Date:14/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/02/14/stories/2005021402061300.htm

Back Chandigarh inks pact with Wipro Spectramind

Rajesh Ahuja

Chandigarh , Feb. 13

The Chandigarh Administration has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Wipro Spectramind for implementing the C-TOSS (Chandigarh Training on Soft Skills) programme in the Union Territory.

The MoU was signed by Mr Vivek Atray, Director Information Technology, Chandigarh Administration, and Mr Rakesh Sharma, Vice-President, Wipro Spectramind, here.

According to Mr Atray, C-TOSS is a programme being run by the IT Department of the Chandigarh Administration to provide training to school and college students in the city. Job projection in the IT-enabled services (ITES) sector is projected at around 10,000 jobs in the city over the next three years. Keeping these figures in mind, the MoU comes as good news for school and college students, he said.

"The aim of the programme is to make available quality manpower for the IT industry in Chandigarh. As we have high hopes from the upcoming Chandigarh Technology Park, we want to create a strong base to sustain the boom in later years,'' he added.

Mr Atray said that the response to C-TOSS has been overwhelming. The basic problem earlier was to make students unlearn certain things before they start learning computers. The 50-hour course exposes students to basic grammar, informal speech, semi-formal speech and neutralisation of accent.

Gearing up for the business process outsourcing (BPO) dream, at present 200 students of Class XI and Class XII are part of the C-TOSS initiative. "It is our constant endeavour to create world-class talent through innovative partnerships with the academia and government institutions. Given the large requirements of IT and

ITES industry, this is just the beginning of the journey,'' Mr Rakesh Sharma pointed out.