MeritTrac, India?s largest testing and assessment company has partnered with Proxor (a Carnegie Mellon University spinoff) to launch India?s first standardised certification of software development ability. Developed from years of research at Carnegie Mellon University, this certification could soon be the benchmark for all aspiring software developers. For a company involved in software development, this will provide a reliable means of benchmarking software development capability within the company as well as setting the bar for aspirants wanting to join them.
The issue of skills shortage in India?s IT sector (among the largest in the world) is a well-documented one. The irony of the situation is that there are so many more people who could be employed by the ever increasing demand for the right skills in the IT sector, if the candidates had the ability to develop software.
To overcome this gap, plenty of training service providers have been established. But most, if not all, of them focus on providing programming language expertise rather than assess and train ability to develop software at a conceptual level. This has led to very large number of graduates undergoing courses in various languages without grasping the core concepts of software development.
As a result, we are left with resources that have been certified on various programming languages, yet lack the ability to write code for real life situations. Due to dearth of resources, companies have resorted to hiring these candidates who later undergo long training to be job-ready. This has had huge productivity and cost ramifications for these companies.
The need of the hour clearly is to assess ability to code and work on interventions accordingly. To achieve this, gaps in ability have to be identified accurately using a standardized assessment process. This is where Proxor comes in.With this partnership MeritTrac will offer companies and colleges, Proxors Authentic Examinations ? starting with the flagship product, the Software Developer Examinnation. This is an authentic examination of software development capability, requiring examinees to demonstrate, in a proctored environment, the skills that are needed on the job. Proxor test-takers are tested and graded based on their ability to actually write software to an internationally acceptable standard.
Vasu Saksena, chief executive officer, MeritTrac said Technology companies have been consistently challenged by the quality of software developers ? particularly at the entry levels. Candidates also want to differentiate their candidature with credible certifications. A scientifically designed assessment that accurately measures the test-takers’ ability to program realistic problems in a professional software development environment is the need of the hour. We are glad to be associated with Proxor in offering Authentic Examinations. The assessment designed by Proxor in association with Carnegie Mellon University and delivered by MeritTrac will help the industry to hire work-ready high quality software developers.
Barrington Hill, chief executive ? Proxor said, ?The Indian IT industry employs nearly 3 million people and is adding 180,000 new positions this year alone. Making sure these new hires can do the job is critical to India?s success in providing software products and services to the global market. That?s why Proxor is partnering with MeritTrac. Proxors Authentic Examination, developed in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University and delivered via the highly secure testing processes employed by MeritTrac, will provide companies and training organizations with the most accurate and reliable assessment of whether a software developer will succeed in the workplace.
The Authentic Examinations will be available for individuals from the month of July 2014. The certification is expected to enhance likelihood of candidates in getting jobs in IT industry as they will prove to be readily deployable in billable projects.
