How Wipro helps science graduates become pros

A non-engineering science graduate can aspire for a monthly stipend of ₹11,500 during the first year of service in Wipro and an MS degree at the end of the fourth year under the company’s ‘earn while you learn’ programme.

Speaking on the sidelines of an event to promote this programme in Mangalore on Wednesday, Rajeev Kumar, Global Head (Campus Hiring), Wipro Technologies, said that the company provides opportunities for non-engineering students from courses such as BCA and BSc to enrol in its ‘earn while you learn’ programme.

The Moodbidri-based Alva’s Education Foundation coordinated this event here.

In this four-year course, students are offered a monthly stipend of ₹11,500, ₹14,000, ₹19,000 and ₹23,000 during the first, second, third and fourth year, respectively.

They receive an MS degree if they successfully complete the programme.

The programme exposes students projects in some of Wipro’s campuses in the country. The theory classes are conducted within the campus either on Saturday or Sunday.

The degrees are awarded by Pilani-based Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) and the Vellore-based VIT University.

Under BITS Pilani’s WASE (Wipro Academy of Software Excellence), MSc and BCA students can pursue a four-year MS degree programme while working on live projects at Wipro campus, he said.

The WASE programme was started on a small scale in 1995.

Under VIT’s WiSTA (Wipro Software Technology Academy), science graduates can get MS in Information Technology.

The selection procedure for WASE and WiSTA include a common entrance test and an HR interview, he said.

So far, around 5,500 employees have been recruited to Wipro through the programme. Another 11,500 candidates are at different stages of this programme.

Students don’t have to sign a bond but one condition is that they should not leave the programme in between, Rajeev Kumar said. He said said around 85-90 per cent of the candidates remained with Wipro after receiving their degrees.

Vivek Alva, Managing Trustee of Alva’s Education Foundation, said that 112 students from different colleges in Mangalore and Udupi regions have been selected for this Wipro programme.