Recently, the Karnataka state government passed the bill of reservations for jobs in the private sector for the local people, thus creating a buzz in the centre of technology.
The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024, suggests that firms should provide 70 per cent non-management and 50 per cent management positions to Kannadigas.
Moreover, many industry leaders, such as Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai, have opined that the proposed policy may harm Bengaluru’s position as one of India’s leading IT hubs.
Mazumdar-Shaw stressed ‘’loopholes that exclude highly skilled recruitment from this policy.’’ On the other hand, Pai also spoke against the bill, saying it’s Discriminatory, regressive, and unconstitutional.
To this, Karnataka’s IT and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge tried to calm the situation, noting that the Ministry would engage with industries and industrial associations to “get what needs to be done right to help create the desired pro-investment and local employment culture for our people while fulfilling the demand for the travelling talent from the rest of the world. ”
The leading Indian IT and Business Process Outsourcing and Services export promotion body, NASSCOM, also expressed its dislike by saying that restrictions could force companies to relocate as local skilled talent becomes scarce.
The Karnataka government has called for savings on implementing the bill. It is understood that stakeholders need to be consulted on ensuring that the flow of jobs to the people does not compromise the state’s image as a Silicon Valley.
