National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) is planning a nationwide rollout of the NAC (Nasscom Assessment of Competence), a national assessment and certification programme modelled on the lines of GRE, from November this year.
Nasscom and Hewitt Associates, in collaboration with BPO firms, have designed NAC, an online test for assessing skills in six different categories such as spoken and written English, analytical ability, keyboard skills and logical reasoning. The aim is to create a continuous pipeline of talent by “transforming” workforce into an “employable” workforce, according to Kiran Karnik, President, Nasscom. Announcing the completion of a pilot project, wherein 6,000 candidates took the test in select states, Karnik said the proposed nationwide rollout would see participation from BPO firms and state governments. The BPO firms that would hire the NAC-certified candidates are expected to bear the cost of their online test. The ITES-BPO industry, which clocked revenues of USD6.3 billion in 2005-06, is expected to face a potential shortage of about 3.5 lakh candidates by 2010, according to Nasscom-McKinsey. The NAC will provide insights into the real training and development needs of talent and hence help companies, governments and universities develop customised talent-development initiatives and programmes.
