PAC– rationalizing the chaos in IT/software recruitments
If your work involves making hiring decisions for software professionals, you’ll agree that the de-facto assets of a software company are its employees. Well, if this sounds like clichéd management speak, just take a glance at a software company’s P&L statement. Anything between 50-75% of operating expenses (depending on the kind of software company it is) is manpower related. No other industry has a P&L statement that is so manpower centric. And the above assertion holds true whether you are a 10 member startup or a 40,000 member software giant.
One might be inclined to believe that India, with its teeming unemployed millions, must surely be a cakewalk for recruiting software professionals. However the ground realities are quite at odds with this expectation, for the Indian IT education system produces a deluge of mediocre candidates and finding the right people is often like solving a giant jig-saw-puzzle (more-so-ever for startups). The signal to noise ratio in any recruitment channel- be it through job sites, newspaper ads, walk-ins or recruitment consultants is hopelessly insignificant. Added to it is the basic problem of lack of standardization. Consider this –
- At an all India level, there are 6 IITs, 18 NITs/RECs, about a hundred Govt State Engg colleges and several hundred private engineering colleges (all of whom are recognized by AICTE).
- Prospective candidates could be having any of the following degrees or diplomas- BTECH, BE, MCA, BIT, BIS, BSS, MTECH, MBA (systems) etc.
- Candidates could be coming from a 4 year course (BTECH/BE) or 5 years (Integrated MTech /MSc) or 6 years [( BCA+ MCA) or (BTech+MTech)].
- And then there is the absolute lack of a standardized grading system….Is 70% marks (with honors) in a NIT better than a CGPA of 7.2 at an IIT or a 75% at a private/govt engg college….unabashed confusions galore over these disparate grading mechanisms.
How we wish there was a national performance standard that one could use as a safe yardstick for prescreening prospective candidates. Well if you stress out on such issues (like I do), theres hope round the corner….hope in the form of an organization called the Professional Aptitude Council (PAC).
PAC is a global (private) organization and they have recently started their India office. Their mandate is to help the IT industry find the best talent from the pool of talented pre-qualified candidates and to bring standardization and meritocracy in the hiring of IT talent. They have “…developed a globally accepted pre employment aptitude exam for IT aspirants called the PAC exam. The exam measures technical aptitude,baseline technical knowledge,personality and psychometrics- the crucial variables directly related to the job performance….’’
I was recently approached by their office for trying out their genre of recruitment nirvana. Their initial pitch caught my attention and I decided to check them out. Very soon, I was taken through a slick half hour presentation on a Apple MacBook. And I must say, I am impressed…impressed not only by the basic intent behind their efforts but also by the thorough manner in which they are implementing their plans.
The way it works is simple. PAC goes to colleges and gets engineering students to undertake the PAC test. This is a written test comprising questions aimed at testing basic aptitude in software engineering like diagramming, IT reasoning, computational mathematics, data checking, applied logic, flow charting and programming principles. The results of this test are woven into an indexed score which serves as a common evaluation benchmark. These scores are used to generate a national database of pre-screened, pre-qualified candidates. IT/software companies can then subscribe to this database to get bring down their hiring cost, time cycles and prescreening efforts.
Currently as part of a pilot, access to the database is not charged for, but going forward, companies would have to pay charges which (I was told during the demo) will be very nominal & reasonable. At present, students from over 300 engineering college across the country have taken the PAC test (including some 50 in North India). About 50 software / IT companies have subscribed to their database (which includes some of the big Indian software cos). The scores are just a prescreening filter- you are otherwise free to subject the candidates to your usual recruitment procedure. And quite wisely, PAC’s main focus is the Tier B & C colleges which are spread across the country.
Uzanto has signed up with PAC and I am quite hopeful about the value we can derive out of this relationship. And I am of the opinion that if they are able to get their standardization model going, PAC can potentially give other recruitment channels like consultants, job sites, newspaper classifieds etc a serious run for their money…
Update on 20/11/06- I have been inundated with emails/comments from people wanting the contact details of Proaptitude, so here it is.
Gautam Agawari
email- gagawari@proaptitude.com ;
mobile- 9910039403
40 comments
Tekriti was also approached by PAC and I liked their concept and interviewed many PAC-ed candidates as well. I like the concept. It is much needed!
For a venture like this,(while the idea is important), the devil lies in the implementation. Its success will depend on the ground level activation that the organisation is capable of undertaking. …..on this front, I think they are executing the their plans quite effectively. Going physically to 300 geographically dispersed enginering colleges is a logistical nightmare but seems like they have managed that rather well.
amit
Can people who are working with some firm also take this test and get a score or its only for students?
Kapil,
People with less than two years of experience are also eligible to take the PAC test…
amit
are they resources on the net that gives out the sample questions asked in the PAC Exam .
How should i prepare for it. Which companies are invoved in it.I am in final year.
i am studying B.E. in AMC College,b’lore.how can i register for this test nd what is yhe eligibility
i am studying B.E. in AMC College,b’lore.how can i register for this test nd what is the eligibility.is dre ny cut off percentage
Tanay,
You should contact PAC from their website.
amit
hi iam in fy bsc i want to do IT i have given AIEEE but not cleared i want to give this exam what is elligeblity and cut of in 12 th % how to prepare fore this exam and what is charge please send detail of this exam pls
I am a FRESHER and had done Btech in K.I.E.T college kakinada in the year 2006 passout.I want to write the test.Is there any eligibility to write the test?where I have to pay the fee?Is there any cutoff percentage to write this test?I want complete details of this test.plz rply me . . .
