IITs to keep eye on hiring by startups, focus on PSU jobs

 

MUMBAI: After a few start-ups revoked job offers+ and some deferred their joining dates, IITs are making minor changes in their placement policies to ensure students don't face a similar situation this year.

While scrutiny of start-ups has been intensified like never before at most institutes, some are insisting on knowing companies' joining dates. Students say that not many start-ups are keen on hiring due to the fund crunch in the market. Public sector units (PSUs)+ that were missing during campus placements for a few years owing to a high court order, will be making a comeback this year with cells focusing on the 'Make in India' initiative.

 

A placement co-ordinator at IIT-Delhi, Shefali Jindal, said that the institute will be seeking joining dates on company registration forms itself. "Though they always gave tentative dates, we are planning to get them in writing," she said. She said that they had a very unfortunate case on the campus last year, when a student who had a loan burden, bagged an offer with a pay package of Rs 12 lakh per annum, but was rendered jobless after his offer was revoked.

At IIT-Bombay, the policy is yet to be finalized, but it will not deviate much from last year. "We have always examined start-ups, their background, etc. But last year, the number of students whose offers were revoked+ , though not very significant, was more than what it was in the previous years. We have intensified the scrutiny process this year and we are also looking at reviews of start-ups who have shown interest in our institute, on various platforms," said a placement committee member from the institute. IIT-Roorkee, too, will be having an additional filtering process for start-ups this year, said NP Padhy, a professor in charge of placements, adding that students have not lost interest in them.
"Till now we have invited about 90 firms from various sectors in manufacturing, fabrication, metal, electrical, etc," said Panigrahi. IIT-Bombay and IIT-Delhi too will be having several PSUs visiting the campus during the first phase of the placement season this year depending on their availability.