60% of Pune and Mumbai’s IT Workforce Is Reported to Be from Vidarbha
60% of Pune and Mumbai’s IT Workforce Is Reported to Be from Vidarbha
Contrary to popular belief, Vidarbha contributes nearly 60% of IT professionals in Pune and Mumbai, highlighting the region’s hidden potential
In a statement that challenges long-held perceptions, Arvind Kumar, centre head of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), revealed that close to 60% of the IT workforce in Pune and Mumbai hails from Vidarbha. Speaking at the VISTAAR industry-academia conclave held at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Kumar underlined this as a clear indication of Vidarbha’s status as an under-recognised yet significant reservoir of employable tech talent.
“Many still believe that Vidarbha lacks skilled IT professionals, but the numbers say otherwise,” Kumar stated. Supporting this claim, he pointed out that TCS hired 390 engineering interns from the region last year more than from any other single region in the country.
Kumar traced this shift to a decade of focused collaboration between academic institutions and the industry. He cited the foundation of IIIT Nagpur in 2015, supported by VNIT, as a turning point when conversations around reshaping engineering education began. One of the outcomes was the introduction of a six-month internship model, aimed at ensuring graduates leave college with practical, job-ready skills. “The idea was simple, bridge the classroom with the workplace. We wanted young engineers who could hit the ground running,” he said.
He also shared insights into a recent six-month-long hackathon organised by TCS, in which students and faculty from the region worked on 23 real-world problems sourced from local industries in Nagpur. “It wasn’t just about solving problems; it was about instilling confidence. Interns who were initially hesitant eventually emerged as capable contributors,” he noted.
Kumar emphasized the need for mentorship, real-world exposure, and active industry participation in shaping the future workforce. “Industries need to move beyond expecting ready-made professionals. They must invest in nurturing students, understand their context, and build pathways for growth,” he urged. He further encouraged academic institutions to reach out actively to industries and build meaningful partnerships.
Echoing this sentiment, VNIT Director Prem Lal Patel stressed the importance of robust interaction between academia and industry. “This is a tool to supplement each other, and that would happen only if we can have extensive interaction with each other,” he said.
Patel also highlighted VNIT’s evolving academic approach, including a provision that allows final-year students to pursue extended internships, provided they have earned sufficient credits by the seventh semester. He invited industry professionals to contribute through roles in the Boards of Studies and Senate, and suggested joint evaluations of collaborative projects like VTEC and FTEC to better align academic outcomes with industrial needs.
The conclave showcased a shared commitment to breaking stereotypes, nurturing local talent, and fostering a model where academia and industry walk in step, not just in vision, but in meaningful execution.
