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Let’s look beyond IT
Padmaja Reddy K
It was a welcome relief to read the article “The other side of IT boom” by Gopi Rajagopal (Open Page, December 30). That he has 15 years of IT experience adds weight to his arguments.
The IT industry has not just brought about a change in our work culture, but has also forced some drastic changes in our society.
Indians, more known for their family bonds, are today bound more to their computers and don’t find enough time for themselves, leave alone their loved ones.
The parental and peer pressure students (all streams) in their final year of studies are subjected to to get through campus interviews is simply distressing.
Finding a job in a major IT company has become the sole objective of students, parents and college managements. Any alternative career option is not welcomed. And the sad fact that freshers retain their jobs depending only on their final percentage has recently led to a person’s suicide while in training.
Negative consequence
Another negative consequence of the scenario is that students are faking their experience and, in some cases, their study certificates to land a job. The connection between the courses studied and the work being done seems to be lost. Whatever may be one’s subjects in college, join an institute and learn a course in computers and start attending interviews seems to be the blind rule being followed.
The situation is proving to be a challenge to our education system as a whole. If we are not going to become alert to the scenario, in a few years, we may end up having just computer techies, genuine or fake, to represent India.
A large percentage of IT employees, being in the age group of 22-28, are more tempted to spend than save their large amount of salaries. They often ignore the fact that IT is a bubble which may burst anytime without any notice.
The nature of work which is too high or too low unlike in other careers disturbs the normal schedule of a person. For most employees, laptops carry the work into their personal space.
The job uncertainty, the unending learning process to keep oneself updated with the latest in technology, the stress incurred and the odd hours of work put in achieving deadlines, the unhealthy lifestyle forced, all add up to more negative than positive effects of the IT industry.
Well, the wide options and the popularity IT has given Indians around the world cannot be ruled out. But, at the same time, let’s not live with the false prestige that as Indians, our pride and dignity lies in IT.
Let us not forget that apart from computer techies and cricketers, there are scores of Indians — the jawans who are giving their all to give us good sleep, the scientists, the various sportspersons, the people from the entertainment field, even the dabbawallahs of Mumbai whose precision in delivery is a puzzle for the world statisticians even today — who do the country proud in their own ways and fields.
So, let not the money and opportunities in IT be construed as pride and dignity for the Indians. Let’s start to look beyond IT.
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