I think there is no need to explain why governments are always interested to establish information technology (IT) related industries in their states. Though Odisha does not have many IT industries compared to southern states, some big companies have their campus in the state and new ones are coming also coming up. In this piece, impact of IT industry in the state - particularly on higher education and on lifestyle of people is analysed.
As IT companies normally employ engineers (though it is said that any graduate can do those work with a little training) some businessmen opened engineering colleges in Odisha, which lacked proper infrastructure. These colleges have only attractive buildings to lure the students. Then cyclic process of inefficiency started in state. A large number of teachers were required in these colleges and Odisha had less number of people with required qualifications. To maximize their profit college owners were not interested to employ deserving faculties from outside of state and simple graduates were employed in many colleges as faculty. Lack of incentive and inexperience of faculties produced many ‘engineers’ who do not know even their syllabus. So they hardly got any proper employment. Some of them were absorbed as faculties in these colleges and this cycle continued. After recession unemployment has increased manifold.
Engineering colleges mushroomed in Odisha without proper analysis of the market. So this year around 20,000 seats are lying vacant, though students from West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand are coming to Odisha. Some coaching centers have opened +2 science and engineering college for both backward and forward linkages for their business.
Though situation is very grim, parents and students are unaware of this. They are happy that one year of the student and money which was to be spent on coaching is saved. As there is scope for every +2 science student to study engineering, seats in general streams like B.Sc and B.A. are lying vacant in some old colleges.
IT industries and many engineering colleges are located I and around the capital city Bhubaneswar. So branded stores and cafes have come up to cater the need of young people. Even Friday night party culture has started in Bhubaneswar. Disposable income of young professionals has begun to create misery for lower income groups in capital. Costs of vegetables and other day-to-day needs have increased many folds. Previously house rent in Bhubaneswar was at par with Cuttack; but now it is more than double. So unemployed youths who were staying in capital to prepare for various competitive examinations are now shifting their base to Cuttack.
