Concerned over shortage of skilled engineers in the country, software major Infosys [Get Quote] has warned that the IT and other industries may face a manpower crisis, if the talent pool is not expanded.

"Each year around 495,000 students earn their graduate degrees in engineering. Out of these around 200,000 are qualified enough to find a better place in industry. The IT sector would be hiring around 300,000 people next year," Infosys HR head Mohandas Pai told reporters in Mumbai on Tuesday.

He said the shortfall is significant for the rapidly growing IT/ITES sector, which may face severe setback in next 3-4 years if there is no improvement in the quality of available manpower.

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"We (IT sector) are already paying our employees the best packages. This has already taken toll on other industries like civil, mechanical engineering. These industries are in boom time, still they fall short of human resources," said Pai, who recently took over as the HR head of Infosys.

Pitching his voice for expanding the capacity of premium institutes like IITs and IIMs, Pai said his company is already working with regulatory institutes like AICTE in this regard.

"Setting up of private universities, extending the national scholarship programme and co-ordinated efforts from the state and private industries are some of the solutions, we observe. Besides, there is urgent need to solve the faculty crisis faced by engineering institutes," he added.

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