The conference was held to announce the worldwide and India (simultaneous) launch of Windows 2000 on 17 February and the strategic tie-up between Microsoft and NIIT to start education modules on the new programme, even before its launch. The training and education programme is called the Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE) programme.

With the kind of figures McKinsey is estimating for IT growth in India, no organisation in this business wants to waste any time in enhancing its presence in the marketplace. The simultaneous launch of Windows 2000 in India is witness to that. Mr Kaul says, "For the IT business to really grow, solid infrastructure is required. The issues are not so much bandwidth and cyber laws; the biggest challenge will be skilled, high-quality people. We will need 2.2 million professionals by 2008, according to the McKinsey report. We have to develop the base; upgrade the existing skill sets. The Internet is changing the way we live, work …"

The Microsoft training certification is an important part of Microsoft Corporation’s business worldwide, and, according to the company, there are 3,12,000 open jobs worldwide on Microsoft technology. "The demand is exponential," says Amit Srivastava, manager – solutions provider, education and certification, Microsoft India. "It may touch a million by the end of the year," he added.

And NIIT, which started, framed and established computer education in India, is, as usual, quick on the draw. "All along the 90s, NIIT has worked with early products of Microsoft," according to P.Rajendran, chief operating operator, NIIT.

He adds that outside of the US, NIIT was the first institution to be certified for training by Microsoft, in 1994. "Our partnership with Microsoft and out vast experience of launching training products on Microsoft technologies in the past has helped us anticipate the needs of the user. We are committing our best resources to enable over 1 lakh learners to embrace Windows 2000 technologies, using either our instructor-led training or Internet-based (NIITNetVarsity) learning, in the next four to six weeks."

NIIT itself is shifting over from Windows NT to Windows 2000. "Close to 15,000 desktops and servers will be upgraded. We are putting up a lot of experimental sites within the company and creating trainers for Windows 2000. The programme will be up on NIITNetVarsity, to offer help and handle queries in the early days, worldwide. We are expecting at least 1 lakh hits in the early days," Mr Rajendran says.

He adds, "Of the 65,000 Microsoft certified professionals in India, 30,000 are NIITians." Even for Windows 2000, according to him, NIIT is creating robust courses and applications. The company is currently in the process of developing 50 titles in Windows 2000 on a wide range of subjects. "We are starting with Windows 2000 server and adopting Windows 2000 as our operating system."

Microsoft Corporation is putting a lot of energy behind its Windows 2000 programme, which enables web application integration, greater scalability and standards-based security services. It claims to offer a more reliable platform designed for increased system uptime and a more manageable operating system to reduce desktop management costs. Plus, a more centralised management for servers.

Microsoft India is the wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation, USA, the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The Rs 880-crore NIIT Ltd, which started off as a computer training institute, has by now evolved into an IT solutions company with operations in over 30 countries, through wholly-owned subsidiaries in the US, Europe, Asia Pacific, China, Japan and India.

By starting training even before the formal launch of Windows 2000, NIIT hopes to keep its lead in training in Microsoft programmes. Other Microsoft certified training institutions in India are also bound to offer Windows 2000 education after its launch.