Q4 (January – March 2009) Insight@NIIT:Vol.4 Investor Communication Contents
     
 

 
   

       
     
   
Contents
 
 


 
     

 
     
   
NIIT Limited Consolidated Annual Results FY 2008-09
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Rajendra S Pawar
Chairman
NIIT Limited

Multiple growth strategies yielded results in a challenging environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P Rajendran
COO
NIIT Limited

NIIT recorded strong growth with orders from State Governments of Rajasthan, Bihar, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The NIIT eGURU range now comprises a holistic education package which addresses the needs of all stake holders in school education.
  • Profit Before Tax up 23% YoY ; Profit After Tax at Rs 69.8
  • Annual System-wide Revenue up 21% YoY at Rs 1689 Cr
  • 4278 new schools added with Order Intake of Rs 332 Cr, up 153% YoY
  • Individual Learning Solution-IT revenue up 23% YoY
  • Board Recommends Dividend of 65%

NIIT Limited, leading Global Talent Development Corporation and Asia’s largest IT trainer, has reported net revenue of Rs 1148 Cr, up 14% YoY for the year ended March 31, 2009. NIIT reported EBITDA of Rs 118.6 Cr, up 15% YoY. After adjusting for depreciation of Rs 64.7 Cr and forex hedging losses, Profit Before Tax is Rs. 49.3 Cr, up 23% over last year. After adjusting for share of profit from associates and taxation, Profit After Tax is Rs 69.8 Cr leading to an EPS of Rs 4.2 per share.

The Board has also proposed a dividend of 65%, Rs 1.30 per share

NIIT Limited : Consolidated Financials at a Glance (in Rs Cr)

  Year ended Mar 31, ‘08

Year ended Mar 31, ‘09

Growth
YoY
Global System-wide Revenue
1401.6 1689.3 21%
Net Revenue
1006.8 1148.6 14%
EBITDA
103.6 118.6 15%
Profit Before Tax
40.2 49.3 23%
Profit After Tax
75.6 69.8 -8%

Annual Performance Highlights

The company recorded system-wide revenue of Rs. 1689 Cr, a growth of 21% YoY. EBITDA stood at Rs. 118.6 Cr, an increase of 15% over last year.

The year saw NIIT entering into a JV with Genpact to launch NIIT Uniqua, aimed at creating talent pool for Business & Technology Services industry. Extensive product innovation, with introduction of over 10 new products, improved the competitive position of NIIT.

Individual Learning Solutions (IT) recorded 23% growth in net revenue at Rs 398.2 Cr supported by 19% growth in Career Revenue. Operating margin grew by 123 basis points to 22% due to improved product mix and growth in international operations

Responding to the changing market dynamics, NIIT launched "Job-ready" career courses – intensive technology programs to make graduates job-ready in 99 days. This initiative has been acknowledged by the recent Neilsen- Week Survey as being among the best short duration job ready courses in the country.

NIIT is now CISCO’s Learning Solution Partner for the Asia Pacific region offering certification programs through its own network and CISCO partner centres. Expanding its portfolio, NIIT with SAS Institute Inc., a global leader in business analytics, introduced first-of-its kind specialized curriculum in Business Intelligence. NIIT together with global technology majors including Pearson VUE, Adobe, Intel and Microsoft added Web 2.0, Multimedia curriculum and testing to its offerings.

NIIT expanded its reach by strengthening its presence in Vietnam, China and in African countries such as Nigeria and Ghana.

School Learning Solutions recorded 37% growth in net revenue at Rs 138.3 Cr. Operating margin improved by 246 basis points to 15% due to operating leverage on higher revenue.

NIIT strengthened its offerings with the launch of NIIT eGuru, a comprehensive school solution with learning tools such as- Interactive Classroom, MathLab, IT Lab and Education Resource Planning Solution. Smart Science Station, a pioneering solution which integrates Science Labs with classrooms and NIIT e-Guru Web & Multimedia Curriculum, based on Adobe Creative Suite of Products were some of the other new product innovations.

NIIT added 4,278 schools during the year taking the cumulative number of schools serviced to 12,159.

The order intake was Rs 332 Cr, up 153% YoY and the Order Book stands at Rs 325.5 Cr, up 147% YoY.

Corporate Learning Solutions recorded net revenue of Rs 578.6 Cr.

During the year, NIIT added new customers for Learning Products and Training Outsourcing in US, UK and India including Genpact and DELL Corporation. In the Government Sector, NIIT’s major initiatives include e-learning for the Indian Armed Forces, ICT training programs for the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and the Income Tax Department’s Tax Returns Preparers scheme which has been repeated for the second year.

