REPORT OF NASSCOM ON INDIA'S TOP IT LOCATIONS

The Economic Times

The software and services trade body Nasscom along with A T Kearney released the findings of a first of its kind report on the assessment of 50 locations in India suitable for the IT - BPO industry titled ‘Location Roadmap For IT- BPO Growth: Assessment Of 50 Leading Cities’.

Apart from secondary research, a key aspect of the study was significant primary interactions with companies, educational institutions, Government authorities, etc in each of the 50 locations. The analysis indicates that based on their stage of development for IT-BPO, the locations can be categorized into 4 groups, viz. Leader, Challenger, Follower and Aspirants.

Bangalore Bangalore has been described as "a gateway to new global frontiers" and "a harbinger of a new global labour force that works in cyberspace and that, like much of the world's financial markets, operates beyond the reach of governments".

At an elevation of 920m, Bangalore is known for its mild, "salubrious" climate through out the year and until recently was regarded as a "pensioner's paradise" because it was a small and sleepy town, by Indian standards. Industry observers feel that what makes a location attractive for the software industry in particular is the culture of the city. The industry, which is comprised of a young, highly educated, workforce, itself breeds a certain lifestyle.

Nasscom, which has a membership that represents 97 per cent of the industry's revenues and is inclusive of all firms that have more than 20 employees, has a membership in Bangalore of 38 software firms.