Surge in IT sector brightens job scenario

The fifth Quarterly Quick Employment Survey conducted during October-December, 2009, by the Labour Bureau to assess the impact of the economic slowdown on employment  observed that the export sector had picked up significantly.

The survey was undertaken in eight sectors worst hit by the recession, namely, textiles, metals, leather, automobiles, gems and jewellery, transport, Information Technology/BPO and Handloom/Powerloom.

The overall employment has improved by about 6.38 lakh during December 2009 compared with the  September last year period due to substantial increase in employment by 5.70 lakh in the IT / BPO sector alone.

During the quarter from October to December 2009, the employment, in fact, has increased in all the sectors studied except a marginal decline in the transport sector. This increase in employment also testifies the growth in the industrial sector during the quarter Oct to Dec 2009.

The survey findings show that a  majority of the employment gain in December 2009 as compared with September is registered in exporting units. Out of the total increase of 6.38 lakh jobs during this period, 5.80 lakh jobs (91 per cent) have been added in export units.

As compared with exporting units, the increase in employment in non-exporting units is significantly lower,  by only 0.58 lakh during the quarter Oct-Dec 2009.

The results of the surveys of different quarters showed that employment declined by 4.91 lakh during the quarter October-December, 2008, and then increased by 2.76 lakh during January-March, 2009. It again declined by 1.31 lakh during April-June, 2009 probably due to seasonality and increased by 4.97 lakh during the quarter July-September, 2009. It further increased by 6.38 lakh in the current quarter October to December 2009.

On the basis of the sample, the estimated employment in the selected sectors has experienced a net addition of 7.90 lakh since September 2008.