INDIAN IT SERVICES MARKET – WITH EMPHASIS OF FUTURE ASPECTS

Introduction

The domestic IT Services Market is as of now is mostly driven by project-oriented services like custom application development, systems integration, network consulting & integration, and IT consulting. A report by International Data Corp (IDC) predicted that the local IT Services market would grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.8% (in Rupee terms) between 2014 and 2019. Among several verticals, Banking and Financial Services (BBFSI) and Retail, are doing consistently good. As regards BFSI, awarding of ‘New Bank Licenses’ by RBI and increasing technology adoption by Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) & microfinance institutions, is constantly pushing the demand for IT services. In fact, another report by ‘Gartner Inc.’ forecasted that India would be the second largest market for IT by the end of 2018.

Size

The domestic IT Market of India stood at USD 36 Billion in 2015 and as per various reports is projected to grow at a CAGR of approx. 14% to USD 67 Billion by 2020, thus becoming the second largest IT Market in the ‘Asia Pacific Region’ by 2018. Further, according to Gartner Inc., “driven by growth in software and IT services revenue, IT spending in India is forecast to reach $72.4 billion in 2017, up 6.9 % from 2016 estimated spending of $67.7 billion.” According to the company, the key vertical segments driving IT spending growth include the communications, media and services, banking & securities, manufacturing and utilities markets.

Factors of Growth

The predicted reasons for the growth of the market are manifold including development of local data centers, exponential in internet penetration backed by a ‘Digital India’ drive that is expected to attract USD 17 Billion investment in next 3-4 years, higher demand for hosted applications services, hosted infrastructure, IT consulting, application management services, and custom application development. In fact, more than 90% of ‘Small and Medium Businesses’ are expected to embrace technology, in one way or the other, by 2020 and number IT services provider create Business page. These ‘Small and Medium Businesses’ prefer OPEX as against CAPEX model of IT, and this market is expected to grow at a great pace over next few years.

One other important driver of growth is the emergence of new age E-Commerce companies that are not only making technology investments themselves, but are also forcing traditional ‘brick and mortar’ retail players to march on a technology path in a big way. Indian companies are progressively adopting technology as a means to improve supplier / customer engagement and gain better business oversight. Moreover, many companies are spending more on technology, including social, mobile, analytics, and cloud for these reasons. For example, such companies across industries are in the ‘investment mode’ in the specific areas of custom mobile applications for services delivery, managing field workforce, launching targeted marketing campaigns, amongst others.

Conclusion

The reasons for the near term growth of the ‘Indian IT Services Market’ include license awards for Payment Banks and Small Scale Banks, current government’s pro-technology stance (Digital India, mobile-based delivery of citizen services, focus on financial inclusion, spend towards smart cities etc.), burgeoning start-up community and sustained investments across 3^rd platform technologies. In essence, domestic IT Services Market is poised for an exponential growth and can be a great contributor in the overall job scenario of the country, and thus overall GDP.

PREVENTION OF COMMON COLD AND COUGH

Cold and cough is not a disease rather it is a symptom that something somewhere is not right in the body. It is, in fact, human body's way of removing foreign material or mucus from the lungs and upper airway passages. It is arguably the most common illness in humans. Viruses enter the air from the nasal passages of infected persons and when inhaled by others, may cause them to become the patient of cold and cough. These spread from person to person through tiny droplets of mucus dropped into the atmosphere by the infected persons (when they sneeze or talk).

Old people and children are, in fact, more vulnerable to the common cold. Especially in winters, their immune system gets weakened on one hand and on the other hand, low temperature & cold triggers many respiratory problems and illnesses.

Here are some of the very basic steps that you can take for the prevention of cold and cough:

Regularly wash your hands

A person having cold & cough, when sneezes, talks or negligently touches his hands with nose and then uses objects of daily use, then the germs are invariably left on such objects. So one of the most potent remedy is to wash your hands on regular intervals, if have cough or cold.

