The class of 2024 at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) has faced challenges as they embark on their professional journeys. Recent disclosures under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, filed by IIT Kanpur alumnus Dheeraj Singh, have shed light on the employment status of IITians across all 23 campuses. According to news reports, approximately 38 percent of students from the class of 2024 are still seeking job opportunities.
The disclosure unveils that over 7,000 IIT students remain unplaced through campus placements this year across all 23 IITs. Two years ago, this figure stood at about 3,400, indicating a significant rise. While the number of students participating in placements has increased by 1.2 times, the number of unplaced students has more than doubled, now standing at 2.3 times the previous figure, Singh highlighted. Traditionally, recruiters would flock to the IITs on the eve of the hiring season, heralding the renowned 'day zero'.
IITs Enlist Alumni Aid for Placement Support
Seeking to address this challenge, IIT Delhi has reached out to its alumni for assistance in placing the current batch or recommending graduates to firms seeking engineers. Similarly, IIT Bombay and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science have also sought support from their alumni networks.
With the conclusion of the placement session for the academic year 2023-24 at IIT Delhi, the institute faces a significant hurdle. Despite exhaustive efforts, approximately 400 students are yet to secure job placements. Consequently, IIT Delhi is appealing to its alumni network for assistance in providing job opportunities for these graduates, as revealed by RTI responses.
The appeal implores alumni to support students by offering jobs, providing referrals and recommendations, and extending internship opportunities. The Office of Career Services (OCS) at IIT Delhi underscores the importance of alumni support, stressing that their assistance would be invaluable for the students' professional journeys.
Other engineering institutes, such as the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, have also reached out to their alumni, both formally and informally. IIT Bombay has similarly solicited assistance from former students. While the placement process continues until the end of June, around 10 percent of the batch, approximately 250 candidates, remain unplaced. Singh's RTI inquiry revealed that last year, 329 candidates were not placed, with 171 from the class of 2022 still awaiting job opportunities.
Why are IITians Facing Challenges in Campus Placements?
The challenges in campus placements for IITians are multifaceted. Placements are reported to be 20 percent to 30 percent lower across the board, according to V Ramgopal Rao, vice-chancellor of BITS Group. He suggests that if an institute claims all students are placed, the quality of jobs might be questionable.
Rao points out that this year marks a significant impact of ChatGPT and large language models. He notes that with two people being able to perform the work of three, hiring has decreased by 30 percent. Additionally, due to over-hiring and the election year in many countries, companies are adopting a cautious approach, further complicating the job market for recent graduates.
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