38% IITians yet to be placed this year, IITs reach out to alumni network: Report

IITs reportedly reached out to its alumni, urging them to assist in placing the current batch or recommending graduates to companies seeking to hire engineers.

Around 38 per cent of students across 23 IITs remain unplaced so far this year, according to information obtained through RTI applications filed by IIT Kanpur alumnus Dheeraj Singh, The Times of India reported.

A challenge remains as the placement session for the academic year 2023-24 at IIT-Delhi nears its conclusion. (File Photo)

“Over 7,000 IIT students are yet to be placed via campus this year across all the 23 IITs. Two years ago, this unplaced number was half at 3,400. While the number of students sitting in placements has gone up 1.2 times, the number of unplaced students has doubled to 2.3 times in two years,” Singh was quoted as saying.

As the placement session for the academic year 2023-24 at IIT-Delhi nears its conclusion, a challenge remains. Despite their efforts, nearly 400 students are still without job placements. In light of this, the institute contacted the alumni network, as revealed by RTI responses, seeking assistance in providing job opportunities for these graduating students.

The appeal extends beyond simply offering students jobs within their organisations. According to The TOI, it includes providing referrals, recommendations, and even internship opportunities, urging former students to lend support to their juniors.

IITs reach out to alumni network

IIT Delhi

IIT Delhi has reached out to its alumni, urging them to assist in placing the current batch or recommending graduates to companies seeking to hire engineers. “On behalf of the Office of Career Services (OCS) at IIT-Delhi, we appeal to you to consider offering your support to our students. Your assistance in this regard will be highly valued and will play a pivotal role in guiding these students as they begin their careers,” the institute reportedly said.

IIT Bombay

IIT-Bombay has also contacted alumni for support. Although placements are ongoing and will continue until the end of June, about 10% of the batch, equivalent to 250 candidates participating in placements, have yet to secure employment.

As per information from an RTI filed by Singh, last year saw 329 candidates remain unplaced, with 171 of them belonging to the class of 2022 who were unable to secure employment.

BITS reached out to alumni, too

Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), along with many other institutes, initiated outreach to its alumni approximately two months ago, with some doing so informally and others more prominently.

V Ramgopal Rao, Vice-Chancellor of BITS Group was quoted as saying, “Placements across the board have seen a decrease of 20% to 30%. Even if an institute claims full placement, the quality of jobs offered may not meet expectations. This year marks the emergence of ChatGPT and other large language models, impacting hiring practices. With the capability of two people now condensed into one, there is a notable decrease in hiring demand. Overhiring has been prevalent, and with several countries holding elections this year, companies are adopting a cautious approach.”