retail industry has seen exponential growth due to high spending, media and movie industry, housing industry – at the age of 26 years people are buying house taking loans, sale of automobiles is on the roll, banks are hugely benefited by confident young borrowers, government is spending on infrastructure like never before, high tax collections from working class is also the underlying reason.

fOoD fOr ThOuGhT: IT industry has helped the economy in many ways to grow than one. It is the backbone and the Indian economy is now rightly called as service based economy. It has created some world class institutions and leaders like NR Murthy, Pranav Mistry, to name a few. Do you still think engineers should be stopped from joining IT companies?

37 comments:

  1. नमस्कार
    मराठीतून प्रतिक्रिया देत आहे त्याबद्दल क्षमस्व पण मी मराठीतून माझ्या भावना चांगल्या प्रकारे व्यक्त करू शकतो असे मला वाटते. आणि तुला मराठी कळते आणि हि प्रतिक्रिया फक्त तुला कळाली तरी माझ्यासाठी पुरेसे आहे.

    माझ्या Video वरील प्रतिक्रियेवरून तू माझ्या मतांबद्दल जो अंदाज बांधला आहेस त्याबद्दल थोडेसे. माझे म्हणणे कधीच असे नाही आहे कि माहिती तंत्रज्ञानाचा उद्योग वाईट आहे. परंतु मुद्दा आहे कि तो इतर कोणत्या उद्योगांवर प्राधान्याने अवलंबून आहे. तो आता इतर देशातील उद्योगांवर अवलंबून आहे. ज्यावेळी माहिती तंत्रज्ञाची सुरवात झाली त्यावेळी त्याच्या जडणघडणसाठी हे बरोबर होते. परंतु जेंव्हा माहिती तंत्रज्ञान हि भारताची core competency बनली आहे त्यावेळी आता आपण या उद्योगाचा वापर शेती तसेच लहान उद्योग आणि प्रामुख्याने असे उद्योग ज्याची नाळ आपल्या हातात आहे यांच्या उन्नती साठी केला पाहिजे. जेणेकरून इतर राष्ट्रांवर अवलंबने कमी होईल. त्यामुळे IT उद्योग वाईट आहे असे माझे स्वतःचे तरी मत नाही.

    पण मी निखिलच्या मताशी सहमत आहे कि माहिती तंत्रज्ञाना मध्ये काम करणारे बहुतांश कामगार हे इतर उद्योगांसाठीचे व्यावसायिक शिक्षण घेऊन आलेले असतात. तू म्हणालास त्याप्रमाणे BSc झालेली व्यक्तीला आता नोकरी मिळाली पण हे बरोबर आहे काय? असे मानू कि BSc हि पदवी किंवा त्यामधील अभ्यासक्रम हा शोधकार्याला वाव देण्यासाठी आहे, पण ती व्यक्ती शोध कार्य सोडून इतरत्र काम करते म्हणजे तिचे प्रशिक्षण वाया गेले असे वाटत नाही काय?
    इथे फक्त व्यक्ती म्हणून विचार करून चालणार नही समाजाचा पण विचार केला पाहिजे. जे लोक ज्यात जास्त तरबेज आहेत (मी येथे जास्त म्हणतो कारण ते इतर गोष्टीतहि कमी अधिक का होईन पण तरबेज असू शकतात) ते त्या व्यवसायात किंवा प्रांतात कार्य करत नाहीत आणि एका अर्थाने समाजाची हानीच होत आहे.

    दुसरी एक गोष्ट जी IT उद्योगाने आणली ते महाग झालेले राहणीमान व गरीब आणि श्रीमंत यांच्यात वाढत चाललेली दरी (हा मुद्दा थोडा विषयाला सोडून आहे पण यावर कदाचित तू पुढील लेख लिहू शकतोस). बाकीही भरपूर डोक्यात येते पण मी लिहिण्यापेक्षा बोलताना ते जास्त चांगल्या पद्धतीने सादर करू शकतो..

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  2. Language should never be a barrier in expressing yourself. Marathi is as good as English. I understood what you said.

    As I already mentioned, it is a support industry, which ensures smooth functioning of core business. So the dependancy factor cannot be removed. US companies are dependant on us, we should not be worrying.
    Aggred we should take technology to grass root level like farming and try to ensure growth and efficiency in that field.