HI my name is supraja.I am studying final year Btech(E.C.E).wat’s the eligibility to write the test?Is there any cutoff percentage to write the test?Where I have to pay the fee?what is the amount?I want all particulars plz send me.thank u. . . . .
Hi Amit,
I appreciate for your info on PAC Test.
Could you kindly send contact details and other related info on my email?
hi .i want t o know more details regarding this exam.is this exam only for freshers or experienced candidates.is there any cut off percentage.how can i apply for this exam.plz send me the details
i am B.E.(E.E.E) fresher can I succeed in this exam what are the sample questions they test in programming
hi.. i m from achit,bangalore..currently in my final year of CS&E engg… gave the PAC test and got 65/97…want to know…wots next???
Dear Mr Amrit,
Let me start by thanking you for giving the information about PAC. Really it would help to the students who r continueing their BE & other courses also.
Amrit I am working as a “Training & Placement Officer” with MITS group of Professional Institutions in Orissa. We have a talent pool of 2007 out going batch. Would u be kind enough to help to arrange some on campus for my students (It may be S/W or Core).
If u r having some terms and conditions , Then pls feel free to contact me.
Thanking you
With Warm Regards
Saidatta Muktikanta Swain
91+ 94373 57273.
my brother is planning to take the exam and has registered so both of us had a question. is there any validity for this exam once he gets a decent score? i went throught their website and we couldnt find anything that says about the validity? for instance gre has a score that will expire in 5 years.
i would really appreciate if you cansend me an email regarding the same.
also, do they have a contact ph number at san fransisco or bangalore?
thanks so much for ur help!
nandini
Sir,
Are there any coaching centres for pac exam?
I have completed my M.B.A(Finance).
one of my subjects is Management Information System.Am i eligible for this exam?
Please guide me and send me details.
Thanking u,
Regards
can u please inform what is the eligibilty criteria for PAC and what is the use of this exam when this exam will be conducted in Hyderabd.
which type of question ask in pac test
can u please inform what is the eligibilty criteria for PAC and what is the use of this exam when this exam will be conducted in Hyderabd.
which type of question ask in pac test
i am doing my final year B.E . i want to write this test .No information was given abt when to take the test , where to take the test . what kind of test is it?
can u please tell me how can i register for PAC
sir, i need details about where should i pay the fees and where and when should i write the test…. what is the fees for writing the test… it wil be very useful if you give me your contact no…
hi i want to do some software course so that i can work with software cos… bt i dont know which are the courses that i need to do…can u pls help me with this
Respected sir.i am a third year engineering student of Bioinformatics department of Bharath institute of higher education and research(Deemed univ). chennai. As i am interested to take up PAC test, i would be gratefull to you if am provided with details about the exam schedule and any specific rules to take up the test.
sir,
i am doing my m.c.a 2nd year from a j.n.t.u affliated eng college in A.P. i want to know about pac test.sir fro appearing this test is there any cut off marks for 10 and 10+2 and graduation and p.g.please teel the cut off marks details and for applyibg this test where i have to pay the money.
PAC is Bogus test …………………………
Sir,
I want to ask which companies are included in PAC Exam ? & who are the eligible candidates to attempt for the exam??
Please respond me quickly at my mail
tusharjiet007@gmail.com
Sir,
I like your idea of making PAC like exam compulsory at all levels.
A friend of mine, who graduated from National Institute of Technology Pantnagar, which is a top-notch engineering institute in Asia, also suggested me to take the exam.
Thanks for your article.
Smriti
MCA, Uttaranchal
Hi, every one my name is sai. I want to know About details of PAC exam like when it held,what r terms and conditions .Can Any one send these details to me ..i will be thankful to them.
yours sai
what is the eligibilty criteria for the PAC test.and what is the procedure to apply for this test?after giving the PAC test,what is the way to apply for different companies??
I’m a 3rd year student doing B.tech(I.T)-2008 batch can I give the test & can u please let me know how to register it & What is the Eligibility criteria?
As i am interested to take up PAC test, i would be gratefull to you if am provided with details about the exam schedule and any specific rules to take up the test.
Please respond it quickly at my mail address..
Thank you
I have to sit in mindtree soft compnay.
and their some qustion will be asked by PAC pattern.
could u send me some letest examples of qustions?
hi.
im ankit.im a fresher currently persuing my 6th semester of engeneering(IT).i wud like to know the way i can appear for this PAC test.so plz give some of the details regarding this.
hi,
i wnat to know how to take this PAC test. Isthere a contact person or some website where i can register.
Pls assist.
Bharati
i m preparin for a pac test bein conducted for recruitment into mindtree. i request u to furnish me with a set of sample questions which wud help me a gr8 deal. please try sending me the stuff at the earlist.
sir iwanna know list of engg colleges which takes in through AIEEE score