Order intake during the year was Rs 637.4 Cr taking the closing order book to Rs 397.1 Cr , up 22% over last year.

New Business - Finance & Management Training and NIIT Uniqua

NIIT widened its offerings with the launch of Financial Education Program, five Executive Management Programs, and Career Programs for college students. NIIT Imperia further strengthened its offerings by launching courses in association with IIM, Lucknow. NIIT Imperia now has relationships with six premier B- Schools.

NIIT Uniqua commenced operations across 12 centres with programs for Voice & Accent Training, Finance & Accounts and IT services.

January-March 2009 (Q4) Financial Results

NIIT Limited and its subsidiaries reported system-wide revenue of Rs. 465.2 Cr, a growth of 22% YoY, during the quarter. The company reported net revenue of Rs. 300.8 Cr, up 10% YoY and EBITDA of Rs 36.4 Cr, up 20% YoY.

Individual Learning Solutions (IT) grew 15%YoY to a net revenue of Rs. 103.5 Cr while EBITDA grew to Rs 23.7 Cr, up 22% YoY.

School Learning Solutions recorded net revenue of Rs 44.2 Cr, a growth of 16% YoY and EBITDA of Rs 8 Cr, up 83% YoY.

Corporate Learning Solutions recorded net revenue of Rs 148.1 Cr, up 11% YoY and EBITDA of Rs 9.5 Cr, up 59% YoY.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  • To bridge the Education-Employability gap and create talent pool in urban slums, NIIT announced NIIT Yuva Star, Career Development Centre. Five such centres were launched this year in New Delhi.
  • NIIT’s innovative Smart Science Station-Computer Aided eXperience (CAX) kit was awarded ‘Letter of Commendation’ by UNESCO at its Annual Convention on ‘Innovative Practices in ICT in Education’.
  • NIIT was conferred the ‘Top IT Training Company Award 2008’ by the country’s leading publication group Cybermedia, the publisher of Dataquest. (NIIT has been getting this award successively for the past 15 years, since the inception of this category).
  • NIIT, USA, was awarded the Gold for Excellence in E-Learning Award by Chief Learning Officer magazine as part of its Learning in Practice Awards, one of the industry's highest honors.
  • NIIT has been adjudged as Business Superbrand 2008 for the second time, for commanding respect, loyalty and trust of the consumer by the Superbrands Council, from amongst consumer brands across categories.
  • In line with its commitment to harness talent pool from semi-urban India, NIIT laid the foundation of its second District Learning Centre (DLC) at Barkuhi, near Chhindwara, MP. This is NIIT’s second DLC in the Chhindwara district.
  • India’s largest IT scholarship program, Bhavishya Jyoti Scholarship Program and largest IT aptitude test, NITAT, were conducted in NIIT centres across India.
  • Chess Master 2008-09, organized by NIIT MindChampions Academy (A joint venture with World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand), saw record participation by over 2,00,000 students from over 3400 Government and Private Schools spread across 24 states and Union Territories.
  • NIIT HiWEL received prestigious ‘Digital Opportunity Award’ at World Congress on IT (WCIT) 2008 for its path-breaking work in spreading computer literacy and improving the quality of education at grass root levels.

 
     


 

     
   
NIIT announces 5th National IT Aptitude Test- NITAT
 
 

Som Mittal
President
NASSCOM says

The Indian IT-BPO industry has been an engine of growth for the Indian economy creating direct and indirect jobs for the skilled and talented youth in the country. Industry standard assessments and certification help to benchmark employability in the sector and also help students assess their individual competence. NIIT's NATIONAL IT APTITUDE TEST" will serve as a useful test for candidates aspiring to join the IT-BPO industry."

 

G Raghavan
President-Individual Learning Solutions, NIIT

We will be conducting the NITAT for the 5th year in a row this year. Besides being endorsed by NASSCOM and the World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand, the NITAT has the benefit of participation by Technology majors like Sun Microsystems, Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe, CompTIA.”


NIIT, had announced the launch of 5th National IT Aptitude Test (NITAT), in this quarter. Those who took the test were able to not only calibrate where they stoodamongst the rest, but were also able to gauge their areas of strength and potential improvement. The country’s largest IT Aptitude Test, considered as a good first step towards eventually taking up an exciting career in the IT industry was conducted simultaneously in over 180 cities across the nation.

