India Inc facing skilled manpower shortage

New Delhi: Even as the Sensex touched the mystical 15,000 mark, and the economy marching towards a double-digit growth, Indian industry continues to reel under an acute shortage of skilled manpower, as per a survey.

The biotechnology sector alone faces an unbelievable 80 per cent shortage of doctorate and post doctorate scientists, as per a survey done by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) based on feedback from 20 industry sectors. Similarly, in the food processing industry refrigeration mechanics are hard to find, as are electricians, agricultural scientists, certificate holders and people skilled by short term courses.

The FICCI survey also highlighted a huge manpower crunch in the health sector and an acute shortage of doctors is foreseen in the next few years, especially anaesthetists, radiologists, gynaecologists and surgeons (particularly neurosurgeons). Large gaps would emerge in health care over the next few years, particularly in areas like basic cardiac life support, advanced cardiac life support, and advanced trauma life support including shortage of trained nurses.

In the banking and financial services sector, the FICCI survey shows that in year 2006 companies faced an acute shortage across several professional categories. The sector faces a 90 per cent shortage of risk managers, 65 per cent shortage of IT professionals, 50 per cent shortage of treasury managers, 75 per cent shortage of credit operations professionals, 80 per cent per cent shortage each of financial analysts, wealth managers, and planning analysts.

According to FICCI, skill shortages exist across many segments of the industry and economy of the country. Though earlier shortages were seen largely in technically qualified professionals, the present scenario shows short supply of even shop floor workers.

The chamber has urged both Government and Industry to take immediate corrective action, and focus on building effective resources to address the issue.