Nagpur: At a time when major Indian IT companies are looking at the option of ‘flexi-staffing’ in view of the volatile market, HCL Technologies in Nagpur is moving the other way. HCL has introduced training programme called ‘Stay Rooted‘ for science graduates. HCL is reportedly charging over Rs 2 lakh to Rs 1 lakh from each student, with an assurance to place them in HCL on completion of training. Though most of the students and rational lot of the city disagree with the idea of first pay for training and then get the job, HCL appears to be adamant on its stand.
Moreover, many alert citizens have even questioned the legal validity of such an stand by the company which had on previous occasions claimed that HCL does not charge for any job.
Yesterday only a media report suggested that various IT majors have decided to go for ‘flexi-staffing’ which means recruiting staff for the limited time period till the project ends. This way they can cut off the huge expenses incurred on staff salaries in the event on non-availability of project.
Senior Vice-President of HCL Sanjay Gupta claimed that their company is offering world-class IT careers to local students through its ‘Stay Rooted’ campaign but he fails to reply on what made them to change their hiring strategy. Many parents are feeling that the HCL has opened its shop in the garb of providing jobs. “This is also a form of cheating as the company cannot be able to sustain such a volatile market and keep the staff intact.”
Insiders claim even if they retain staff, they are providing such a meagre stipend and salaries which does not match with today’s needs. “Rs 4,500 during training period and Rs 12,000 after training is not going to justify the time and huge money that will go into training,” adds a parent.
Shailesh Awale, Nagpur Centre Head and General Manager of HCL was also present.
Under the Stay Rooted campaign, HCL is inviting Science graduates of B.Sc., BCA, BCCA, Diploma IT/CS/ETC for a three-month training programme. Interested and eligible candidates, who clear the selection process, will be able to undertake paid training in the field of IT services management in Nagpur. On completion of the training programme, candidates will be able to start their careers with HCL campus in MIHAN.
HCL had also tied up with various financial institutions to provide loan for the education of the candidates. The candidates had an option to repay the loan from their salary, he pointed out.
HCL would be offering a world-class compressed training programme. For this, serious local candidates, who want to reside and work in the city, should come forward and register themselves. The stringent selection process would consist of interview, online aptitude test, technical interview and HR interview. On completing three months of the training, a stipend of Rs 12,000 would be given to the candidates. He said that the non-engineering candidates would be absorbed in the technical help desk initially, and could go on to engineering job.
Looking at the first successful batch of 40 engineering candidates from the city, he said that the students had a lot of potential and could climb the ladder of success.
He said that the programme was in sync with HCL’s philosophy of making candidates job-ready in their hometown. But is charging such a stupendous amount against the promise of job a part of HCL’s philosophy?