The test evaluates detailed aptitude on key parameters including their strength and improvement areas, on which every IT organization evaluates its potential employees. The resource pool identified can be accessed by prospective employers including leading technology companies for their manpower needs. NITAT has been designed as an objective type test of reasoning, comprehension, data interpretation skills and behavioral traits. Every student undergoing the test received a score-card with their interpretation, along with her/his nationwide and zonal ranking. The assessment is expected to be of particular benefit to career seekers in deciding the careers that they should take up.

Commenting on the importance of recognizing one’s aptitude at an early stage, World Chess Champion, Viswanathan Anand says, “It is important to recognize your aptitude and assess it at an early stage. I identified mine at the age of six when I began my association with Chess. NITAT helps you to identify your potential and aptitude for a career in the IT industry. By recognizing and using your strength, you have the benefit of excelling in your chosen field of profession.”

Since its inception in 2004, over 2.5 lakh candidates have availed themselves of an assessment through NITAT and have taken subsequent steps towards an IT career.

 
     

     
   
NIIT announces the launch of ‘Vish Come True’, National Chess Competition for school children
 
 

 

Viswanathan Anand
World Chess Champion

Chess stimulates mental and intellectual development of children. It not only challenges their mind but also enables improved academic performance. 'Vish Come True’, is yet another initiative by NIIT to boost the performance level of students


• Winners to get a chance to play Chess with World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand
• Competition to reach out to 1500 schools covering 2,00,000 students from classes 6-10

In an endeavor to encourage intellectual stimulation supporting improved learning of school students, Global Talent Development Corporation, NIIT organized a National Chess competition for school students to showcase their talent in the game of Chess. The competition held in NIIT centres covered over 300 locations all over India.

The event provided an opportunity to 30 shortlisted national level players to play online Chess with World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand. These players were selected after rigorous rounds at Centre level and Regional level. The competition was aimed at promoting the game of Chess in schools which helps in improving the concentration of children and their decision making ability, thereby enhancing their academic performance.

 
     

     
   
'NIIT Challenge the Champ'- Inter College Chess Tournament culminates with a grand finale
 
 

G Raghavan
President-Individual Learning Solutions, NIIT

Chess requires mental agility and right aptitude as an essential requirement for success. NIIT is proud to recognize these young students who have proved that they not only have a passion to excel in academics but also in the game of Chess.

 


- World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand plays Simultaneous Chess with 50 finalists chosen from 50 Colleges across West Bengal

The Grand Finale of “NIIT Challenge the Champ”- Inter College Chess Competition organized by NIIT in association with Alekhine Chess Club was held in Kolkata with the 50 finalists playing simultaneous Chess with World Chess Champion, Viswanathan Anand.

The finalists were selected from over 50 colleges including 2 Universities across the State of West Bengal including areas such as - Coochbehar, Siliguri, Raigunj and Jongipur in North Bengal, Asansol, Durgapur, Kharagpur and Midnapur in South Bengal. Multiple colleges from every district had participated in the competition. Around 680 students participated in the ‘NIIT Challenge the Champ’ competition with the preliminary round being conducted in the respective colleges. There was a special felicitation ceremony by X-TRA Time, Sports Division of 24 Ghanta, to honour World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand, India’s Olympic Shooting Champion Abhinav Bindra and Former Indian Cricket Captain Sourav Ganguly during the event.

 
     

     
   
NIIT Imperia offers “Certificate Program in International Financial Reporting Standards” to make companies IFRS ready
 
 

Shraman Jha
Head,
NIIT Imperia

The program offered through NIIT Imperia is aimed at facilitating early adoption of IFRS and successful implementation of this convergence. The level of technical preparedness of the industry and accounting professionals is going to be one of the greatest challenges of this transition.”

 


• The IFRS program for senior finance professionals to be offered through 22 NIIT Imperia centres for advanced learning in 19 Major cities of India

NIIT announced the launch of its new “Certificate Program in International Financial Reporting Standards”, for successful adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) which will be effectively mandatory in 2010. The course offered by NIIT Imperia is aimed at helping companies for a smoother IFRS Convergence. The course offered by NIIT Imperia was aimed at helping companies for a smoother IFRS Convergence.

The course, which is meant for senior finance professionals, was offered through 22 NIIT Imperia centres for advanced learning in 19 Major cities of India. The program was delivered by Mr. Manipadma Datta, Ph.D. F.C.S., Professor and Area Chair, Finance, IMT Ghaziabad.

