Assessment of Technical Higher Education and Graduate Employment Ability: An Empirical Study of IT Graduates of Agra Division

Abstract

The structure relationship between the technical higher education quality and the employment of Information Technology (IT) and Computer Science graduates of Agra division, Uttar Pradesh, India has been assessed through an empirical study.. The phenomenal growth and development in the Indian IT-BPM industry along with India's rapid digitization march create a challenging scenario for the regional academic institutions in tier-2 divisions to meet the market demands with the supply-side academic outputs. A mixed research design was adopted where primary empirical data has been collected from 320 recently graduated students having their degrees of Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science /IT, Bachelor of Computer Applications and Master of Computer Applications from the four districts comprising the Agra division (Agra, Mathura, Firozabad & Mainpuri).

Major parameters of employability including basic placement percentages, time-to-employment post graduation, starting salary distribution profiles and the extent of curriculum – industry synchronization in the domain specific areas were empirically evaluated by the application of relevant statistical tools such as the Chi-square test of independence and multiple regression analysis.

The study findings indicate that though acquisition of formal degree credentials facilitates entry level eligibility in the technology sector, but the differences in job quality, remuneration structure, and ease of finding employment are significantly influenced by student's involvement in on-line practical software development projects, contemporary industry driven certifications and inclusion of soft-skills trainings. Institutional factors, notably efficacious Training and Placement cells, establishment of corporate alliances and effective industry connect are statistically significant in reducing the geo-centric barriers of talent acquisition. The paper ends with the relevant recommendations to the HEIs, Industries personnel and Policy makers in upgrading technical curriculum, enhancing soft skills in a big way, making ends meet in closing the skill gap and creating an ecosystem of technology graduate in the tier-2 geographical area.