'UK's civil service to outsource jobs to India'

[gopu]

london: More than 100 finance and IT jobs at the British Council are to be outsourced to India as part of a cost-cutting drive to save the taxpayer money, according to a report in ‘The Times’.

The report said that 500 of the council's 1,300 British workers would have to go in the next 18 months to save 45 million pounds ($74.44 million) with more than a fifth of the posts being filled in India. The Times did not cite a source for its story.

‘The Times’ also said that around 280 of the council's 500 permanent back-office jobs will be cut permanently with the remainder going to agency, part-time or contract staff, said the report.

‘The Times’ added that Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which funds the council, was exploring similar options.

A spokesman for the British Council could not immediately be reached for comment.