The key objective of this workshop was to provide finance professionals with the necessary information to restate Indian Financial Statements as per IFRS. It aimed at assisting them to understand accounting and disclosure requirements under IFRS, complex issues surrounding the recognition and measurement of financial elements under IFRS, Key Differences in Indian GAAP and IFRS.The program presents the information needed to navigate complex issues surrounding the recognition and measurement of financial elements under IFRS an area closely scrutinized by regulators such as the SEC in the US and the Financial Reporting Review Panel in the UK.

 
     

     
   
NIIT MindChampions Academy- Chess Master 2008 winners felicitated by World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand
 
 

 

Viswanathan Anand
World Chess Champion

It is a proud feeling to see these young children actively take part in NIIT MindChampions Academy-Chess Master 2008. I congratulate the winners and wish them a bright future ahead.

 

The winner trophy of NIIT MindChampions Academy- Chess Master 2008 was bagged by Bhakti Juikar, a student from I E S V.N Sule School, Mumbai. Tejas Arora, a student from Springdale Senior Secondary School, Amritsar, Punjab was adjudged as the 1st Runner-Up and Tonsen Mongwang, from Joypore H S School, Dibrugarh, Assam was announced as the 2nd Runner-Up for the national level chess contest. NIIT MindChampions Academy -Chess Master 2008, a joint initiative of NIIT and World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand, witnessed widespread participation by over 2,00,000 students from over 3400 Government and Private Schools spread across 24 states and Union Territories.

Sh. Jyotiraditya Scindia, the then Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Communications and IT, Govt of India , joined World Chess Champion and NIIT MindChampion Viswanathan Anand, Mr. Rajendra S Pawar, Chairman, NIIT Ltd., Padma Bhushan, Dr. (Mrs.) Shayama Chona, Principal, DPS, R K Puram and Mr. Ashok Chandra, Chairman, DPS Society, as the Chief Guest gave away prizes to the winners in a glittering ceremony held in the Capital.

Sh. Jyotiraditya Scindia, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Communications and IT, recognized the commendable performance of the young MindChampions in the game of Chess and encouraged them to continue to exhibit the same zeal and brilliance. He said that the budding talent needs to be mentored and guided and that NIIT MindChampions Academy is offering the aspiring young Chess players a perfect platform to learn and grow.

Launched in 2002 with an objective of initiating students into the world of Chess, NIIT Mind Champions Academy has today fostered nearly 6351 chess clubs with more than 7,45,000 students cumulatively since inception, as its members in schools where NIIT offers computer education.



 
     

     
   
NIIT Ranked in Training Magazine’s TOP 125 for 2009
 
 

Sandra R. Pruitt
NIIT USA

NIIT is committed to training our employees on the most cutting edge technologies using the most innovative tools.

 


Training Magazine
, the leading business publication for learning and development professionals, recently announced the finalists for the annual Training Top 125, the only report that ranks companies’ excellence in employer-sponsored training and development programs.

This is the second consecutive appearance in the elite ranking for NIIT, having risen 23 slots from its inaugural appearance in 2008 to number 85 this year.

“The companies we selected exemplify a belief in the value of learning, and we’re proud to honor them, and provide an opportunity for our readers and conference attendees to learn from the best,” said Joyceann Cooney-Garippa, publishing and show director for Training.

The Training Top 125 ranking reaffirms NIIT’s continued commitment to the growth and development of its global workforce. Best practices such as career counseling, a best-in-class induction program, mentoring, job rotation, team building, professional, technical and remedial skills training and leadership development are integral components of NIIT’s training and development program.

 
     

     
   
NIIT to impart specialized IT Training to students of Birla School of Management
 
 

Suman K Mukerjee
Director, Birla School of Management, Kolkata

NIIT has been doing an admirable job in imparting high-class IT education and we are pleased to associate with them for the BSIM course. We are confident that the collaboration will help enhance the level of our educational offerings for the students


- Inks MoU with BSM, Kolkata to jointly conduct Certificate course in Business System and Information Management

NIIT entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Birla School of Management (BSM), Kolkata to impart specialized IT training to its students. According to the agreement, NIIT Ltd & BSM, Kolkata jointly conducts a certificate program in ‘Business Systems and Information Management’, for the students of BSM. The program is designed to be of 3 semester duration.

Speaking on the alliance, Mr. G. Raghavan, President, Individual Learning Solutions, NIIT Ltd. said, “Business Intelligence has opened exciting career opportunities for youth around the world. We are pleased to associate with The Birla School of Management, Kolkata to jointly conduct certificate course in Business Systems and Information Management, for their students. This alliance will bring together NIIT’s expertise in IT training with the high education standards of BSM, to offer an excellent value proposition for the students.”

