Trade group to test skills of job seekers

BANGALORE, India -- The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) has created a test that's designed to determine the technical and communication skills of applicants for jobs in India's outsourcing industry.

Nasscom officials said that the online test can be used to screen out applicants who lack skills needed by call center, business process outsourcing (BPO) and software services companies with operations in India.

The Delhi-based trade group estimates that only about 25 percent of technical school graduates and 10 percent to 15 percent of college graduates have the skills needed by outsourcing vendors, said Nasscom President Kiran Karnik. The problem is becoming acute because outsourcers are now hiring about 200,000 staffers each year, he added.

The test, which was developed with help from the country's outsourcing vendors, grades applicants on seven parameters, including analytical and communication skills, according to Karnik.