    Regarding Bsc coming to IT. It is a fact what we study, we never use it in work life. Leave Bsc grads, engineers for ex, never study Mainframes in their 4 yrs of study, yet they do it. The disparity between curriculam and its actual application is very wide. This is a separate topic, but changing the education system, in a systematic way to have more application of studies is the only possible situation.

    Yes IT has in a way fueled price rise, but then their is always a tradeoff. The have nots middle class have improved their standard of living to a great extent...

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  3. Really insightful debate,but i am of the opinion that there is and always will be a balance,lots of people will work and a few will make them work,its always has been and will be like this

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  4. Number of people working in the Indian IT industry = 500,000.
    Number of people working just "rolling" bedi's: 2,000,000.

    The Indian software industry's impact on the overall economy is very overstated. The question I think about is whether software people should be called "engineers"?

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  5. I feel it is a waste of our national resources to train someone to be a mech / electrical / metallurgical engineers and take him in IT software engineer. His basic engineering skilss much needed everywhere in India and abroad are underutilized. Most Soft engineers never use their basic engineering skills. Why then waste their talents?

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  6. @Witty Jester: Yes, the balance that you are mentioning of, is always going to be in the same ratio! Thnx for your comment.

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  7. @vyasa: I agree with you completely. It is talented wasted. But we have failed to create demand in other field for matching the qualifications...

    Mismatch of studies and its application is a serious issue! We need to take it seriously now...

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  8. nice post....hey r u marathi...??

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  9. @Rohini: Thnx Rohini.

    I am Marwadi by mother toungue, Maharashtrian by state I reside in, Punjabi by state my roots belong to, Rajasthani by culture, Andhraite by state in which I completed studies, North Indian by food I love, Indian by heart... yes I worship Sachin Tendulkar... residing in this amazingly flat world! lol

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  10. good debate yes ... been debated since independence... elections fought over it .. ultimately it is money and instant gratification that rules... :)

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  11. The more the IT sector bulges more it is prone for a big burst, that way it is not good for the economy Karan.

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  12. Is it Food For Thought of fOoD fOr tHouGHt? Don't rape the English language, please! :)

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  13. I guess it should be the individual's choice. IT companies, whether Indian or American are not bad. There are a lot of positives also(I don't say this since I'm in IT) but to be honest, the kind of exposure one gets at a young age in IT is not seen commonly elsewhere.

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  14. @magiceye: Yes thats really a valid point!

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  15. @We value your suggestions.:
    Are you indicating towards bubble in IT industry? I guess the recession, which was bigger than The Great Economic Depression, made the industry more stronger. Companies have realised they need to continuously diversify in terms of geography, industry, people and currencies. Yet, I agree the economy should not take growth due to IT industry for granted. Thnx for your comments!

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  16. It is a very well debated topic yes, and the pros and cons are compelling on both sides. However what is to note is, the current crisis has actually fuelled the Engineering sector in the industry. I write about the Innovation in the engineering sector electronics hardware like the Notion Ink, Pi or Intex, Karbonn and Maxx Mobiles, Auto mobiles spoken for the world over like the nano.

    Engineers are creeping out of the software wood works and I should say its heartening to know as an engineer that we are making a Ingenious Indian contribution to the Indian Engineering sector, apart from just providing innovations to American countries.

    The next phase of development in India will come from Green Energy / Innovation in various sectors all fuelled by the engineers Inquisitive minds. The IT absorption makes it all possible as the people who are inclined to it are doing it and doing it well.

    It is working well because people are doing it by choice and not because they have to work as Engineers.

    http://blog.melvinpereira.com/2010/02/02/indian-innovation/

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  17. I won't say we should stop engineers to join IT industry. If someone is not getting job in their core domain then you should not stop them from joining IT industry.Everyone has the rights to earn well and live a good life.

    Yes the creamy layer should go to the core companies so that they can help in developing the technology.
    But during campus interviews colleges should invite some core companies first and then follow it up with IT companies.

    But end of the day its individuals decision. It is always better to work then sitting jobless with a degree in hand. If IT companies can improve our life's then why not go for them.

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  18. @The Virgin Author!: Rape?
    I am not sure what concerned you more, the way food for thought is written or the "for" word.

    Regarding first one, it is called typography. Free styling of words to create an effect. Explore Apple's iWork for that matter.

