Robotics and cloud application are the key growth areas where huge employment opportunities are available for talented and innovative software engineers, according to Anuj Bhalla, president and global head, integrated cloud and delivery excellence, Tech Mahindra.
He was speaking on Friday at the 14th edition of graVITas, an annual techno-management knowledge carnival, organised by Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) on its campus here.
Mr. Bhalla said robotics and cloud application would be used more in areas such as healthcare and entertainment in the coming years. This would provide more jobs to engineers specialised in these two fields.
“Students, especially those in the information technology stream, should utilise their time on the campus to sharpen their skills in these two areas because they are the future of software technology,” he said.
In his presidential address, VIT founder-chancellor G. Viswanathan urged the Centre to increase fund allocation for higher education, from the existing 3% of the GDP to 6%, to take higher education to more rural students. At least 25 countries provide free education up to the university level and certain European countries like Germany provide free education even to foreign students.
He said the fund allocation for research and development was also very low. For example, for every one million population, India has only 140 researchers, whereas the U.S. has 4,650. In terms of per capita expenditure on research, South Korea spends $1,900, the U.S. $1,860, Japan $1,300, China $368 and India $140.
“The GDP share of research is 5% in Israel, 4.5% in South Korea, around 3% each in the U.S., Germany and France, and 0.7% in India,” he said.
Mr. Viswanathan said India has around 1,100 universities and 55,000 colleges. However, only 27% of those eligible for higher studies (18-23 years) were able to pursue higher education, compared with 88% in the U.S., 65% in Japan and 100% in South Korea. In terms of per capita income which is used to measure Gross Enrolment Ratio, India’s per capita income is only $2,500, whereas that of the other three countries are $70,00, $39,000 and $35,000 respectively, he said.
Over 13,000 students will take part in more than 150 technical events, to be organised as part of the three-day programme, with $20 lakh in cash prize. The events include intense competitions like robowars and the Indian drone racing league.
Paras Parikh, GOTO India Operating Manager, UBS, and VIT vice-presidents Sankar Viswanathan and G.V. Selvam were present.
