IT’s no to Reservation: Merit is the only criteria, says Murthy

IT’s no to Reservation: Merit is the only criteria, says Murthy
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: While assuring the government of providing enhanced opportunities for Kannadigas in their companies in the State, the IT sector ruled out the government’s demand for reservation of jobs as it could lead to business and legal complications.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of IT heads with Chief Minister Dharam Singh to discuss problems related to infrastructure, Infosys Chairman and Chief Mentor N R Narayana Murthy said 97.5 per cent of the revenue for his company came from the first world countries.

“We have to make and create employment for local people. We go out of the way to recruit Kannadigas. But it cannot be at the cost of merit, because most of our clients are from the first world (read US and Europe).

“They don’t understand the right compulsions of the society. As an Individual I fully appreciate the difficulties we are going through. Unfortunately they (customers) don’t.

“So only option before us was to lose out,” Murthy said. “We cannot go public on the issue of recruiting Kannadigas as a number of people (from other parts of the country) may move Supreme Court on the issue and create problems,” he opined.

Murthy, however, said that an all out effort to recruit local talent was being made at his company. “We visit nearly 46 colleges in the State for campus recruitment.

"I insisted on setting a largest centre in Mysore besides setting up a centre in Mangalore.

“Infosys has 9 to 10 centres across the country and as far as possible, we try and look out for local talent,” he explained.

To a question on the government’s insistence that Kannadigas should be provided reservation, he said,

“I don’t think the government asked anything like that.” Deputy Chief Minister M P Prakash, who had raised the issue of IT companies ignoring Kannadigas in employment opportunities, said that Murthy had “Candidly explained the situation and we appreciate the industry’s stand.”

He said the government was clear about the implementation of the Sarojini Mahishi Committee report recommendations on providing employment to the locals in the private sector.

“However, to every rule, there is always an exception.” Industries Minister P G R Sindhia said that he had not served any notices to major IT and BT companies in the State.

“I have served notices to 167 companies most of which are in the manufacturing sector. I understand the problems of IT and BT in recruiting localities,” he said.

He also suggested that a committee of government and IT representatives to be headed by the Chief Minister could work out modalities to accommodate more Kannadigas.