Hi Sudhir Even in public sectors, they are going for contract jobs. Even if one gets a regular employent, anyone can be easily retrenched.
All said and done, for a fresher private sector is a great learning place. Good hands are in much demand in the IT space and one can leveridge it in a period of time to ones advantage. Harish. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sudhir R (NeSTIT)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 9:10 AM Subject: Re: [AI] IT sector employment - stark realities... > Dear Harish bhai, > > I fully agree with you that contract employment could act as the thin edge > of the wedge to induce companies to consider employing the differently > abled employees. And, uncertainties do bring out the best from us too. > > But, the fact remains that the best trapeze artists and movie stuntmen > perform with a safety net to catch them should anything go wrong. (smile) > I am afraid I can't effectively articulate the gnawing fears and > trepidations of a disabled resource working in a IT company who gets his > contract renewed often only on the last day and perhaps only for a further > period of six months. I was hoping some of these silent sufferers to > speak out, but, obviously they might be feeling embarrassed or insecure > and I fully empathise with their unenviable situation. > > Being a banking professional, you will agree with me that life requires > one to plan ahead for security of our own selves and that of our family, > like buying a home, making investments for retirement etc. In the absence > of a working social security mechanism in India, the best bet for a > disabled person is still a steady job which guarantees a steady stream of > predictable revenues. From this point of view, contract employment, > highly favoured by the hard core professionals who can dictate their > terms, is not the best of news for our young friends. > > This is what I wanted to highlight through my mail, since I know (and I > myself have been recommending) many bright youngsters have been looking > away from the staid government sector job markets to these glamourous > sunrise sectors. All that glitters, as is often in real life, is not > obviously gold. (smile) > > Rgds > > RS > M: 098 472 76 126 > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Harish > Kotian > Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 7:02 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [AI] IT sector employment - stark realities... > > > Hi Sudhir > > You have raised a very interesting topic for introspection. > > In my personal view, contract work is a sort of blessing in disguise. > > 1 The employers are apprehensive about the capabilities of the blind. This > gives us a window to make an entry and gives us an opportunity to prove > ourselves. > > 2 Due to the uncertainties involved it forces one to get the best out of > us. > > However, uncertainty is not desirable in a long run to maintain healthy > relationship. > > This can be nicely put to the folks in the HR dept who have specialists > out > there to understand it better. > > Intervention of NGO's or help from HR consultuncy firms can also help in > getting the message across. > > Once having gained experience and having sharpened skill sets one is in a > better position to find jobs elsewhere. Now, one is in a better position > to > clinch a deal to ones terms. > > I personally feel it is better to grow in an organisation than keep > changing > jobs frequently. > > It helps mutually. > Harish. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Sudhir R (NeSTIT)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 9:40 AM > Subject: Re: [AI] IT sector employment - stark realities... > > >> Dear Subramony, >> >> I can understand hard core professionals opting for contract-based >> employment that allows them to be loose-coupled to the employer. But, >> this is a voluntary decision and most often than not, the terms of the >> contract are thrashed out after mutual discussions. >> >> The cases I referred to in my original mail pertains to trainees, not >> professionals. I am quite sure they would prefer regular jobs, if given >> a >> choice, since their professional skill-sets are not well-developed. And, >> what are thrust upon these hapless youngsters are unilateral contracts, >> not ones discussed thread-bare. >> >> And, of course, the matter of discrimination comes up when just the >> disabled candidates have to put up with such 'modern' practices. Those >> able-bodied who join along with them or after them are taken on rolls. >> Now, do you smell something fishy ? >> >> Rgds >> >> RS >> M: 98 472 76 126 >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Subramani L >> Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 9:36 AM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [AI] IT sector employment - stark realities... >> >> >> Dear Sudhir: >> >> I am not too conversant with the legalese of contract employment, but it >> is certainly becoming the trend. Why IT, even the media industry is fast >> adapting these practices. And, several journalists (both in print and >> broadcast), who are able bodied, prefer contract not only because they >> are paid higher, but also because it is much easier to leave when they >> no longer inclined to work. >> >> As far as my knowledge goes, contract employment isn't exclusively >> offered to the blind or disabled. On the contrary, even