Use tissue papers or towels

Note that viruses may stick to your hands so do not use them while coughing or sneezing. Use a ‘use and throw tissue paper’ or if you do not have one, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow, it is almost not likely to come in contact with other people.

Avoid Alcohol and Smoking

These will weaken your immune system further and will make you more likely to get infections. Alcohol also dehydrates your body and smoking, in fact, dries out the passages in your nose. It affects your cilia -- the delicate hairs that line your nose & lungs and help sweep away cold and flu viruses.

Disinfect your place of living

You can often disinfect certain things and areas like tabletops, doorknobs, and remote controls; as cold germs can live on surfaces for hours. Google it and you will find some simple solutions. However, there is no way to keep a household sterile, so do not go berserk over it.

Keep yourself hydrated

Drink plenty of water or juices to keep your immune system working at its optimal level. If you let your body dehydrate, then keep this in mind that more energy is drained for keeping the body sound let alone fighting the germs.

Take healthy diet

You must consume a healthy diet, which contains all the minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins amongst other essential elements. This is necessary to keep your immune health in good shape. Avoid processed foods like maida, and fast foods like burgers, pizza. They provide extra-unwarranted fats but are not healthy for your body.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle

Always maintain a healthy lifestyle, including adequate sleep, good nutrition, and physical exercise. It ensures that your immune system is in good condition and ready to fight any kind of infection.

Do Yoga regularly

Certain Yog practices, including Pranayama, Jalneti, Sutraneti when done regularly, prevent sinus congestion & mucus formation, cleanse the nasal passage, and prevent cold inflammation.

Take Herbal Beverages

Avoid regular tea; it is, in fact, harmful for the people living in tropical environments like that of India and South East Asia. Instead, take herbal concoctions or beverages, which are easily available in the market. These beverages increase your immunity and boost your reserve strength of the body.

Utilize your kitchen

There are many things in your kitchen, which are great barriers to cold and flu, use them. Tulsi, Ginger, Giloy, Daalchini, Garlic are some such foods, which you can consume on a regular basis.

Control stress buildup

Research has proven that people with emotional stress have weakened immune systems and are more likely to catch a cold. So try to relive your stress, be creative, smile, play, enjoy life and be happy.

Career Option After Bachelor Of Commerce

Completing your graduation is indeed a milestone achieved in terms of your educational career. Students often after completing their graduation, not sure as to what exactly is the path they must choose for a career, which is monetary fulfilling, and professional rewarding. The pressure to choose the right path is compounded by the constant queries of family members, relatives, friends, and neighbors. For students who have completed graduation in commerce stream, almost all the known persons are ready to provide suggestion and advice as to what you must do in order to succeed in life. However, most of the time such advice is hollow and based on hearsay rather than based on solid facts.

Some career opportunities after Bachelor of Commerce have been mentioned below for helping students to make an informed decision:

COMPANY SECRETARY (CS)/CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT (CA)/ CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST (CFA)/ COSTS AND WORKS ACCOUNTANT (CWA)/ CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT (CMA):

Once you have completed your Bachelors in Commerce then the prominent choices available to you are the courses of CS, CA, CFA, or CWA. The demand for these seasoned professionals is always there in the private sector and the Government sector. However, you must be aware about the difference between these disciplines and the kind & nature of job profiles, which you will be having after successfully completing these courses. 

Chartered Accountant (CA) exams are conducted by Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAI) and requires one to clear 3 Examinations over the period of time that are CPT, IPCC and Final CA. After completing your graduation, you become eligible to appear for IPCC, which consists of two groups. After clearing one of the groups, you need to complete ‘Article-ship’ with an experienced CA firm for an average period of two and a half years. After zooming through these groups of IPCC and successfully completing your ‘Article-ship’ you can appear for Final CA. Final CA will again have two groups and after clearing past these groups, you will indeed become CA. The career can be great, financially rewarding and professionally fulfilling, depending on your acumen and laboriousness.