    Second one, the "for" word usage is grammatically correct in food for thought!

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  19. @lostworld: Completely agree with you. It is again an individual's choice.

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  20. Namaskar,

    It's not about stopping engineers to join IT firm, in a democratic country nobody will be and should be doing that.
    The main thing, to produce a mechanical engineer there is huge investment in machinery, professors etc. so we need to see that this investment should go towards right cause. Nevertheless if IT needs engineers there main requirement is logical thinking for that separate branch can be opened which is there i.e IT but very limited sits are there so produce these engineers more with less expense.
    But do not waste the resources by producing more mechanical electrical or civil engg and sending them to IT field.

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  21. @Melvin Pereira:You have added very interesting dimension to the discussion. There is no industrial boundary for an engineer to prove himself, he can do wonders in any industry he steps into...

    PS: I am not an engineer, but my close friends are and I know how talented they are!

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  22. @Sweta: Completely agree! Thats the way it should be...

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  23. @Sarang: Yes, I appreciate. You are ponting towards fewer choices for getting employed and lesser application of studies in work life.

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  24. another piece of information I would like to add. There has been study conducted on work life balance and also work satisfaction, by one of my friend during her PhD. She has collected data from well know IT giants(one of which is TCS) and also from core industry like manufacturing, electrical and she found that in-spite of greater salaries in IT industry, the workers in IT are highly dissatisfy about the work, and work life balance both compared to Core industry workers.
    The root cause of this might be what we are discussing.

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  25. wow ....U r a true Indian i suppose....thats nice...keep up the spirit....

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  26. well now and i dont agree with indians depending on other countries for work. i can name a 1000 companies which need indian workers as the education level of those countries is quiet low.
    its a highly debatable topic!

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  27. @Sarang: Thnx a lot for sharing such information...

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  28. @tristarfivestar: Even I am of the same view...

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  29. I agree with Sarang.

    Interesting discussion. :)

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  30. hi this comment is nt for IT N COM ENGG ...nice debatable post.. core industry(except IT n COMP ENGG)really needs talented and good technical engineers but because of IT industry this talent is going to non technical way( for other stream)only because of lifestyle,fun and showoff...m not denying IT industry is back bone for Indian economy but on other hand technical research through this talented engg can create technical revolution in India...
    patent is the word comes from research and v r very poor in producing patent and copyrights of technical thing hence v have to import many things..
    like developed countries such as Germany,Japan,France are developed their economy by engineering(other than IT)so why not we.
    As a technical engineering i must say lots of good engineering work i s going on top colleges and top industry just they want sound and interested people.
    really fnds do not waste ur degree.............

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  31. Very interesting debate....i have always wondered why my medico brother left his flourishing practice and joined IT ?He keeps on jumping from one company to another..thanks to perks.He looks and sounds very happy about it.How and Why ?I really dunno.

    Hey Karan..congrats,really nice post.

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  32. @Chandrika S Saini: Thnx Chandrika!

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  33. @rahul: Core industry do require lot of talent for research and related activities. But somehow they are not able to attract the best of the talents. The reason may be many, it is lot more demanding. The quality of work may be not that superior or atleast to some extent as compared to core industry but the exposure and the charm that IT industry provides, is able to attract more talent.

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  34. @kavita: Thnx kavita for the appreciation. Your brother did a right thing or not by leaving medicine for IT, I cannot comment. But he surely know the charm and exposure industry provides...

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  35. Frankly, I think you are right in saying that we are increasing dependency by working for US and UK companies.
    According to me, not only engineers, but all professional employees, of every level working for such multinationals should quit and focus on domestic jobs which are not "outsourced".
    The US should stop spoon feeding the Indian youth. We have the capability to excel on our own merit and do not need to be at the mercy of so called "First World" countries.
    I'm not speaking patriotically, but practically. Look at the enormous talent pool being wasted, while employing even half of that towards national infrastructural development would definitely take India ahead in every aspect.

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  36. Working in an I.T company doesn't equal to wasting resources. Why point at a population that is earning right and helping the country progress in technology. The Indian population is huge! Why is one sector being blamed as the cause of advancement stagnancy? Although Coming from the engineering background I would find it a resource waste when Electronics and Computer engg graduates are forced to take jobs towards Software.

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