Infosys extends staff training period to deal with crisis

IT major Infosys Technologies today said it has extended the period of training for people on the "bench" to 29 weeks from the present 16 weeks because of the ongoing global economic recession.

"We are looking at better training in these times. We have increased the training period from 16 weeks to 29 weeks," Infosys Chairman and chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy said.

Murthy was here to participate in the day two proceedings of the three-day Nasscom summit.

The Bangalore-headquartered firm has a cash balance of $2 billion and can survive for one more year without any revenue, he said. "Of course, it (zero revenue) is not going to happen."

Murthy equated the present economic crisis in the US, the world's largest economy, to the Great Depression of 1929 in that country.

"The present crisis in the US reminds me of the 1929 depression. More signals are emanating of the 1929 depression than the 70s' one. I have a suspicion that it (present crisis) could be a longer one," he said.

A recovery from the present crisis may take longer than 18 months, he said.

For IT companies to come out of this crisis, senior managements would have to take salary cuts, he said.