A Company Secretary (CS) is senior personnel responsible for the efficient administration of a company, particularly with regard to ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements. It is financially rewarding and professionally fulfilling career and commands a lot of respect. The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), a premier National Professional body established by Act of Parliament, is the regulator of the Company Secretaries in India. There are three stages in Company Secretary Course i.e. Foundation, Executive, and Professional; and for becoming a Company Secretary, you need to complete all the three stages.

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is a graduate level course offered by the CFA Institute, America and provides a solid foundation for investment analysis and portfolio management skills combined with the practical knowledge that s student needs in the complex world of investment industry. Unlike MBA, which covers general aspects of management and business, CFA course stresses more on the Finance aspect. It covers topics relating to investment management, financial analysis, stocks, bonds, and derivatives, besides imparting detailed knowledge of other areas of finance. The course is done via a distance mode with online support from the institute.

The Cost and Works Accountant (CWA) collects, assimilates, collates and analyses financial information from every angle and then interprets those numbers for the management. It is regulated by the ‘Institute of Cost Accountants of India’ (ICAI), previously known as the Institute of Cost & Works Accountants of India (ICWAI), a statutory professional accountancy body.

Certified Management Accountant (CMA): The CMA is offered by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) USA and the content is regularly reviewed by the Institute of Certified Management Accountants (ICMA). CMA is mostly concerned with financial planning, analysis, control, decision support, and professional ethics. The certification is the most popular management accounting certification not only in the US but also in the developing countries alike.

GOVERNMENT JOBS

Government jobs are termed as the best in terms of job security and together with this; they offer chances of a rewarding professional career. After the completion of your B.com, you can apply for majority of the Competitive Government Examinations like Civil Services Exams (IAS, IES, and IPS), SSC CGL, Banking Exams (IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, SBI PO, and RBI etc.), and Railway Exams etc.

BACHELOR OF LAWS (LL.B)

This is also one of the options, which is exercised by a majority of the students who have completed their Bachelor of Arts. After completing LL.B you can opt for the career as a lawyer in specific technical streams including being a civil lawyer or being a criminal lawyer. If you opt for the stream of being a commercial lawyer then you can be hired as a Legal Advisor in the Private Sector as well as Government and Semi Government Sector. You can also go for the position of higher repute via becoming a judge after successfully cracking the judicial services exams conducted by the concerned bodies of the State and the Central Government.

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA)

One of the preferred career choices of today's students is MBA, a course that equips students with complex problem solving skills and managerial attributes to climb the ladder of success in the corporate world. After successfully completing your MBA, either you can join the private sector for professional excellence or you can also go for government jobs via appearing in the various exams conducted by Government Institutions who require knowledge of management related aspects. MBA, if done through a good institution can be a lucrative career in terms of monetary benefits and professional satisfaction. The caveat is to go for institutions, which have established Alumni Network and well connected industry contacts for good placements.

BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING (BPO) / KNOWLEDGE PROCESS OUTSOURCING (KPO) JOBS

Most of the BPO’s / KPO’s in the Indian context prefer commerce graduates and you can work in this sector as a Customer Care Executive, Telesales, and Back Office Accountant etc. In fact, Outsourcing companies have become a preferred career choice for the students of the metro cities and with these companies now setting shop in tier 2 & 3 cities, there is an increased scope for the students of these cities for making a career in this sector.   

OTHER PROFESSIONAL CAREER CHOICES

Students after completing their Bachelor of Commerce irrespective of the specialization stream can go for preparation for various professional exams like in the Banking Sector, Armed Forces, and Paramilitary forces amongst others. You can also go for professional studies in Social Work, Fashion Design, & Hotel Management and can make a successful career in these respective arenas. You can in fact choose to go for the courses specifically catering to the investment industry and make a career that is considered financially and professionally rewarding.