the so-called >> able-bodied persons have to accede to demands of employers that they >> will be taken as contract employees. Also, contracts in the traditional >> sense is different from what we are referring here as contracts. Why >> contracts, I know IT employees (who are able-bodied) who are asked to >> sign a bond that stops them from leaving the company for two or three >> years. In my opinion, that is more discriminatory than contracts. >> >> Let's not forget that we live in a knowledge economy, where >> opportunities are increasing with corresponding risks. So, in this >> environment, how far we can expect traditional employment terms to be >> applied remains a doubt. Perhaps, Rajesh or Kanchan can answer this from >> a legal perspective. >> >> Subramani >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Sudhir R >> (NeSTIT) >> Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 9:13 AM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: [AI] IT sector employment - stark realities... >> >> *********************** >> No virus was detected in the attachment no filename >> >> Your mail has been scanned by InterScan. >> ***********-*********** >> >> >> Dear friends, >> >> We have all been enthused in recent months by the continuous stream of >> 'heart-warming' news reports from the booming IT and ITES sectors of >> India opening their doors to the visually challenged. But, closer >> observation of the facts on the ground reveal certain trends that are >> disquieting and disillusioning and though not politically correct, I >> thought I must bring these to the kind attention of Access Indians. >> >> a) It seems many of those who have been recruited have been taken in as >> contract employees and remain so for years together. The professed >> excuse bandied by the companies is that they want to keep the actual >> employee count low. This excuse would have held water had not the >> companies gladly confirmed the non-disabled staff members who were >> recruited along with or much later than their disabled counterparts. I >> can understand a company extending an employee's probation if he does >> not measure up, but, extending contracts umpteen number of times seem to >> take on sinister tones. >> >> b) Simultaneously, I think these unfortunate disabled candidates also >> suffer discriminatory treatment vis-a-vis their non-disabled peers in >> terms of compensation and benefit, seniority etc due to the long years >> they spend as contract employees. >> >> c) It may be fashionable to explain this phenomenon as a modern trend >> in employment thanks to globalisation, but, when it applies only to one >> segment of (disadvantaged) employees, I prefer to call it high-handed >> discrimination. India does not have a social security mechanism in >> place and the best bet for any disabled resource is still the security >> of a regular job. Unfortunately, the current practice seems to be >> denying this precise safety net to the disabled. >> >> I am not sure how many of Access Indians working in the IT / ITES sector >> are currently suffering this discrimination silently, hoping to be >> confirmed in the years to come. But, anecdotal evidence has shown me >> that many of the so-called 'equal opportunity employers' who hog media >> limelight with their 'diversity enrichment' programmes are major >> culprits of this shameful practice. May be, a few of the silent >> sufferers should speak out for the sake of other starry-eyed youngsters >> who have been building castles in thin air after reading all these media >> reports. >> >> Simultaneously, can legal eagles like Kanchan and Rajesh educate us >> about the current Indian laws applicable to the rights of contract >> employees ? I am sure it is mandatory for a company to confirm an >> employee after a particular period of being a contract employee. How >> does one go about enforcing such laws and how risky would such a >> procedure be ? >> >> And, Subramony, can you smell a journalistic scoop in this issue ? >> >> >> I have been an avid votary of the IT and ITES sector as possible >> sources of fullfilling and well-paying careers for the visually >> challenged and have even been discouraging the local youngsters from >> looking at the unglamourous Government sector, but, I should admit this >> revelation has forced me to revise my recommendations. In fact, I have >> started wondering whether this phenomenon is restricted merely to the IT >> / ITES sector or a characteristic of the entire private sector. I know >> of at least one case in Kerala where a manufacturing company has been >> employing a visually challenged youngster for almost 9 years as a >> contract employee at half the salary he would have been entitled for in >> regular service. >> >> Please share your individual views, suggestions and experiences in this >> matter. Skeletons have remained in the corporate cupboards for too >> long, methinks... >> >> Regards >> >> R Sudhir >> M: 098 472 76 126 >> To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >> please visit the list home page at >> >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i >> n >> >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >> please visit the list home page at >> >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >> please visit the list home page at >> >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> > > > > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
