The company that made the English word ‘search’ a synonym of its name is scouting for campus talent at ISM, Dhanbad.

For the first time, Google Inc. is on ISM campus to offer placements. The software giant conducted a written test on Sunday for 129 students, including 75 from BTech computer science engineering, 45 from MTech computer science engineering and nine from the five-year integrated MTech mathematics and computing.

The 129 students, all of whom had achieved a GPA of 6.5 or above, took part in the one-hour written test held at Penman Auditorium.

Shortlisted students will appear for an interview in Hyderabad scheduled in September. Google is likely to offer a pay package of around Rs 13 lakh per annum for each of the selected students, but the final number of recruits depends on how well ISM candidates perform.

“Google is a dream workplace for most techies. The arrival of Google on ISM campus for recruitment for the first time is a growing recognition of our tech hub in disciplines other than mining,” said associate professor of computer science engineering department Chiranjeev Kumar.

Kumar, also training and placement officer at ISM, said though the placement session would formally begin from September, Google was allotted an August slot as its representatives said they wouldn’t be able to make it next month.

“We saw great enthusiasm among students who sat for the written test. Results will be declared by August-end and shortlisted students will then go to Hyderabad to face the interview,” associate professor of department of mechanical engineering Amit Rai Dixit, also an ISM training and placement officer, said.

Google, a search engine founded in 1998 by Stanford University friends Larry Page and Sergey Brin, changed the face of the Internet.

Headquartered in California, it went public on NASDAQ in August, 2004.

ISM made history last year when social networking major Facebook landed up to recruit fresh talent for the first time.

BTech computer science engineering student Rachna Nandan bagged a placement package of Rs 56 lakh per annum, the highest any ISM student has bagged till date.

“This year, software giant Amazon is also on our radar. Amazon will come on September 24. Microsoft had offered two of our students pre-placement offers last year. We expect Microsoft to pay over Rs 16 lakh a year,” Kumar added.

Big league

Campus debut: Google Inc.
Cash carrot: Rs 13 lakh
Aspirants: 129
Eligibility: GPA of 6.5 or above
Results: August-end
Interview: Chosen students will fly to Hyderabad
When: September
Number of recruits: Not final, depends on performance