Uncertainties facing IT industry settled down, says NASSCOM

Uncertainties facing the information technology industry have settled down to some extent and their level is now better understood, NASSCOM President R Chandrashekhar said today.
He said there has been a lot of turbulence in the industry last year following heightened uncertainties.
"But to some extent now, they (uncertainties) have settled down; not that uncertainty has disappeared but the level of the uncertainty now is far better understood," Chandrashekhar told reporters here.
He also said NASSCOM has shared its budget expectations with the Finance Ministry and they centred around the ease of doing business and not about sops.
"Basically, it's centred around the ease of doing business, challenges with regard to GST, some of the issues regarding taxation and environment for the start-up eco system, including angel tax issues. But essentially about streamlining the business environment; it's not about sops," Chandrashekhar said.

He said Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a big area now, because of the impact it's having and skills that are required are a big challenge, because it's a new area.

NASSCOM has put together a major initiative on skills of the future and identified eight technology areas in this regard, including AI, Big Data, machine learning and 3D printing.
There is a need to get much deeper into these technologies, according to him.
"We have taken up more intense programme to deepen the capability and capacity within the country both by bringing in experts from outside, as well as peer-to-peer learning with the industry", he said.

NASSCOM is in discussion with the Telangana government on setting up of a centre of excellence in AI and data sciences in the State, on the lines of one existing in Karnataka, Chandrashekhar said.
Earlier, NASSCOM and World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) held discussions with Telangana government on the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT), to be held here from February 19 to 21.
Chandrashekhar said the NASSCOM India Leadership Forum (NILF) would also be held along with it.
Telangana IT Minister K T Rama Rao and top WITSA officials were present.
NASSCOM said WCIT-NILF 2018 will witness 22 power-packed sessions covering AI, Blockchain, Experience Age, Innovation, New Globalisation and Future of Work, among others.

WCIT will be held in India for the first time.