Relevant topics of both Management and IT domains will be covered in the joint program.


 
     

     
   
NIIT to provide computer education across 1672 schools in Rajasthan
 
 

L Balasubramanian
President,
School Learning Solutions,
NIIT Limited

We are honored to partner with the Government of Rajasthan in their initiative to promote computer education in schools. Receiving the mandate to carry out the largest implementation in 1672 schools of Rajasthan is a reflection of the confidence and faith vested in us by the government. NIIT has been in the forefront of providing state-of-the-art teaching curriculum in schools and we look forward to replicating this in the state.

 


NIIT entered into a contract with the Rajasthan Council of Elementary Education (RCEE) to introduce Computer Aided Learning in 1,672 Government Upper Primary Schools in 22 districts of Rajasthan within the framework of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA). The value of the contract is Rs. 214Mn.

The five-year agreement involves setting up 1,672 fully furnished modern computer labs with over 5016 computers, which will benefit 33,340 teachers and 836,130 students, cumulatively.

NIIT had recently bagged the single largest turnkey IT education contract in the school segment in India of 2005 schools from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. This was preceded by its bagging of two back to back orders from the Maharashtra and Bihar State governments to provide training in 900 schools for the next five years.

For over a decade, NIIT has worked with Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Tripura and West Bengal to offer computer education in schools. Additionally, NIIT has also partnered with many private schools in the country to help students discover the pleasure of learning through computers.

 
     

     
   
NIIT Yuva Star to enhance employability among youth in urban slums
 
 

Kiran Bedi
General Secretary, Navjyoti India Foundation

NIIT Yuva Star has made a great impact in the lives of the underprivileged youth of urban slums. Our foundation was set up with the aim of making the society self reliant. We are pleased to come together with NIIT for this project and hope to contribute towards the overall development of society

 


In its attempt to bridge the Education-Employability gap and create talent pool in urban slums, NIIT, announced the setting up of NIIT Yuva Star, a Career Development Centre (CDC) at Jahangirpuri, New Delhi in association with NGO Navjyoti India Foundation.

Dr. Kiran Bedi, General Secretary of Navjyoti India Foundation and Mr. Rajendra S Pawar, Chairman, NIIT Ltd., inaugurated the Career Development Centre, Jahangirpuri, Delhi.

NIIT Yuva Star, the Career Development Centre (CDC) serves as a vocational training centre in Jahangirpuri, providing employability skills to youth in the age group 17-25 years. The CDC provides relevant skills to the unemployed youth for making them employable for jobs in various industry sectors such as retail, automobile sales, telecommunications, hospitality, healthcare etc. Additional skill sets will be addressed going forward as per requirements of partnering organizations. The students will be provided with internship and placements with the purpose of helping them find employment in the corporate sector.

NIIT Yuva Star is an initiative by the Not-for-profit education society- The NIIT Institute, setup by NIIT to empower the youth in urban slums. This is the second such centre to be established after the flagship centre at Tughlakabad village in New Delhi. The CDCs are launched in association with the resident NGOs such as Navjyoti India Foundation for the Jahangirpuri Center.

 
     

     
   
How NIIT Inspired Oscar Favorite “Slumdog Millionaire"
 
 

Vikas Swarup
Deputy High Commissioner of India to South Africa and the author of the book ‘Q&A’.

My book is about hope, optimism and triumph of the human spirit. I was inspired by the Hole-in-the-Wall project, where a computer with an internet connection was put in a slum in Delhi. When the slum was revisited after a month, the children of that slum had learnt how to use the worldwide web without any supervision. That got me fascinated and I realised that there`s an innate ability in everyone to do something extraordinary, provided they are given an opportunity

 

 


The winner of 4 Golden Globe Awards and 7 BAFTA awards, Slumdog Millionaire became a favorite at the Oscars on February 22, 2009 with 10 Academy Award nominations.

The script of the movie is based on the novel, `Q&A`, written by Vikas Swarup who was inspired by NIIT’s Hole-in-the-Wall Education Ltd (HiWEL) initiative which provides children in the slums unsupervised access to computers with an internet connection.

Hole-in-the-Wall Education Ltd. (HiWEL) is a joint venture between NIIT Ltd. and the International Finance Corporation (a part of The World Bank Group). Based on the principle of Minimally Invasive Education technology, HiWEL encourages learning through self exploration, by providing children in the slums unsupervised access to computers with internet connection. Comprising of computers installed through the walls in the slums- the Playground Learning Centres, give children their own private window to access the knowledge of the world.

 
     
 

 
         
 
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