The city’s reputation as an IT hub has got a thumbs-up from its teenagers. By leading in several areas, ranging from technology and gadgets to a large number of youngsters eyeing engineering as a career, Pune has emerged the most tech savvy Tier-II city.

The TCS Generation Web 2.0 Survey, conducted by Tata Consultancy Services among 14,000 schoolchildren aged between 12 and 18, has shown that among the mini-metros, Pune has the best accessibility to laptops, Ipods, gaming consoles, mobile phones and other gizmos.

According to the survey, done in 12 cities, including Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Lucknow and Coimbatore, 37 per cent of young Puneites are into social networking online, while Kolkata has just 32 per cent. As much as 80 per cent here have mobile phones, compared with 70 per cent of Ahmedabad residents. Nine per cent Puneites use cellphones to access the Internet while 24 per cent also use laptops. A total of 64 per cent use Ipods and other gizmos. Interestingly, while 41 per cent Indians prefer Google to source information, 28 per cent of Pune youth turn to newspapers and magazines.

While the US is the most preferred educational destination countrywide — nearly 40 per cent Indian students prefer to study in the Big Apple—- 13 per cent Puneites would rather go to France for that foreign degree. Thus, a major chunk of the Indian student contingent in France is from the city.

The survey also points out that salary is the top priority for those taking up a job in Pune. A whopping 69 per cent Puneites select a career based on pay.

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