SHORT TERM COURSES

There are various short-term or diploma courses, which have emerged as good choice for students who have completed their Bachelor of Arts. Such courses equip students with professional, managerial, technical, and complex problem solving skills, to make them fit and eligible for further professional advancement. In today's rapidly changing times, such courses can provide students with handsome amount of monetary benefits and an option to be a part of the most innovative industries. Students can opt for such short-term professional courses in the fields of animation, video editing, documentary or filmmaking, artificial intelligence etc. In fact, there are institutes that offer out of the box courses like that if Event Management, which help you make a career in the Event Management Industry.

MISCELLANEOUS STREAMS

Bachelor of Commerce can be also done with specialization in an area of your choice. When indeed you complete your Bachelor of Commerce with a specific technical stream then there are further options available to you in terms of advancing in that very particular stream. For example, if you have completed your graduation with specialization in Banking and Insurance, you can work in Insurance Industry as an Insurance Advisor or Insurance consultant. The point is that there are many options available when you do your B. Com. with the specialization of your choice.

We will be posting on a regular basis regarding the choices available in terms of such specialized fields, so make sure you regularly visit this page for most updated information.

IT RELATED COURSES VIZ. MCA/ANIMATION/WEB DESIGN

IT field is not restricted to just science students rather is also open to graduates from other streams too. You can learn a programming language or can work in the IT industry after doing a professional certificate course or a degree course like Master of Computer Applications (MCA). If you have done your graduation in non-mathematics stream (like BA, B/ Com. etc.), then you may need to do a short-term introductory course to be eligible to get into MCA. For example, if you have completed Bachelor of Arts or Commerce and want to pursue MCA from IGNOU, then you need to pass a six-month certification program known as CIC.

You may work as a computer operator, software professional, site developer, web designer, animator, logo designer, software developer etc.

"12 Ways To Save Money While Shopping Online"

India has come a long way from being strictly offline market to one of the most prominent online shopping markets of the world. With the onslaught of data revolution and easy availability of cheaper handsets it is becoming increasingly easier to shop online, the Shopping Revolution, in fact, has reached to rural areas of India also. So, being a part of this bandwagon, once you have decided to shop online for a specific product of your choice, there are a couple of points, which, if taken into consideration can save you a lot of money and also provide and an ear to ear grin on your face. Read on further for some subtle and some explicit points through which you can save good amount of money while shopping online and together with know the best deal of the day on online shopping sites.

1.      Stop being an impulsive buyer

When you gloss over or surf online shopping or e-commerce websites you might encounter some interesting products which would look definitely great to you in terms of appearance, colors, features etc. Most of the time, most the people buy such products based upon these considerations or some kind of mouth watering deal, however, stop for a moment and analyze, whether you will use that product in future or it would remain unused and sit in your closet for the times to come. ‘Remember money saved is money earned’ - it is your hard-earned money, stop squandering it on products, which you will not use.

2.      Concrete List of Products You Need 

In a way related to the previous point, this re-emphasizes the fact that you must make a ‘rock solid list’ of the products, which you would need, or going to use in future. Once you make such a list but are unaware regarding which brand to opt for, then you can search on various ‘price comparison’ or ‘product comparison’ websites and go for the brand which offers maximum features plus reliability. 

You can also consult your friends or other members in your circle regarding the trustworthiness of the brand which you have opted for. However, you must also remember that many a times it pays to be first mover in terms of brand testing. Decide for yourself - if you want to play it safe or want to be an adventurer? - If you decide being an adventurer, go for even a new brand also.

3.      Zero Percent EMI

This is a feature, which is now an almost regular in most of the online shopping websites. The best part about this is that you can see upfront what would be the monthly EMI for the next 6, 9, 12 months or whatever time period you intend. You can make sure via calling with the customer care that there would be 0% extra interest, so you can be rest assured and go for this option as this would in fact save you from upfront payment and scatter your payment across months, essentially saving you money.

4.      Make Use of Coupon Codes

Most of the time, we do not give due much attention to the coupon codes as a savings enabler due to the instant gratification we derive from instantly ordering the product. However, in terms of saving money this option of coupon codes can definitely help you a great deal. E-commerce companies offering the products offer these coupons on the regular interval one any festivals like Deepawali, Holi, Raksha Bandhan, Independence or Republic Day and other such occasions. Make sure to use them to save some extra bucks, which you can use elsewhere.

