‘Training Is Core To Our Business’

Rituraj Sinha, chief operating officer, SIS, tells BW that the private security industry is among the government’s largest partners in the Skill India programme. Excerpts:

On the internal security requirements / needs that SIS fulfills
Over the last decade or so, the private security industry has emerged as an essential component of homeland / internal security framework of India. With government law enforcement agencies becoming largely occupied with anti-terror, serious crime investigations and other such complex activities, the traditional ‘watch & ward’ function of policing is being mostly undertaken by the private security industry. Today, office complexes, malls, schools, hotels, hospitals, metro stations, banks, ATMs and most other such touch points in our daily lives are being secured by the private security industry. The private security industry is offering not only security services, but also a wide variety of electronic security solutions, cash management services for banks and retailers, detective and investigations services to businesses and government establishments.

And this trend is not unique to India. Globally, the private security industry is a $200 billion sector. The largest buyer for private security services across the developed countries are government establishments. In India, the private security sector is estimated to be a Rs 40,000 crore opportunity. Last year, the private security industry contributed over Rs 3,000 crore as service tax alone.

On the size of operations
The SIS Group is a market leader in security and business services segment in India. We operate over 300 branch offices spread over 600 districts across India. With an employee base of 1,30,000 plus trained individuals, SIS offers a wide range of services. Over the last decade, our CAGR for the security services business in India has been over 30 per cent. We are supporting business establishments, government offices and undertakings, as well as homes secure themselves with state-of-the-art security solutions.

On a modern force
The private security industry is using technology in a very significant manner to deliver enhanced solutions to their customers. The industry is fast shifting to the MANTECH approach — optimal mix of security personnel and electronic security apparatus. For example, at newer Metro Rail networks, private security personnel are undertaking baggage X-ray, frisking, ticket checking and access control, parking management, platform security. We are deploying CCTV cameras, access control equipment, X-ray machines, turnstiles, biometric hardware, barcode readers, parking management systems, along with security personnel trained to use all these equipment effectively.

On training schedules / budgets
Training is core to any service business. More so, for the private security industry. Not many are aware that the private security industry is one of the government’s largest partners in the Skill India programme churning out lakhs of trained security personnel and creating thousands of new permanent jobs each month.

The SIS Group has the largest training and supply chain infrastructure in the private security sector. We have developed 17 residential training facilities across 15 states. We have a capacity to recruit, train, certify over 25,000 students per annum. The SIS Group uses propriety training content and audio visual method to train cadets. Almost two per cent of our revenue is spent on training and development related costs for our employees at various levels.