Thursday, June 22, 2006 (New Delhi)

IT giant Infosys has decided to start a six month training programme for these students so that they can get a fair chance to get jobs in IT companies.

Industry has been opposing the move for legislation tooth and nail and no other Indian company has even agreed to affirmative action or providing training facilities yet.

23-year-old Shashi Bala is one of the 100 Scheduled Caste students selected by the Social Justice Ministry to train at Infosys. An MSc student from a Ghaziabad institute Shashi will go through a six-month training at Infosys's BPO wing Progeon headquartered at Bangalore.

The extensive training in IT skills will also involve brushing up their language skills. ''This is a huge opportunity for us. It will give us skills which will later help us to get jobs," said Bala.

Necessary edge

There is no commitment from Infosys that the 100 odd students will be absorbed in the company and the students will have to go through the company's tough selection procedure.

But the training which will cost the company Rs 1.36 crore will give them the necessary edge. Infosys  has also promised to put them through to other IT companies.

"We will give them much longer training than other students which will include giving them more confidence and help them compete etc," said Nandita Gurjar, HR head, Progeon, Infosys.

Meira Kumar's social justice ministry has been driving the initiative. "It's a very positive step and it is better if industry does these things voluntarily instead of imposing legislation," said Kumar.

Experts say these moves may not guarantee jobs but are at least a beginning at a time when most industry captains have been parroting the meritocracy argument and are just not willing to take these initiatives.