There are also many third party websites, which offer coupons for savings on online shopping. Remember that the simple Google search would reveal a number of third party sites websites, which would offer coupons of the e-commerce sites, which we buy products from.

5.      Use Comparison Shopping Sites

There are many trustworthy comparison shopping sites providing important information regarding features, prices, and detailed analysis as to the advantages and disadvantages offered by a product or service. Some of the sites are junglee.com, smartpix.com, mysmartprice.com, pricebaba.com amongst other. In such ‘Comparison Shopping Websites’ you will also find which e-commerce websites are giving you the best deal in terms of prices.

6.      Make Full Use of the Cash Backs and Super Cash

Remember cashback is not just the prerogative of any single shopping platform In fact, if you are not aware, there are some specialized websites like cashkaro.com and pennyful.in, which offer you cashback if you visit e-commerce websites for the specialized links provided by such ‘Cashback Websites’. It is almost a hassle free task, however, you might need to create an account with such ‘Cashback Sites’ and they would provide you the link through which you can collect your cashback via your regular purchase from e-commerce sites.

7.      Make Use of Price Drop Alerts

When you browse Internet, you must have noticed some ads regarding price drops, well! These are based on your browsing history as tracked by some specialized agencies, keeping a keen watch on your shopping patterns. You can always stop them from tracking you via tinkering with your privacy settings and with the help of some add-ons or browser extensions. However once you made up your mind to purchase a product and the brand that you want to go for (and if you are not in any kind of urgent need) then you can always go for price drop alerts on various comparison websites as well as on main e-commerce websites.

As the price of the product which you have chosen, drops, you will be intimated via email or an SMS. There are also some specialized apps specifically made for this purpose - when you can feed your brand and product in a Google spreadsheet and connect with such tracker apps, they will monitor the price drop alerts for you.

8.      Make Use of the Social Networking Websites 

Most of the prominent e-commerce websites in India maintain their Facebook and Twitter accounts on which they regularly post deals, coupons and some mouth watering upcoming sales. If you are in touch with such the social networking pages of e-commerce sites, then you may grab some interesting deals, which will definitely save you some good bucks.

9.      Learn to Play the Dynamic Pricing Game

Although not considered a regular practice among Indian websites, however in foreign countries, there have been some news reports in the public domain, which suggest that websites especially in the travel category do offer different deals to different customers based on their location, browsing and spending patterns. Because you are concerned with saving money by online medium, make sure that you turn your location access off or search via private mode in your browser, so that such websites will treat you as a new user and who knows you might get a better deal!! 

10.  Make Use of Mega Sale Days or Events

Remember the ‘Big Billion Day’ sale of Flipkart or the ‘Great Indian Sale’ of Amazon - well these are not the only two sites, which indulge in this kind of Mega Sale Events. If you take a closer look, you will find that almost all the websites hold their events alongside other e-commerce websites to snatch some customers from others. They have their own competitive reasons but these very competitive reasons serve as the advantage for customers also. So until and unless you are really in an urgent need of a product, if you can, you must wait for such Mega Sale Events, which will definitely save you good amount of money on your purchases. 

11.  Leave Your Items in Your Cart

Although this might sound a very simplest piece at once but, in fact, you really leave some of the items in your cart for a day or two or for a couple of days, you will be astonished sometimes the deals, which you will get by shopping websites. When the task is of saving money then such simple tactics can always be taken into consideration - just remember - that you are logged in to your account when you leave such products in your Shopping Cart.

12.  Search Offline Too

It is not always a fact that online e-commerce websites are the ones offering best deals on all the products. Rather the fact is, many a times you will be amazed that if you research offline, you might find a particular product of a particular brand at lesser price than what is being offered online. Remember the golden rule – we are shopping for the best price irrespective of the medium or channel of sale.