Placements in IITs

For decades, leading companies have consistently turned to the 23 campuses of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to recruit top talent with competitive salaries. IITs have been a hub for attracting prestigious firms for campus placements. However, post-COVID, the hiring landscape has shifted dramatically. The growing demand for specialized skills, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence, coupled with an economic slowdown, has posed significant challenges for IIT graduates in securing jobs.

One of the major issues IITs are facing is the skills gap. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly dominant, many IIT graduates are not adequately equipped to meet the evolving demands of the industry. This widening gap between industry requirements and graduate skill sets has led to a noticeable decline in placements over the past few years. While the number of companies visiting IIT campuses for recruitment has increased, the number of job offers has not kept pace, pointing to a clear mismatch between demand and supply.

Placement data from recent years indicates that this downtrend began well before the pandemic. Between 2016 and 2019, nearly 32% of IIT graduates were unable to secure placements, highlighting a growing concern. Although the demand for engineers spiked temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall trend remains worrisome.

Recent figures show that between 2016 and 2023, out of 87,197 students registered for placements across the eight most prominent IIT campuses, only 62,452 secured job offers, leaving 29% without placement. The situation is even more alarming in the newer IITs, where the placement rate has sharply declined. These include campuses in Palakkad, Bhilai, Ropar, Tirupati, Gandhinagar, Patna, Indore, Hyderabad, and Jodhpur.

The decreasing placement rate has raised concerns about the ability of IITs to prepare students for the rapidly changing job market. Many believe the current IIT infrastructure is not keeping pace with advancements in cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence. Additionally, the government’s failure to address this growing problem further exacerbates the situation, leaving many IIT graduates struggling to find suitable employment opportunities.

The placement situation is particularly troubling at IIT-Palakkad and IIT-Bhilai, where placement rates have dropped to nearly 50%. One major issue is the inability of students to effectively communicate and impress recruiters, leading to missed job opportunities during campus placements.

IITs are being urged to adapt to evolving industry needs, especially by introducing more courses focused on artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. The recruitment landscape has shifted significantly since the pandemic, with many companies now focusing on downsizing rather than hiring. This trend has been most pronounced in the IT sector, where hiring has slowed considerably.

To remain competitive, IITs must ensure their courses and training programs align with the demands of the modern job market.

In conclusion, while IITs continue to attract top companies, the placement challenges highlight the need for a stronger focus on equipping students with the necessary skills to thrive in the modern workforce.