Punjab injects BPO into its students

The Chandigarh Administration has signed an MoU with the Punjab Information & Communication Technology Corporation Ltd (PICTCL) for extending the Chandigarh Training on Soft Skills test (C-Toss).

C-Toss is a human-resource upgradation programme launched two months ago to develop skilled professionals for the BPO/ IT-enabled services sector.

According to Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi, managing director, PICTCL, "Every year, there are nearly 50,000 students who graduate from various schools, colleges, diploma institutions, graduation courses and engineering colleges. We are trying to ensure that C-Toss is conducted once in every quarter with various modules in these institutions. Since the industry plays an active role in designing the curriculum for C-Toss, it will ensure that manpower supply is as per industry requirements."

Currently, about six colleges and six schools in Chandigarh are undergoing training in soft skills as per the requirements of the BPO industry. An additional 20 institutions will soon join this list. After singing the MoU, Punjab plans to implement C-Toss in 50 institutions across the state.

"The course also allows students to work with the companies. Companies take these students for a six-months practical training course, as part of programme. We will constantly revise the syllabus along with the help of the industry. This will ensure that the talent pool never falls short of industry expectations," Vivek Atray, director, Information Technology, Chandigarh Administration, told Business Standard.

The modules include testing of skills like voice and accent, communication, global culture, telesales, computer proficiency among others.

Incidentally, Punjab is fast emerging as the next best location after Gurgaon for IT and BPO companies heading towards North India. The Chandigarh union territory already boasts of companies like Infosys, Convergys, Quark and Dell.

Some are in the process of setting up their facilities in the Mohali-Chandigarh belt. BPO majors like Wipro Spectramind and HSBC have also evaluated Chandigarh as a possible destination for their facilities.

According to Sanjay Tyagi, additional director and centre head, STPI-Mohali, the BPO and the IT industry currently employs about 10,000 people in Punjab. Of the 200 STPI-registered units, 65 companies are into exports. These companies exported Rs 200 crore worth software products and services.

"Our exports are likely to touch Rs 1,000 crore in the next three years, while our manpower will triple in the next 12 months," Tyagi added.