IBM is now fully focused on India and the company has signed an agreement for collaborative research with IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) in Bombay (Mumbai). The areas of research will be grid computing, data mining, network management and security. IIT students will be able to work in an IBM research facility from six months to one year period. Thus, the students will get a much needed industrial experience. IBM will also sponsor some Ph D, M.Tech, and MS (Res) students and researchers. This way, IIT students will get better facilities for carrying out their research activities while IBM will be benefited from their talent.
What is so interesting to me is the fact that IBM signed this agreement with an IIT not with an American University. Well, IIT has received some sponsorship from foreign companies in the past too. So, it is nothing radical or new but the timing is very important. Just a few days ago, IBM announced to triple its investment in India and now it is going to support IIT for research.
Until now, most American companies like IBM have been keen to make the best use of outsourcing by using the cheap Indian IT workers. As a result, the Indian market has been too much congested and now tech companies are finding it difficult to get new skilled workers. So, if some other big shots like IBM come forward and invest in Indian technology colleges then the pressure can ease off.
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yes ibm knows that iitb is the best and india will outpass us in terms of talended students and talented enggineers in nera future
Posted by: satyadhar joshi | July 22, 2006 12:24 PM | Permalink to Comment